Discover the Benefits of Swimming and Dive into Fascinating Swim Facts

Discover the Benefits of Swimming and Dive into Fascinating Swim Facts with Bangkok Dolphins Swim School

Swimming isn’t just a fantastic way to stay fit and cool during the summer; it’s also a soothing and meditative experience. With gentle, rhythmic strokes, swimming can melt away your stress and provide a calming, refreshing workout. At Bangkok Dolphins Swim School, we are passionate about helping you unlock these incredible benefits and improve your swimming skills.

But beyond the health benefits, did you know that swimming has a rich and fascinating history? From ancient civilizations to modern-day innovations, swimming has evolved into one of the world’s most loved activities. Here are some unique swimming facts to inspire you:

The History of Swimming

  • The first swimming goggles were made from tortoise shells.
  • Swimming became an Olympic sport in 1896.
  • Swimmers were depicted as early as 2500 BC in Egyptian drawings, with even older illustrations found in Stone Age cave paintings.
  • Benjamin Franklin invented swim fins to help improve efficiency in the water.
  • The oldest concrete swimming pool (built in 1915) still stands in Texas.
  • The breaststroke is the oldest known swimming stroke.
  • Hollywood star Esther Williams popularized synchronized swimming through her aqua musicals in the 1940s and 1950s.
  • In 1975, President Gerald Ford added an outdoor pool to the White House.
  • The first recorded swimming races were held in Japan in 36 BC.
  • The U.S. National Swimming Pool Institute, founded in 1956, continues to set pool safety standards today.

Impressive Swimming Statistics

  • Competitive swimmers swim between 6-12 miles per day.
  • An Olympic-sized pool holds an astonishing 850,000 gallons of water.
  • In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel.
  • Mark Spitz made history with 7 gold medals at the 1972 Olympics.
  • Moscow, Russia, boasts the world’s largest swimming pool.
  • Casablanca, Morocco, is home to the longest swimming pool, stretching 480 meters in length.
  • In the U.S., the once-largest Fleishhacker Pool in San Francisco closed in 1971.
  • Don Schollander was the first swimmer to break the 2-minute barrier for the 200-meter race.
  • Freedivers can hold their breath for over 10 minutes.
  • The crawl/freestyle stroke is the fastest Olympic swim stroke.
  • A resort in Malaysia features a mind-blowing 643 swimming pools!
  • Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe became the youngest world champion in 1998.

Unique Swimming Facts

  • Many competitive swimmers shave their entire bodies before races to reduce drag.
  • A space shuttle turbopump could drain an Olympic-sized pool in under 25 seconds!
  • Some swimmers have flexible ankles, allowing them to touch the ground with their toes while lying on their backs.
  • Surprisingly, more than half of Americans don’t know how to swim.
  • Competitive swimming surged in popularity after World War I, along with the decline of full-body “long john” swimsuits.
  • After World War II, swimming pools became a Hollywood trend, thanks to synchronized swimming star Esther Williams.
  • Australia is known as the world’s most passionate nation when it comes to swimming.
  • The first bikini was invented in Paris in 1946.
  • Swimming was once a revered skill among Japanese samurai.

Health & Fitness Benefits of Swimming

  • Swimming burns 40% more calories per hour than cycling.
  • It burns 30% more calories than running.
  • Swimming strengthens both the heart and lungs.
  • Over half of competitive swimmers report experiencing shoulder pain.
  • Swimming can help reduce asthma symptoms.
  • It’s also a fantastic way to combat stress and reduce depression.
  • Saltwater swimming can detoxify your skin and promote new cell growth.
  • Swimming can reduce inflammation in the body, promoting overall health.

Why Choose Bangkok Dolphins Swim School?

At Bangkok Dolphins, we provide high-quality swimming lessons for all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner learning to swim or a competitive swimmer looking to enhance your technique, we have the perfect program for you. Our team of certified instructors is committed to offering top-notch swim training in a safe, fun environment.

Ready to dive into the exciting world of swimming? Bangkok Dolphins Swim School is here to help you achieve your swimming goals, improve your fitness, and discover the joys of being in the water. Contact us today to sign up for our swimming lessons or learn more about our programs.

Gordon Ellard designs a programme for Deaf Children Australia.

We believe all children should have the opportunity to learn to swim.
Late last year Gordon (founder and owner of Bangkok Dolphins) attended the Swim Australia conference in Brisbane,
where he presented the “Puggles Swim” program. A program that he wrote for Deaf Children Australia.
The course is designed to up-skill accredited swim teachers to include deaf and hard-of-hearing children in mainstream lessons.
Gordon was excited to discuss the course with Laurie Lawrence, Australia’s baby and learn-to-swim guru.

