Do you know the way to swim nicely sufficient to avoid wasting your life? NPR’s Life Kit lays out the 5 fundamental water security and swimming expertise that may assist stop drowning.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Most Americans, 85%, say they’ll swim, in accordance with survey knowledge from the American Red Cross. But can they swim nicely sufficient to avoid wasting themselves? Maybe not. The Red Cross has a listing of 5 fundamental water security and swimming expertise that may stop drowning. And solely a little bit over half of survey respondents stated they might do all 5. Marielle Segarra, host the host of NPR’s Life Kit, goes to stroll us by means of these expertise now with the assistance of an Olympic swimmer.
MARIELLE SEGARRA, BYLINE: Yes. I get an help as we speak from Cullen Jones, who really almost drowned when he was 5.
CULLEN JONES: At the age of 5, I almost drowned. It took me 5 completely different academics till I began feeling snug with the water.
SEGARRA: He went on to swim in two Olympics, successful 4 medals, and he is the primary African American to carry a swimming world document. Now it is his mission to ensure folks know methods to swim nicely.
JONES: We really want to alter this considered swimming is only a nice sport, which it’s. It’s additionally a life ability.
SEGARRA: OK. About these 5 survival swimming expertise, the primary one on the Red Cross’ record – you must have the ability to submerge your self underwater – that is over your head – to be snug sufficient to do this but in addition to know methods to do it safely, whether or not you are stepping in or leaping in. If you might be leaping, it is advisable be very cautious. And it is necessary to grasp the depth of the water, whether or not you are coming into a pool, a lake or the ocean.
JONES: You see folks leaping off rocks. You see folks leaping off all of those completely different platforms. We’ve seen folks change into unbelievably injured from that.
SEGARRA: Skill No. 2 – you must have the ability to return to the floor and float or tread water for one minute. You can do this by sculling. That’s the place you progress your legs and arms backwards and forwards to remain above water. In a swim lesson, you’d discover ways to scull in a means that conserves power.
JONES: One of the most important issues about, you understand, treading water and in addition floating is taking in a deep breath. When you absorb that deep breath, your lungs, at that time, primarily change into a buoy.
SEGARRA: That’s a useful trick while you want a break from sculling. The third ability is to have the ability to flip round in a full circle and discover an exit. And the fourth is to swim 25 yards to that exit with out stopping. If you are like me and may’t image a yard, customary swimming pools within the U.S. are 25 yards lengthy.
JONES: So the pool that you simply’re considering of in your head, that is in all probability a 25-yard pool.
SEGARRA: Lastly, you must have the ability to get out of the water with out utilizing a ladder.
JONES: I’ve a 3-year-old and I yell it to him each time he tries to get out now that he is actually good at it. But it is elbow, elbow, tummy, knee, knee, elbow, elbow. So you are placing your each of your elbows up on the floor, lifting your self as much as your abdomen, so that you’re midway out. And then you definitely’re making an attempt to convey your knee up, one knee up after which the opposite knee up. And then you must have the ability to get up at that time.
SEGARRA: If you do not have these expertise, why not join a swim lesson? You can go to usaswimming.org/makeasplash and seek for classes utilizing your zip code.
JONES: And you possibly can, for some folks, get these classes for low price or no price. It’s nearly doing the analysis and discovering what your native pool is offering.
SEGARRA: On day considered one of classes, you would possibly wish to convey goggles, a swim cap or a nostril clip if considered one of your huge issues is water going up your nostril. And after all, that cute bathing swimsuit. Where’d you get it, by the best way? Also, attempt to have enjoyable through the classes and take into consideration all of the cool stuff you’ll get to do as soon as you are a assured swimmer – water aerobics, surf classes, splashing round along with your child. It’s price taking the time. For NPR News, I’m Marielle Segarra.
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