No matter their background, any Australian will agree that our country is one of the best destinations in the world to dive in for a fun-filled aquatic experience — it’s home to beautiful places like the Great Barrier Reef, after all! Furthermore, it’s hard not to find a place to enjoy a dip with over 12,000 beautiful beaches and countless other scenic waterways to choose from.
There’s no denying that our close connection to the water is a big part of traditional Australian culture, and learning how to swim is something that many Australians just do. ‘Australian culture’ though continues to evolve with an increasingly diverse range of backgrounds, customs, and cultures, some of which bare very little native connection with water. This evolving perspective really helps challenge what the true reason is [across all cultures] that we should be teaching children to swim in Australia.
The core of the learn-to swim industry’s message is that learning to swim is not as much about becoming an Olympic champion or Pro Surfer, as it is a simple one of health, safety and inclusion.
The True Importance of Learning to Swim
Relevant Safety Skill
According to the Royal Life Saving Society, a vast majority of Australians (over 80%) know how to swim, and there’s a good reason for this: survival and safety. The surging waves at most Australian beaches are notorious for having powerful currents that can sweep inexperienced or non-swimmers underwater or out to sea, leading to a number of drowning-related deaths each year. This is a similar story for many of Australia’s waterways we enjoy year-round.
Knowing how to swim is an important survival skill that could save your life — and one that you’ll have for the rest of your life.
Physical and Mental Wellbeing
It may be relaxing, but swimming is also a great workout. Moving your entire body through the resistance of the water requires coordination and technique, making swimming a full-body exercise. It’s a great way to build muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness simultaneously, boosting your overall level of fitness.
Apart from physical fitness, swimming has also been proven to improve mental well-being and reduce stress. Similar to other types of exercise, gliding through the water results in the release of endorphins, which give you that feeling of happiness and relaxation.
Enjoying Water Socially and Professionally
It’s no secret that Australians love the water, whether it’s a relaxing day at the beach or a fun day at a waterpark. Learning to be a confident swimmer enables so many opportunities. Recreational water sports such as surfing or paddle-boarding, parties around the pool with friends, even school swimming carnivals, all rely on a basic ability to swim.
Even if you’re not the sporting type, learning how to swim enables you to enjoy the water socially or even choose a water-related profession later in life. Marine Biologists, Dolphin Trainers, even travel and lifestyle influencers swim as part of their job.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right swimming lesson provider can be a challenging choice. The environment in which you learn plays a big part in your learning progress and enjoyment of the process.
As a trusted swim school, we understand the different drivers for people looking to learn how to swim. The team at Aquatic Achievers believes in providing exceptional swimming education in an inclusive environment for all our participants. We welcome learners from all backgrounds to join our learn to swim program, via our network of swimming facilities all across Australia.
