Are You Afraid Of Swimming? Let Go Of Your Fears This Summer

You’ve heard great things about swimming but just can’t seem to take the plunge? Pratika Yashaswi gives you a little push

- Pratika Yashaswi

know how you can make your favourite workout even better? Do it underwater. “You can kick higher, stretch further and since you’re working against both gravity as well as water resistance, your exercise becomes even more effective,” says Sucheta Pal, who conducts Aqua Zumba classes in cities across India. “The water provides a cushioning effect, making it easier to push yourself.”

The pool is a more inclusive place than, say, the track. People with joint problems, arthritis and bone injuries can all get a good workout in here. “The physical properties of water, its viscosity and buoyancy, give you a sense of weightlessness and remove the biggest hindrance that manifests on land: pain,” says Dr Charu Eapen, associate professor of physiotherapy at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore.

Chances are you already know swimming is good for you. No one who’s ever seen a topless picture of Milind Soman can possibly doubt that. So what’s keeping you from diving right in?

“I can’t swim.”