Swimming, swimming, in a swimming pool…..when days are hot, when days are cold, in a swimming pool.
Do you remember singing that tune when you were young? I do.
As I journey through menopause, I am reminded of just how much swimming plays a role in all three keys of my menopause lifestyle.
It keeps me heart and lung healthy.
It keeps me strong.
And it definitely helps me handle my stress!
I have always been so grateful that as a young girl I learned how to swim. It wasn’t just learning how to swim; it was learning how to be comfortable in the water.
Still to this day I am in the water swimming at least a few times a week, and it brings me so much pleasure.
I find that for me swimming is a much needed relaxation tool.
Whenever I get out of the water I feel refreshed and energized. With each stroke I am able to leave my cares and worries behind me.
Some years ago I became lifeguard certified. This gave me the opportunity to watch people swim and I started realizing a few things.
I started noticing how many people I meet who do not know how to swim. Many “elite” athletes I know can’t make it across the pool for one lap.
Many people who know how to swim, swim rarely, if at all.
I also noticed swimmers who could use help in learning to swim more efficiently.
Efficiency in any activity will always bring more enjoyment! You’ll struggle less and have more fun.
You know how when you enjoy and gain so much benefit from something you want the whole world to do it too?
Well, maybe not the whole world, but how about all of you reading this blog post??
Swimming is such a wonderful activity. It’s a great way to cross train your body for all the other sports you participate in.
Moving through the water with ease, using your breath, just feels so darn great!
And for those of you who might not know this, if you learn to swim the medley (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly) you use EVERY muscle in your body.
Writing to you about swimming is meant to:
- congratulate you if you are already swimming on a regular basis……..you know the secret to this most wonderful moving meditation!
- encourage you, if you know how to swim but the lifeguards at your local pool don’t know your name, to get back into the water and reclaim your lane!
- motivate you to learn how to swim. We are made of water to a large extent and getting comfortable within the water element will add years of JOY to your life—-I promise you!
Share your swimming stories with me, and as we lifeguards are taught to yell, “Everyone INTO the water!”
shelli
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