Competitive swimming to make your child stay fit, set goals and build self esteem

Competitive swimming helps kids build confidence and stay fit. When are you enrolling your child for a swimming class?

Swimming is, hands down, the best physical activity your kid can participate in. He will not only enjoy splashing water and learn different styles of swimming, but he can eventually become a competitive swimmer by perfecting his timing. Experts say that children can begin aquatic readiness lessons or water acclimation and pre-swimming techniques, as early as 15 to 18 months, followed by learning technique and strokes development at the age of four. Maana Patel of Team Speedowas one of those kids who stepped into the pool at the age of 8. At the age of 15, she became the First Female Swimmer to bag a gold medal at the Asian Age Group Championships in Bangkok. A summer swimming camp for your little champ can prove to be a great head start towards competitive swimming. Manna explains why!

Boost confidence: Those focused practice sessions comprising stroke work, swim meets and local league championships will slowly but surely add up in taking a young swimmer s skills to the next level. Besides, competitive swimming helps kids build confidence, stay fit and be more target-oriented.

Master a life-saving technique: Swimming is not just a hobby, not just a sport; it s a life-saving skill. Learning swimming at an early age, and knowing the right swimming techniques prepares a child for life to tackle any unfathomed drowning situation, be it in deep waters or the pool. Here are 9 reasons why every child should participate in sports.

Build stamina: For kids and teens who spend extended time in front of mobile, tablets or TV screens, swimming is the ultimate activity. Firstly, hitting the waters always sounds like an exciting option. Secondly, swimming is an outdoor activity that makes exercising seem easier because of the buoyancy of the water. Being in water reduces our body weight by nearly 90 percent, and hence proves to be a great stamina building exercise as compared to land activities, without feeling strenuous.

Get a great cardio exercise: Swimming also works on muscles across the body, so whether it s a slow breaststroke or hammer butterfly, one gets a full body cardiovascular workout. For kids, a good swim session boosts appetite too and offers an excellent way to consume a balanced diet. It also leads to a sound sleep and a relaxed mind and offering a higher well being.

There are some great opportunities for modern day kids to take up swimming professionally. Swimming competitions and events prove to be a great platform for those promising swimmers who dream about winning laurels in sports still thinking? Make your child aqua ready and usher them into a whole new world of water possibilities and competitive swimming. Also, get your child enrolled in these 5 hobby classes to keep him occupied this vacation.

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