St. Louis, MO
Swimming is the one activity that is truly lifelong and British Swim School is a wonderful place to learn – at any age.
Babies even younger than one can learn to swim.
We even read of a family who enrolled their one–day-old baby in swim lessons. While British Swim School does not advocate newborns taking lessons, there are real advantages to having babies start early. Young babies are less likely to be afraid of the water so becoming acclimated while they are being held by their mother or father is something they enjoy. Just as they learn how to sit up and then to crawl and finally to walk, they can learn the motor skills involved in rolling over and floating on their backs – which can be life saving. They can then learn elementary strokes.
Swimming is also something that can be continued in old age. Bouyancy makes swimming an easier exercise for older bodies with their various aches and pains. We have had a number of birthdays this month so we were inspired to read about some of the older swimmers.
George Corones set records at age 99! He had stopped swimming as a young man but took it up again at age 80. He set a world record for his age group at the Commonwealth Games. As Corones said ““In the water you’re weightless. While you’re there, you can use all the muscles in your body, your sinews and elastic tissues, without that extra weight that’s on you. In the water it’s just yourself and no weight at all.”
Then there is Jaring Timmerman, a Canadian, who at 104 set world records for his age group in the back stroke and freestyle.
Mieko Nagaoka became the world’s first centenarian to complete a 1500-metre freestyle swim. It took her just under an hour and 16 minutes to finish the race as the sole competitor in the 100-104-year-old category.
Enrolling babies – and older children, of course – can be one of the best gifts they ever get, a gift that can last a lifetime.
British Swim School St. Louis offers premium water survival and swimming lessons for infants, toddlers, children and adults, starting at just 3 months old. We proudly serve the St. Louis communities of Afton, Ballwin, Brentwood, Chesterfield, Clayton, Concord, Crestwood, Creve Coeur, Dardenne Prairie, Eureka, Fenton, High Ridge, Howell Island, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lake St. Louis, Manchester, Maplewood, Maryland Heights, New Town, Olivette, Overland, Richmond Heights, St. Charles, Orchard Farm, St. Paul, St. Peters, Sunset Hills, Town and Country, Valley Park, Webster Groves, Weldon Springs, and Wildwood. Call 314-312-1878 to enroll or find a class online.
