Children in Abu Dhabi & Dhabi often see exercise as a task more than something fun. However, being in water is something nearly all kids like which provides a great opportunity for parents to get active when it comes to ensuring kids get more exercise.

We asked a professional swimming coach in Abu Dhabi who is qualified to work with children what their top tips are.

Is swimming a good exercise for kids in Abu Dhabi?

Question: Playing in the pool, especially during the hotter months is appealing to most children. As well as play how does swimming for children help with kids exercise?

Yes, swimming helps a great deal with exercise. Swimming is fun, children love the water and see it as a time to have fun with family and/or friends. And of course in the summer months what better way to cool off and enjoy, plus movement through the water is slower than out of the water so more muscle movement is used, especially if racing against each other is involved or playing water basketball or volleyball.

What are the main health benefits?

Question: What kind of exercise benefit does swimming provide for children, for example cardiovascular activity?

The benefit that swimming provides for children is it uses every muscle in the body. Once in the water the child is relatively weightless and can glide through the water, most children do not realize the hard work that they are doing as they swim.

These swim movements ask their body to send more oxygen and blood to their muscles, which of course in turn increase their heart rate. With this increased pumping this helps strengthen the heart muscle, improving the child’s cardiovascular conditioning.

Are swimming for fitness classes structured?

Question: As a swimming personal trainer in Abu Dhabi do you structure swimming for fitness lessons or do they take on more of a game activity?

I would say both, I am a firm believer in making swimming as much fun as possible. Swimming fitness, of course needs structure, and building up goals is the best way in getting children and even adults to better and improve themselves.

It is so important for everyone to stretch their muscles before and after swimming, warm up, in tense swimming and cool down.

Making it fun helps and in my experience the time flies by as they have enjoyed it so much. Swimming is an ideal exercise and sport for all ages.

What age can children start swimming for fitness?

Question: Do you think there are any lower age limits for using swimming as a fitness method?

Swimming is for all ages, from babies to adults. It benefits so much from building confidence in the water to improving swim abilities.

Even for babies and toddlers it is a fitness process, using their muscles through the water, either splashing the water with their hands or kicking the water with their legs and feet. All of this builds up their fitness.

How are swim fit for children classes structured?

Question: For parents in the UAE who want to use swimming as a fitness aid for their children can you provide some examples of how your swimming fitness classes work and what kind of swimming games/exercises you provide

Children love to compete, whether it is in the water or out of the water. I always start with the kick boards and the get the children kicking across the pool to warm up their leg muscles. Then I start with the arms, while still using the kick boards, using different techniques to improve their arm movements and stroke.

Then I ask the children to swim, and I encourage them to up their paces, of course, this is when they compete with each other on who will finish first across the pool, even though I always say that this isn’t a race, but they still compete with each other.

Maybe a few minutes before the end of the lesson, I will do a game with them. I have a hula hoop which I sink under the water and some sinkable toys, I tell the children they must first swim under the water, through the hoop and bring back one sinkable toy one at a time.

Of course the children love this and I feel that this ends the lesson on a good note. I always tell the children how well they’ve done that day and high light on what they improved.

Top benefit of swimming for fitness for kids

Question: Overall, what would you say are the top benefits of getting kids in pool as a way to incorporate some physical activity into their lifestyles?

In Abu Dhabi It doesn’t take much for most children to get into the pool. They see other children swimming and that in itself is a big encouragement to go in.

They want to move and play in the water.

As an example, while running the Abu Dhabi Swimming Summer Camp, I acquired an inflatable volleyball net and inflatable basketball hoop.

One day it’s either water volleyball or water basketball. Once they are taught how to play and make two teams, they play for a long time.

They are unaware of how much time they spend, how much movement and exercise they do and importantly, how much more confident they become in the water.