Health : Learning to swim to a child or baby: opinions, tips, arguments, counter-arguments

Learn to swim before becoming a big boy or a big girl. What should you do as a parent so that your child is not afraid and can swim well for his or her age?

Learn to swim to your child in a few exercises

It is important to let the state-certified lifeguard do, when it comes to teaching children to swim. Why ? For the simple reason that learning is shorter than correction. In other words, if you want your child to really learn to swim, he must learn to do it properly.

The lifeguard is also a lifeguard. It could react in the most appropriate way in the event of a possible danger of drowning.

In addition, it's summer and families go to the sea where children splash. Parents let children wade in the water, but would not it be better for everyone to have children swim? Before speaking exercises, let's ask ourselves some preliminary questions!

What is the good age to learn to swim?

Nowadays, some parents bring their children to the pool as soon as they are still babies. When we were young, the perfect age to start learning to swim was 5 or 6 years old. Many experts advise against baby swimming, especially if it occurs in communal pools with chlorinated water.

They say that chlorine-releasing vapors can be responsible for bronchitis or asthma that children can develop.

How does it work in practice?

Everything starts out of the water! Before immersion, there are movements that the child must adopt. Lifeguards explain the simplest movements outside the pool.

Then, once in the water, the child is provided with a board. If the child is very small, it is also equipped with a buoy or armbands. Be careful, to avoid beach accessories, ie masks, snorkels, fins, inflatable and floating mattresses, etc.

The board is an important and obligatory step but it prevents the child from starting to learn the movement of the arms and legs that make movements in synchronization. The Lifeguard Swimmer will be able to show the right actions to adopt that the child will learn faster than he can correct later. He can also help in case of need.

Learning to swim means learning to breathe properly

Breathing is one of the most important steps to take. The respiratory organization is different, new, to learn to do. The breathing is done by the mouth. The swimmer performs apneas to advance in the water, propel and then float.

He is forced to block the breathing cycle to different sequences, depending on whether he wants to go faster or less quickly. It's floating that allows it to go quickly in the water. But it is the apneas are very short durations, or even their disappearance that allows to move quickly in the water.

We inhale by the mouth just before plunging our head into the water. As for expiration, it is through the nose and mouth. It must be explosive to get all the inspired air out.

Here is the "description of a respiratory cycle:

In addition, it is important that the child does not swallow chlorinated water. The small amount of water that enters through the mouth must be rejected right away. Incoming water must not disturb the child's breathing.

A little more details on breathing to learn to swim

Here is what Raphaël Le Cam, teacher at the Inter-University Service of Physical and Sports Activities at the University of Rennes 2 explains in an article published on https://apprendre-a-nager.univ-rennes1.fr/natation/aller -fore-far / breathing: "Our ventilation at rest is about 0.5 L (tidal volume) x 16 (inspiration number / min), or 8 liters / min.

The exercise ventilation for a swimmer breathing every 2 times with a frequency of 40 cycles / min is about 2.5 L x 40 (inspiration number / min), or 100 liters / min.

Regarding the respiratory rate, it is conditioned by the swimming technique, the distance to be achieved and the time of the race:

• Swimming sometimes determines the respiratory rate. In Brasse, the regulation requires the head to come out of the water with each movement, so as to take the opportunity to breathe ... In back, very often, one carries out an inspiration by movement at low speed and for 2 movements of arms at high speed.

Respiratory rate in different swimming styles

• The swimming distance conditions the respiratory rate. It is for the swimmer to manage the contradiction between the increase of the oxygen supply and the increase of the resistances by leaving the head of the water. Thus the more the distance to achieve decreases, the less you breathe. Here is a table of what are mean respiratory rates over 3 different distances:
  • 50m, departure, arrival: apnea
  • 100m (average values): 1 insp / cycle in Dos, 1 insp / 2 cycles in Papillon and in Crawl
  • 200m: 1 insp / mvt in Dos, 1 insp / cycle in Papillon and in Crawl

• The phases of a race lead to different respiratory frequencies. Example for a 100m freestyle:
  • 1st 25m: apnea on 6 movements then breathing every 4 beats
  • 2nd and 3rd 25m: breathing 2 times
  • 4th 25m: breathing every 4 times then apnea on the last 10 meters

In the middle distance and bottom distances, in Crawl, swimmers place more and more breaths with each movement of the arm (1 beat) before and / or after the bend tumbles to compensate for asphyxiation related to the turn. .