Bathing a Newborn: Birthing Suite to Bath Tub

By Gordon Ellard, November 2020

As a father of two, I admit that I had mixed emotions about bringing my first child home.  I was so excited but on the other hand, I was a little terrified.  The “What to expect” books seemed to make a lot of sense, but would it all fall into place when finally home?

Bath time for me ended up being one of my favourite activities of the day.  A potential slippery business soon turned into a whole new world of uninterrupted fun.

In the first week, we used a small cloth bath support seat that we put directly into the bathtub and used sponges to gently wash our newborn.  This was an ideal start as our baby boy was supported and comfortable. We then gradually filled the bathtub (water temperature should be about 32°C) so that the water level covered most of his body.   This helped him have the sensation of floating and yet feel supported in the water.

It still amazes me how much a baby of fewer than two weeks old loved the water.  I guess in hindsight it’s no surprise that babies love the sensation of being in the water as they have spent the previous nine months suspended in fluid.

As our baby grew, so did the activities we did with him in the bathtub.  I would fill up the tub to about 30cm and then I would get into the bath.  My wife, Elizabeth, would then hand our son to me and after a few moments of cuddles and singing nursery rhymes, I would slowly lower him into the water on his back – it was such a lovely, relaxed and calm environment. 

With one hand supporting his neck and the other the small of his back, I would gradually rock him back and forth on his back, progressively supporting him less, until he was super relaxed with his ears and feet under the water.

I would slowly remove my second hand from his back and he would then float with just one hand supporting his head. Once complete and with the baby still happy, I would sit him up while cradling him, and it was shower time! 

I had bought a little dolphin rain shower and I would pour water slowly from the back of his head then over his whole face, nice and gently.  As he grew more accustomed to the water over the coming weeks and months, I would support him less and made bigger showers – he just loved it, splashing and kicking all over the place. The amount of splashing and fun would often mean that the entire bathroom would need a good mop!

I did the same routine for my daughter, who unsurprisingly found the whole “swimming” experience thoroughly enjoyable too.

This article was published in Bangkok BAMBI Magazine in November 2020. You can download the article HERE.

About the Author

Gordon Ellard is the founder of Bangkok Dolphins which was established in 1997. Gordon has a passion for all things swimming and has worked to establish a programme at Dolphins that is accredited by the Thai Ministry of Education. His favourite age to teach is babies and the learn to swim range.  Gordon is married and has two teenage children, who he taught to swim.

Why enrol your child in infant swimming?

There are many conflicting opinions on this topic. Our answer is based on many years of teaching swimming to infants and research from Australia and the UK combined.

First and foremost is the safety aspect which applies in every country, but especially Thailand.  Giving your child the skill to save itself we see as the most important reason.  Recognising that there is a swimming pool in nearly every house or condo block, which is most likely not fenced, teaching your child to swim to the side of the pool could save his/her life. Your infant swimming goal should be that your child can swim to the side if they were to fall into the pool by approx 24 – 30 months.

During 6 – 18 months, physical & mental development is at its most obvious. Learning to walk, climb, understand and talk are all challenges for the child. Taking these challenges into the pool learning environment adds for another healthy, natural, fun thing to do.  Each class can be an interactive recreational activity with your child in a new and exciting liquid environment. In this medium you can bond with your child face to face. Often Dads gets involved in swimming lessons and it’s the “me & dad” activity for the week.

The lesson should be structured for the best benefit to your child and promote learning to swim through song and games especially in the 6 to 18 month age group.

At home you can encourage “getting ready” for swimming lessons from birth. Don’t be scared to pour a little sprinkle of water onto your baby’s head and let it roll down their face – they won’t like it at first. There is no need to wipe splashes of water off your baby’s face as it happens, it gets them uses to the feeling.

Encouragement of confidence and independence can start at any age, however the earlier the better. During the 6-18 month stage a growth spurt of self confidence happens as a result of the child’s ability to move about and master their environment. Looking for recognition of achievement is natural and being encouraging when an achievement of any size is made promotes a healthy self esteem in children.  Learning to master the water, fear of the water or independence in the water deserves encouragement and therefore can promote a good self esteem

Children learn to socialize (or perform for an audience) at an early age, although children generally do not ‘play’ with other children under 2 years. Learning to work or share with new faces and other children can help develop social skills needed for life.

When organizing lessons for your baby look for a qualified, reputable swim school. Ask about qualifications of the school’s staff. Take a look at the cleanliness of where the swim lessons are being held. The most beneficial environment to learn swimming is a heated, salt water pool. Baby’s cannot regulate their own body temperature so a heated environment is a happy one.

Finally, the smooth and fluid exercise that swimming brings relaxes many infants and toddlers resulting in uninterrupted healthy naps.