Swimming. It is fun and good for you!

1, 2, 3... Hold your breath!

Swimming is a fun exercise to do in either the community or backyard pool...

By simply moving around in the water, you are burning calories. Add to that a competition to see who can hold their breath the longest, and that's a pretty good workout already! Holding your breath while moving your body underwater will not only work your bones and muscles, but it will help your lungs and cardiovascular muscles as well!

Parents you can have fun with your child by racing across the pool or competing to see who can hold their breath the longest.

Water toys can add even more fun. Just get a couple fun colored diving rings and your child will spend more time underwater then you would ever have guessed.

Water games, like Marco Polo is always a great way to get everyone's heart rates up and bodies moving fast! Marco Polo is a form of water tag. Whoever is "it" swims around saying "Marco" with their eyes closed or tape over their goggles, while everyone else responds with "Polo" and tries to keep away from the person who is it. If they get tagged, then they are "it" next go around.

If you want to take swimming to the next level...

Sign your child up for swim lessons. Your local YMCA or other community pools offer swim lessons each summer (some even year round!).

Before you know it your child will be kicking and splashing their way to the swim team. This is where the swimming gets serious, but with lots of fun ways to grow alongside peers and learn valuable life skills like self esteem, confidence and leadership to name a few. Next thing you know, your child will be teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding for his/her first summer job!

Benefits of water exercise...

According to the Center for Disease Control and prevention "Swimming is the second most popular sports activity in the United States and a good way to get regular aerobic physical activity. Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, such as swimming, bicycling, or running can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses."

Water exercise is extremely good for the joints. The less impact and pressure there is on your body while exercising, the better. So, what better way is there to exercise your muscles, lungs and heart while maintaining the lowest contact and pressure on your body than swimming?

The best part is, you never feel yourself sweating while you workout in the water! You or your child won't even feel like it's a workout! Whether it's a fun game of Marco Polo at the community pool or joining the swim team, being in the water is one of the best ways to exercise while having fun.