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Swimming Safety Tips While Traveling

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Swimming Safety Tips While Traveling

Swimming is an excellent recreational sport that you can enjoy regardless of your age or gender. However, according to experts, you should learn how to stay safe in the water. Just like other recreational activities such as canoeing, metal detecting, cycling, hill-walking, and others, swimming has some inherent risks and dangers too. Therefore, you need proper preparation and learning to swim without losing a sense of adventure.

1. Always use the right swimming gear

Swimming is a unique type of sport that requires you to wear less than other sports. It is, still important that you get the right swimming equipment. You need a comfortable swimsuit and a pair of fitting swim goggles.

Besides this, you also need the best swimming earplugs for optimum ear protection. When choosing earplugs, consider ones that are specially designed for the pool and other aquatic activities as human ears are very sensitive to water. Regular swimming can result in nuisances that can lead to mild or even severe ear complications.

2. Check in with an experienced lifeguard

In addition to getting the right swimming gear, you need to check in with a trained and experienced lifeguard. Whether you decide to swim in a swimming pool or ocean, lifeguards always know the recent activities in swimming areas. They can warn you about slippery floors, deep swimming pools, or even a recent shark activity in the ocean.

3. Get a swimming buddy

A reliable swim partner can keep you safe, accountable, and working hard to achieve your swimming objectives. Indeed, it is recommended to swim with an individual who is an expert in cross-chest carry and is strong enough to pull you out of the water in case you experience difficulties.

You should practice this rescue tactic with your swim buddy during workouts before you have a real problem. This is important for someone training for long-distance water races.

Note that if a swimmer bumps their head, has some kind of seizure or gets a cramp, the situation can be dangerous. In case you must swim alone in open water, it is wise to do so with a floatation device unless you are an expert in this activity or there are boats nearby.

4. Swim in the right area

Many parks, lakefront, big swimming pools, and beaches have designated time when swimming, and other similar activities are allowed. Also, there may be flags showing borders within which you must swim.

In case you are swimming in an area that lacks a designated zone, it is wise to swim with an experienced kayaker or an expert Zodiac boat operator who can guide you safely and probably pull you out of the water if necessary.

You may also want to ask a friend or a relative to walk on the shoreline and watch you as you swim. Unless you are swimming in safe swimming, you should never swim alone in oceans, rivers, lakes, and other areas.

5. If you doubt anything, just get out

In case you are in the water, and something does not feel alright, probably there is something wrong. Just get out as soon as possible. If you are swimming in an ocean or a lake, perhaps the current is beginning to get tough, or a storm is approaching.

Even when you are swimming in a pool in a nearby hotel, if you realize that your body is struggling to keep up due to fatigue, dehydration, muscle cramps, and exhaustion, just get out. You can swim later on the same day or another day.

6. Take a break when you need it

Well, it is still alright to flip on your back occasionally to enjoy part of the scenery during those amazing open-water swims. Sometimes you may feel like you want to swallow some water.

In such instances, relax, slow down, and try to recollect yourself while treading the water for a couple of seconds. It is common for a swimmer to feel panicked if he or she cannot get enough air while swimming.

7. Know when to draft and the right time to drift

You can work with other expert swimmers by swimming just a few feet behind or at the side of another swimmer (drafting). This can help you feel at ease as it can minimize the drag force associated with water. As you swim close to the other swimmers, try to respect their swimming space.

Note that during swimming competitions and other similar events, swim starts are often crowded. In this case, it is recommended to drift to the outer edge of the borders to avoid congestion and gain a clear swim way.

Whether you are training for an upcoming swimming competition or you are just trying to do a more challenging recreational activity, swimming has always been a fun activity for most people. The tips discussed in this article will help you to stay safe.

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