Swimming can be a very tough sport for many people. Just the thought of swimming can be very scary. You must know how to swim, not be afraid of deep water, and in cases by the ocean, be strong enough to handle waves and forces of nature. With that said, it’s no wonder that many people have little to no motivation to swim. This is why in today’s culture, swimming is being pushed more and more. Not only do Olympians help to motivate people to swim, but having a clean pool/environment, trusting lifeguards, and the fact that swimming is easier on the joints makes it a whole lot easier for people to swim and motivates them to swim more.
Olympians are considered the biggest motivation for people to swim. This is because they are real people who completed what is seen as a superhuman task. Think about it. When you were a little kid, you always wanted to be like your favorite superhero. This motivated you and inspired you to be the best. When you got older, you shifted who your ideal was. Perhaps it was your parents or a teacher. Still, you were inspired and motivated to be like that person and change the world. According to Swim Swam, positive people are huge motivators to swim. “Like your goals. Seek out swimmers and peers that have a positive outlook, and don’t engage people who live to complain” (“Swim Swam”). Olympians are fantastic, real-life people who motivate others to achieve the impossible. When the world saw Michael Phelps achieve a new world record, it inspired swim teams across the world to work harder to beat Michael Phelps one day. This new desire to become and beat Michael Phelps, motivated people to swim more. According to “Psychology Today”, there are the three D’s of motivation. These are direction, decision, and dedication. These three D’s motivate people to work harder. Direction is given by the person you admire, decision is the choice you make to work as hard and harder. Dedication is how much effort you put in to become like that person (“Psychology Today”).
Pools are the perfect place for spreading diseases. With its liquid water form, diseases are more easily contactable and more easily spread to get other people infected and sick. Chlorine does a pretty good job at killing bacteria quickly however, it is not safe to swallow it accidentally while swimming and diving. The Ultraviolet Pool Sanitizer is a safe, non-chemical way to kill bacteria effectively. Though they are quite expensive (ranging from $300-$800) they are effective and destroy bacteria by disrupting enzymes and breaking down the proteins in bacteria which ultimately destroys the bacterium (“UV Pool”). Pools should be required to have Ultraviolet Pool Sanitation to stop the spreading of disease, infections, and germs. With this knowledge, people are more likely to swim because they know that they won’t get sick and that they can exercise safely. Feeling secure is a huge motivator and factor in decisions people make every day.
Lifeguarding is essential to swimming pools. By having a national model code for lifeguarding, the operations of the pool will become much more organized. I am currently a Head Guard. I have learned through my lifeguard training that vigilance and self-control are essential to safety in the pool area. There should be a code requiring all lifeguards to complete one in-service a week to keep refreshed and up to date on mandatory skills such as CPR and the use of an AED, especially on infants. As a Head Guard, there should be certain protocols for chemicals and acids and bases. Many chemicals are damaging to the skin and eyes and must be used cautiously. All Head Guards should be enforced to complete certain levels of Chemistry or go through a Chemistry course in order to better understand the nature of chlorine and other harmful chemicals. I recently learned through my own training that you never breathe in a room of tablet chlorine buckets because it has harmful chemicals. I’m not saying that chlorine is bad, it is good to be used as a cleaner and disinfectant but it is harmful when swallowed or in its chemical form. With lifeguards being knowledgeable and trained, people will feel safer to swim. Feeling safe is huge as motivation for people to swim. If you don’t feel safe, you won’t want to swim.
Lastly, swimming is a very gentle sport for the joints and makes it easier for people to exercise. Swimming alleviates the pain but provides adequate resistance to make muscles stronger while also being gentle. According to Shape, swimming is a good workout for all sorts of people because it’s a total body workout, its joint friendly, it doesn’t require fancy equipment, it’s a great way to burn calories, there are several variations, and it’s optimal for cross training (“Shape”). With all of these pros, these motivate people to swim more because of the difference it provides from running or biking and other sports.
In conclusion, there are lots of ways to motivate people to swim. Not only do Olympians help to motivate people to swim, but having a clean pool/environment, trusting lifeguards, and the fact that swimming is easier on the joints makes it a whole lot easier for people to swim and motivates them to swim more. With that being said, swim more because it has proven benefits!
