Artistic swimming: an alternate aquatic pathway for your child

So, your child has been taking swimming lessons in school or privately for a few years and they have become comfortable in the water. They can do more than one swimming stroke and, more importantly, you are assured of their safety in and around the water. If they really love swimming, joining a swim team or a squads programme would be the next and most obvious step in their progression. However, if taking up swimming as a sport is not what they want, there is an alternative that still involves water and offers a little more fun than everyday laps of the pool.

Heard of artistic swimming? Formerly known as synchronised swimming, the easiest way of defining this sport is that it is now a combination of gymnastics, dancing and swimming. Once your child can swim, this new sport will soon become their favourite after-school activity if they enjoy being in the water and especially if they love music, too.

What is artistic swimming?

Well, can you imagine running for a few minutes while performing acrobatics, holding your breath, looking graceful and having to keep in time to the music? This is artistic swimming. It’s one of the most skillful, demanding sports. In fact, a test held ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games found that artistic swimmers ranked second to long distance runners when it came to aerobic capacity.

How can my child benefit from artistic swimming?

1. The obvious benefit is learning a new sport, but artistic swimming is also a great way to exercise and improve coordination and concentration skills.
2. The sport is well stacked in relation to health benefits such as improving muscle strength, boosting heartrate and developing agility and flexibility.
3. If you love dancing, you will take no time to fall in love with artistic swimming. Choose a song with your coach, plan the suit that best complements the music, devise your own movements – there is a creative element, too.
4. Then there is the social element of being involved in a team sport – the laughs and the fun moments that are shared with a team.
5. Discipline. Waking up early, staying true to a schedule and, more importantly, hanging wet suits up after each session. This is a sport that sets you up for life.

When is my child ready to try artistic swimming?

While there is no recommended age for your child to try artistic swimming, the ability to swim and float are an important, essential foundation.

Synquatics, an artistic swimming pathway offered by Hamilton Aquatics, offer trial sessions for anyone who is in the mid to upper levels of the learn-to-swim programme. If you want to start early, swimming lessons and learn-to-synchro lessons can be taken simultaneously.

So what are you waiting for? Why not trial the only aquatic activity in the world that allows you to swim to the beat of your favourite tune. To book your free trial, email info@synquatics.com