Christmas Charity Swim
Firstly, on behalf of the Happy Fish team, I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to one and all!
These 54 residents gathered at Mattapoisett Town Beach, located in the United States to partake in their 11th annual Christmas Day swim, hosted by Helping Hands and Hooves. Helping Hands and Hooves is a Mattapoisett non-profit organization which advocates hollistic health care. Can you imagine braving yourself on Christmas day itself, when it is snowing lightly, to jump into the chilly waters? Well, these residents did it all in the name of charity.
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This is not uncommon to see in the USA, it is merely an example. There are many other states and towns that practice this tradition too. Yes, Christmas is a festive season for us to celebrate with family and friends. However, we also have to spare a thought for the less fortunate among us. We might have our fair share of turkey, ham, beef and wine on this joyous occasion. On the other hand, the less fortunate might be struggling for just a piece of bread daily. Therefore, while we continue to soak in the Christmas atmosphere, always bear in mind that there are others who aren’t as fortunate. After all, Christmas is the season of giving!
How do this 54 volunteers brave the cold? Well, the first and most important thing is that they have to be able to swim! Without the proper set of swimming skills, they wouldn’t be able to join in the event to raise funds. Secondly, they are required to have knowledge of the open waters. Always keep in mind that the open waters are unpredictable and without the proper set of skills, you might be overwhelmed by it.
Want to learn more about the open waters? Want to be prepared and armed with the necessary skills to overcome it? Take a look at our website. We offer the Open Water course under the SwimSafer syllabus. It might not seem essential at first, but once you have acquired it, you’ll realise how handy it can come into play when you visit beaches abroad.
Once again, Happy Fish would like to wish one and all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Read MoreThe Difference A Life Jacket Makes
Fishing is one of the most popular past times in New Zealand. The people there enjoy taking their dinghy out to the sea to find a nice spot to fish. A dinghy is similar to a small inflatable rubber boat, which runs on motor. It looks something like that:
http://www.infovisual.info/05/064_en.html
However, we are all aware of how unpredictable the open waters can be. There is no telling when strong waves will occur. Unfortunately for these two fishermen, who were fishing somewhere off Oakura, the weather picked up and flooded their dinghy before killing off their motor. After trying to save their dinghy for about an hour, the pair realised that it was to no avail. Hence, they decided to abandon their boat and swim to shore. We have always emphasized the importance of having swimming knowledge and skills. This shows us a classic example of how essential it is to learn swimming.
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Thankfully for them, they had life jackets on, which made a huge difference in their two hours swim back to shore. In all, they spent a total of three hours in the water. Without the life jackets on, chances are that they would not be able to make it. At least with a life jacket on, they are able to stay afloat and concentrate on progressing forward. If they didn’t have any on, they would be struggling to stay afloat and would probably take longer than two hours. By then, they would have already lost their energy. Even with a life jacket on, one of them didn’t have enough strength to swim the entire way. The other guy had to assist him and pull him along. You can read more about the article here.
Based on this article, it is clear that by having swim skills, it can actually save your life. The next important thing to be highlighted is always ensure that you have a life jacket with you when you head out to the open waters. Also, keep in mind that the open waters are unpredictable unlike that of the swimming pool. With a life jacket on, you can definitely buy yourself much more time.
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If you’re keen to learn swimming, do feel free to check out our website. We offer various swimming lessons for different age groups. We have basic lessons in the pool, competitive lessons, lifesaving courses and even open water lessons. Arm yourself with these essential skills, so that you’ll be prepared should such a similar incident happen to you.
Read MoreWoodlands Swimming Complex
Woodlands Swimming Complex opened its doors to the public on 5th Aug 1989. It is situated just beside the Woodlands Stadium, between Marsiling and Woodlands MRT station. Just like the other swimming complexes in Singapore, Woodlands Swimming Complex consists of the 3 standard pools. There is a wading pool designed specially for toddlers to play in. Then, there is the teaching pool that was constructed purely for learning purposes. It is also the area where lessons are conducted for beginners to allow them to get accustomed to the water. Finally, there is the competition pool, which is a 50m long Olympic size pool. This is where students and swimmers can be seen doing their laps.