Learn to swim while fighting the psychological barrier

There are radical remedies and remedies more app. You can blow someone up in the water if they are afraid of water. Fear can be fought more gradually. The child is allowed to play in pools or shallow pools and over time tries to progress to deeper pools.

The lifeguard lifeguard will play a vital role at all times. Its intervention at all times guarantees safety and security at a general level.

If the child is still very afraid, consider offering him individual lessons. Having the Lifeguard lifeguard at your disposal is the cure for fear of water.

Why is it important to learn to swim?

This sport is only positive. Sports activity has no impact on the joints and back. We work the whole body while swimming. This sport can be learned at any age. It has post-traumatic benefits. Indeed, the practice of swimming soothes the pain related to arthritis and osteoarthritis.

It can even strengthen the joints. Swimming preserves your bones and tones you. It improves bones and joints and tones well-being and psychological and mental state.

You work all of your muscles without pain. Everything goes smoothly thanks to the effect of weightlessness. Muscle toning, such as triceps, biceps, sural triceps, pecs and abdominals, is guaranteed.

Learn to swim the four styles

• How to learn to swim breaststroke, frog style

The hands are joined at the height of the chest. The person swimming breaststroke pushes them forward until full extension of the arms. The arms then separate and run along each side of the body to meet at the initial position and so on.

Meanwhile, the legs make a chisel starting from the heels close to the buttocks to propel them like a jumping frog. The more the legs are ejected in a straight line, the more momentum will be powerful.

• How to learn to swim the crawl, the fastest style

The legs beat alternately. At the same time, the arms turn in a mill, or almost. The palm of the hand dives into the water facing the water to better row. This technique promotes the development of shoulders, arms, chest and abs.

• How to learn to swim back crawl

The back is facing the water and not the chest. If not, the movements are almost identical to those of the crawl.

• How to learn to swim the butterfly

This is without a doubt the most difficult technique to perform, especially at the coordination level. The body makes rippling movements. The abdominals, shoulders, arms and legs are worked on. The legs make rippling movements that propel the trunk out of the water. Then, the body plunges again following the palms. The arms rament and are pushed back to the waist.

It should be known that the order in learning styles is as follows: the craw, the back crawl, the breaststroke and the butterfly. Initially, you have to learn the right techniques. After that, you have to start improving your speed.

Learn to swim to improve your cardiovascular abilities

Swimming stimulates the cardiovascular system and develops cardiovascular capacity. It therefore reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is never useless to repeat the benefits of swimming!

This physical activity is more than effective for improving blood circulation because the muscles contract and relax. The heart being a muscle, it is strengthened and becomes more resistant during all this time during which one practices this sport. It improves the well-being of the person who practices it.

Learn to swim for the improvement of mental health

Relaxation, relaxation, weightlessness. In addition, like any sport, swimming secretes happiness hormones, endorphins, neurotransmitters that are secreted by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus.

Indeed, these hormones act on the brain, spinal cord and digestive system to make the person in a state of happiness. Swimming alleviates states of nervous breakdown, reduces tension and excess coles. Swimming avoids states of depression or frustration.

Learning to swim still requires effort

Although at the very beginning of the practice of swimming, it is recommended not to force, the learning of this sport requires to make efforts. Indeed, swimming is a very demanding sport.

To have fun, you must know how to swim well. All control, breathing, propulsion, balance in the water, coordination of the movements of the arms, legs, head, body, requires a serious and prolonged training.

The butterfly style is the most demanding swim. To be able to swim the butterfly, it is necessary to be endowed with good technical techniques and good physical qualities. Swimming that is not quite recommended after knee problems is the breaststroke. Leg movements can force the knees.

It is not recommended to run out but if you want to make progress, swimming from time to time will have no positive effect on your technique. The perfect frequency is the practice of swimming at least twice a week, preferably three.

The negative points of swimming

Otitis, tendonitis, allergies, dermatological conditions ... These are the main problems that some swimmers encounter during the swimming years. It is not common for swimmers to experience these kinds of problems but this can happen. Ear problems can be avoided if they are dried or if acetic acid is added to each ear after swimming.

Rotational movements of the shoulder can cause shoulder damage, especially when the swimmer's technique has not really improved although he has really pushed.

Alergies can become chronic because of chlorine. The skin can develop dermatological conditions, namely mycoses, eczema.

Although there are some negatives, swimming remains one of the best sports! To swim is to be healthy!