How can swimming lessons help improve your kids’ performance with other sports?

Many people may not know this, but children who take swimming lessons often perform better in other sports as well. When you combine regular swimming lessons with other activities, your child can excel and stay ahead of the competition. Swimming is unique and offers numerous health and fitness benefits, including improved coordination skills.

In this article, we will touch on the benefits of swimming for your little athletes and how it can help them perform better in other sports, like football, soccer, gymnastics, basketball, baseball, tennis, cross-country running, hockey, dance, and martial arts.

1. Swimming increases lung capacity and improves cardiovascular health. Swimming lessons are an excellent way to enhance your child’s performance in other sports. Regular swimming helps increase lung capacity and cardiovascular health, which in turn boosts endurance and stamina in activities like soccer, track and field, or cross-country running.

2. Strength training. Swimming builds strength in the shoulders, hips, and torso, which is especially beneficial for sports that require rotational motion, such as golf, baseball, and football. As a highly active sport, swimming engages both the arms and legs, helping to develop overall strength. Strong legs, in particular, can improve performance in football, soccer, gymnastics, and cross-country running.

3. Swimming boosts immune system function. We all know that in order to win, an athlete has to show up in great health for every game. Regular swimming does play a role in keeping your child healthy and preventing illnesses. Swimming, especially in cold water, can increase the production of white blood cells and blood circulation, which help fight off infections and diseases and reduce inflammation. This means the athletes will be able to outperform their competitors by having a strong immune system and showing up ready to go.

4. Low risk of injury. Swimming is gentle on your child’s body and joints while helping them build muscle tone and cardiovascular endurance. Your child’s efforts in the pool are unlikely to cause injury that would prevent missing other practices or games.

5. Confidence. Swimming lessons not only build fitness and improve endurance—they also build confidence. It can help your child gain confidence in himself and his body. This fosters a positive attitude towards exercise and means your child is more likely to participate in sports at school. Confidence is also essential for performing well in team sports, like football, soccer, or basketball.

If your child has started a new sport, be sure to enroll them in—or continue with—swim lessons. Remember that regular swimming lessons alongside weekly sporting activities can only improve performance and help your child excel!

At Five Star Swim School, we offer a flexible schedule and will work with you to arrange swim lessons that are most beneficial for your child. Contact us today to schedule your first FREE trial lesson!