For parents who are waiting for their child’s lesson to end, you might want to consider visiting Causeway Point. It was recently renovated to fit it more shops. Furthermore, it is conveniently located above the bus interchange and beside the MRT station. Many cafes and restaurants are available to keep you filled. Cold Storage supermarket can also be found here to cater to your daily needs. Aside from these, there is also a cinema where you can catch the latest movies while awaiting your child. For the full store listing, you can check it out from here.
As lessons for adults and children are available in Woodlands Swimming Complex, its peak period is normally during the weekends. This is when most lessons are being conducted and it would not be unusual to see the place packed with students. There will definitely still be space for you to maneuver, but perhaps not as freely as compared to the weekdays. Hence, if you prefer swimming in a non congested pool, the weekdays will be a better choice for you. If you’re planning to have a swim on a Thursday, remember to schedule it after 2.30pm as the pool only opens at 2.30pm every Thursday.
Address: 3 Woodlands St. 13 (738600)
Operating Hours: 8.00am – 9.30pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), 2.30pm – 9.30pm (Thur)
Opening Date: 5 Aug 1989
Facilities Type: 1 Competition Pool, 1 Teaching Pool, 1 Wading Pool
Seating Capacity: 400
Parking Facilities: 219 (Car), 48 (Motorcycle), 5 (Lorry Lots)
Website: http://www.swimminglessons.com.sg/woodlands-swimming-complex.htm
Entrance Fee:
| Weekdays | Weekends |
| Adult – $1.00 | Adult – $1.30 |
| Children – $0.50 | Children – $0.70 |
| Senior Citizen – $0.50 | Senior Citizen – $0.60 |
What’s Nearby:
Marsiling MRT Station (0.57km)
Blk 178 (B46569) Bus Stop (0.21 km)
Causeway Point (0.75 km)
Woodlands Point (1.34 km)
Woodlands North Plaza (1.54 km)
How to register swimming lessons?First, choose your type of swimming lessons |
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| Baby Swimming Lessons | Toddler Swimming Lessons | ||
| (6 - 23 months) | (2 - 4 years) | ||
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| Kid Swimming Lessons | Adults Swimming Lessons | ||
| (5 years - 13 years) | (14 years above) | ||
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| Female/Ladies Swimming Lessons | Holiday Swim Lessons | ||
| (Ladies only) | (For School Kids Only) | ||
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(*Highly Recommended Programme For All Ages*) |
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For Family & OrganizationFamily Swimming Lessons Organization Swim Clinic |
Advance ProgrammeOpen Water SwimSafer Competitive Swimming LifeSaving Course |
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The Importance of Swimming Assessments
Why are swimming assessments or tests important? Well, think of it this way, what will life in school be like without examinations? Will you actually study hard or will you just take it easy as you are guaranteed advancing to the next year? Chances are that we will most likely take it lightly as we won’t have anything to worry about. This theory applies to swimming assessments too. Without the tests, you won’t be able to access your own strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, you might not even be aware if you are using incorrect techniques and/or making mistakes.
- http://oceanicswim.blogspot.com
Apart from that, these swimming tests could potentially save your life. Based on this article, by missing a swimming assessment, it may have caused the drowning of this victim. If he had attended the test, the instructor might be able to spot his weaknesses and mistakes, which could potentially save his life. Hence, it is crucial to attend all the assessments that your instructor recommends to you.
In Singapore, we have our very own SwimSafer syllabus. The assessments are usually held once every 3 months and there are a total of 6 stages to be completed. The SwimSafer syllabus allows students to skip stages and proceed to the next test. However, we would strongly recommend you to complete all the stages if possible. With each completed stage, you will be ready for the next phase and gain more confidence as well. You will also receive a certificate upon completion.
