Essay on Activity

• The reason why you chose this activity

Swimming is one of the recreational activities enjoyed by most people (Britannica, n.d.). I want to swim since my friends have been telling me how good and refreshing it is. When we go to a hotel, all my friends end up swimming while I watch them. I have had some specific fears, and I fear I might drown while at it. However, I am now ready to fight my fears and learn how to swim to enjoy. Also, this will help me fight boredom when I go out with friends since I do not have many activities that I can engage in.

• Background information on the activity

Swimming is one of the most popular recreational activities all over the world. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise hence makes one become physically fit. Also, swimming is a good way of having fun with friends and family (Better Health, 2013). Swimming can be done daily, but it is more appropriate and fun when it is sunny. One of the reasons why many people like swimming are that it is a low-impact activity with several health benefits. Besides, one does not need a lot for them to swim. As long as there is a swimming pool or any other place with a water collection and has been rendered safe, one can swim easily.

Also, swimming is suitable for people of all ages, as long as one has trained on swimming to avoid drowning. If a person does not know how to swim but is willing to learn, they must avoid the deep parts of the pool not to drown. In addition, one should ensure that they have light clothes while swimming so that it becomes easy to swim Better Health, 2013). That is why one is supposed to swim while wearing a swimming costume and not any other type of clothing.

• Reasons why others participate in the activity (including personal interviews and information from magazines, journals, books, etc.)

According to Hansen (2018), swimming improves muscle definition, and one gains a lot of strength. People who engage in swimming gain muscle strength throughout the entire body. While the legs are kicking, the arms are pulling, the back rotates, and the stomach becomes tighter to stabilize the core. This makes swimming one of the best exercises that impact the entire body, not on some body parts.

People also use swimming as a team-building activity (Mullen, 2020). Most companies and organizations engage in team-building skills so that employees remain united in the workplace. Also, families and friends prefer to go swimming to have enough time to bond and share. Therefore, Swimmers learn to work together, communicate more effectively, and become better leaders—all these help enhance unity and peace among people.

According to Lee & Oh (2015), swimming helps middle-aged women become more muscular, and blood circulation is done effectively. This allows them to lead a healthy life, hence avoiding illnesses that might affect their growth and development.

• You noticed when you watched the activity (demographic makeup of the participants, number of people, the mood of the participants, the spirit of the crowd {if there was one}, e.t.c).

After watching the activity, I noted that the people who participated were thrilled and enjoyed themselves to the fullest. The participants seemed to enjoy; hence they were happy, some screaming at each other as they splash the water. The participants differed from one person, and there could be as many people as the pool could hold. In most of the areas that I have watched [people swimming, there were two pools, especially in hotels and restaurants. The pools included one for the children and one for adults. This made it easier for people to interact well, and it was also a safety measure to prevent children from drowning.

I noted no division of any kind at the beach, although children could not be allowed to swim without supervision. The crowd was also thrilled, especially during competitions. Two teams had a friendly match in one of the swimming activities, and it was pleasant and entertaining. The crowd would cheer their teams and congratulate the winners with a lot of happiness and pride.

• Your experience with the activity (did you enjoy, will you continue doing it in the future, any incidents that stick out in your mind, etc.)

I enjoyed the activity to the fullest. At first, I was hesitant to swim, but my trainer was quite patient with me. This made me have an easy time while training and learning about different styles of swimming. One of the things I enjoyed the most is the way I felt after the activity. I felt fresh and fit, just like someone would feel after doing an intense workout. The good thing is that I did not get tired as I would have felt if I had gone for a jog or a run.

I will continue swimming even in the future. I want to become a good swimmer and learn several styles of swimming so that I can even participate in different competitions. Besides, I want to motivate other people who have a similar swimming fear like me to fight their fears and practice swimming as it is such a refreshing activity.

One of the incidents that stick out in my mind is when I swallowed lots of water during training. My trainer would insist I keep my mouth shut, but I could not. Following this, I swallowed a good amount of water, which made people laugh a lot at me. However, this was a lesson, and the more I tried, the more I became better, and it was easy for me to hold my breath for long without swallowing water.

• Reflection on your experience

The experience was valuable to me. I learned that swimming not only refreshes the swimmer, but it also makes one healthier. I will continue swimming until I become a [professional in that sector.

References

Better Health. (2013). Swimming – Health Benefits. Better Health Channel. Retrieved May 7, 2021, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/swimming-health-benefits

Britannica. (n.d.). Swimming. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 7, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/sports/swimming-sport

Hansen, S. (2018, September 3). 10 Amazing Benefits of Swimming you Never Knew. Lifehack. Retrieved May 7, 2021, from https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/ten-benefits-swimming-you-may-not-know-about.html

Lee, B., & Oh, D. (2015). Effect of Regular Swimming Exercise on the Physical Composition, Strength, and Blood Lipid of Middle-Aged Women. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 11(5), 266-271. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.150242

Mullen, G. J. (2020, August 26). 10 Hidden Benefits of Swimming. Swimming World News. Retrieved May 7, 2021, from https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/10-hidden-benefits-swimming/