- http://www.twfec.org
With each certificate that you receive, it represents a milestone in your swimming progress. Therefore, it gives you more reasons not to miss these milestones. Interested in signing your child up for swimming lessons to get them ready for these assessments? Why not try Happy Fish Swim School? We have various classes available for different age groups and we are pretty sure that you can find one that’s suitable, so don’t miss out on your chance!
Read MoreSwimming Basics – Mushroom Float
Majority of beginners, who do not have much knowledge of swimming, will think that they will start to sink once their feet leave the ground. The truth is that water is more than capable of supporting our bodies. Therefore, it is very easy for us to float without moving our limbs as long as we continue to hold air in our lungs.
Here are the steps to do a mushroom float:
1. Stand in the shallow end of the pool.
2. Breathe in and hold your breath.
3. Submerge yourself into the water.
4. Roll up into a ball, bring your knees to your chest and hold them with your hands.
5. If you need to breathe, unroll and stand again.
Here’s a video to give you a rough idea on how your body should look like:
Do take note that when you actually follow the steps correctly, you will notice that your head submerges into the water, but you will also float closer to the water surface. If you would like to test out sinking back down, all you have to do is exhale while being rolled up. You will realise that you start to sink due to your lungs getting emptied. This shows us that your lungs serves as the buoys of your body.
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This is a great experiment and exercise not just for beginners, but for those who are trying to overcome their fear of water. This will enable you to realise that even though your feet are not touching the ground, you will still be able to float up to the surface effortlessly. By doing so, hopefully it does helps to increase your confidence in the water.
If you’re unable to experiment and learn on your own, why not get some assistance from our certified instructors? We offer various kind of swimming lessons for all ages! All you have to do is to visit our website at http://www.swimminglessons.com.sg/, choose your preferred type of class, fill up the registration form and await a call back from our coordinators. By attending our lessons, you will definitely be able to learn more than just the mushroom float and build even more confidence in the water. We are definitely looking forward to seeing you at the pool!
Read MoreDo you always suffering from leg cramp during swimming?
Cramps in the legs are some of the most bothersome things to deal with when swimming. These cramps can occur because of a variety of different types of factors that one gets into when swimming.
The first factor as to why you cramp during swimming comes from how your muscles might not be too strong. Cramps occur mostly in people who are weak in build and not very powerful. Muscle fibers can be less likely to be able to handle the pull of the water and be able to handle the pressure that comes from the water. When this occurs a person can end up getting cramps if one’s muscles are weak.
Fast kicking motions tend to cause cramps more often than anything else. If you are kicking very fast when you are in the water then you will be more likely to develop leg cramps. This comes from how the number of muscle contractions you would have to deal with will increase. As a result your muscles will become tired and more likely to cramp up due to the increased activity that you had with them.
Another part of this comes from how the ankles can push off of a wall in a hard manner. While you might do this to propel yourself in the water when going from one lap to another you should be careful because this can cause cramps. The constant flexing of your ankles can cause your legs to become tight and therefore cause cramps.
Perhaps you might feel tense when you are getting into the water. You should be sure that your mind is clear and that you are relaxed when getting into the water before swimming so that you can prevent cramps. This comes from how stress and worry can cause tensions in the body that can cause the body to feel uncomfortable and tight. This can cause cramps when in the water.
The last reason comes from how you might be tired when getting into the water. If you swim after a hard workout the loss of electrolytes in your body from sweating can cause your body to lose energy and therefore make cramps more likely to occur.
These are good considerations to see with regards to why you cramp up when you are swimming. Your cramps can be caused by the motions you make in the water or your general condition when in the water. These can be contributing factors to the pains that you might have to deal with.
The author, Tan Jian Yong, is the founder of largest swimming lessons provider in Singapore – Happy Fish Swim School. By end of 2009, the swimming school has successfully accepted 10 thousands enrollment with 250 swimming instructors. For more information regarding swimming lessons, please visit http://www.swimminglessons.com.sg
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tan_Jian_Yong
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