The Swimming Swan, 6 years later. Featured in ShoutOut Socal

This article is brought to you by: Shoutoutsocal

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Swanson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” This quote resonates beauty, simplicity and truth. Professionally; there are many mistakes, uncertainties and fears that arise from starting your own business and when I feel overwhelmed, I tend to come back to Maya’s teachings. Work hard, be kind to yourself and continue doing what you love all the while getting better as you go. This quote not only speaks volumes in business but also on a personal level. Doing things with integrity and following ones’ heart I believe, is the path to success no matter the financial gain.

  

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Swimming Swan is a private aquatics company that services communities across the country. I am most pleased with the way we have expanded into new markets and the capabilities we have for further expansion. The fundamentals of our expansion revolve around our technology platform and our core belief of providing water safety to our clients. What sets us apart from others is the intangibles; our business ideals mirror my own and thats saving lives. It hasn’t necessarily been about the quarterly gains, we are more focused on the well-being and safety of our communities and in doing so, our company has evolved to service corporate entities, municipalities, non-profits and more. It’s absolutely remarkable to think about the last 6 years and how far we have come. Our story originated from a near drowning experience, a child who didn’t know how to swim and was resuscitated. Our story happens across the country to countless children and adults. We are making a difference and thats what matters. Was it easy? No, this was the hardest endeavor I have ever done in my life. If I stop working hard, if I lose focus – the company suffers. What is most important is to keep going, to recommit to the mission and to do better, always. A big part of our success is our growing partnerships. We started with at-home swim lessons for kids that needed one-on-one instruction, to now being focused on working with large communities of people. From swim lesson programs to lifeguard services and certification programs for the public such as CPR and First Aid. We are open for business, we are ready to help our clients with peace of mind knowing that their patrons are safe. To the mothers and fathers that need our services to get their kiddo’s swimming, we are here for you.

  

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them too?
If my best friend was visiting; it would be a week full of laughter and fun. First thing, we’d go on a hike. Either out to Mount Laguna or Ramona – cedar creek falls, perhaps. We’d then go for lunch in Julian and have some apple pie. We’d get a drink at culture in Encinitas and grab a quite bit to eat at the taco stand. We’d take my dog down to Coronado’s dog beach, get some sun and walk around. We’d most likely go up to Temecula and hit up some vineyards/wineries. Ive always loved Wilson Creek. We might head down to Rosarito or K38 and go for a surf, maybe spend the night down there. Definitely go to Splash Restaurant for some great lobster. And I would ask for her input of course; whatever she wants to do, is what we would do.

 

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A big, huge shoutout to my mother, Patricia. Without her love, guidance and support I would not be the woman I am today and The Swimming Swan, LLC would certainly not be where it is today either. Thank you for believing in me, always.

Website: www.theswimmingswan.com
Instagram: the_swimming_swan
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-swanson-b4503987/
Facebook: facebook.com/theswimmingswan
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-swimming-swan-san-diego-3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2dq8HHcLNpCfVhiCFf2hQg

The post The Swimming Swan, 6 years later. Featured in ShoutOut Socal first appeared on Swim Lessons and Private Lifeguard Services.

Is it Too Late to Start Learning How to Swim?

Is it Too Late to Start Learning How to Swim?

Many think that learning how to swim is only for children. However, it is never too late for you to learn how to swim even if you are already an adult. Besides, it is better late than never, and you are missing out on plenty of amazing experiences that involve swimming.

Why It’s Never Too Late to Learn How to Swim

As an adult, there are probably two main reasons why you don’t know how to swim yet. The first reason is if you have a bad experience relating to bodies of water, and the second is that you just never took the plunge to learn how to do it. Regardless of your reason, it is never too late for you to learn how to swim.

Here are some reasons why you should still learn how to swim even if you are an adult already:

• A Life-Long Survival Skill

Swimming is an important life skill that will help save your life or others during dangerous situations involving water.

At one point in your life, you will be near a body of water or pool, and unfortunately, incidents that cause drowning can occur. This can happen to your family, friend, or worse, you. However, when you know how to swim, you will be able to save yourself or others and bring them to safety.

Furthermore, simply knowing how to swim will give you peace of mind when you are in the water. It will also help make your companion feel secure that in any given moment that danger presents itself, they don’t have to worry about you or that you have their back no matter what.

• Excellent Cardio Exercise

Cardio exercises can be quite taxing to the knees and joints of the body, especially when you are getting much older. It’s a good thing that swimming is excellent cardio that does not impact the knees, which makes it a great alternative.

Swimming is also generally relaxing and enjoyable, especially when you do it with friends, so it will barely feel like a workout. This way, you are helping your body maintain its appropriate weight while working out your other muscles.

• Fun and Exciting

The biggest reason why you should learn how to swim even if you are now an adult is that it is fun and exciting. Stop being the designated bag watcher and joining your friends and family in the water.

Benefits You Can Get From Learning How to Swim

Swimming has a long list of benefits, aside from being fun and enjoyable. Here are some of them:

• Full Body Workout

The biggest benefit that you can get from swimming is an excellent full-body workout option. It allows your heart rate to increase without putting too much stress on your body.

Since it does not stress out the body that much, swimming is also excellent for individuals who are suffering from conditions such as arthritis. Even those who suffered previous injuries can use swimming as a workout without worrying about overexerting or re-injuring their injury.

By doing a swimming workout, you can also achieve toner muscles, improved endurance, and more strength in general.

• Efficient Way to Get Rid of Excess Calories

If you are looking for a way to get rid of your excess calories, you should consider swimming. In fact, around 423 calories are burned by 160-pound individuals in just one hour of moderate pace swimming. This can even be double when the pace is more vigorous.

This is efficient because walking only burns 314 calories for a 1-hour walk with a pace of 3.5 mi/h. Although yoga is also an excellent activity, it does not burn as much as when you are swimming. You only burn around 383 calories in a single hour yoga session.

• Improve Sleep and Mood

A study participated by adults who have insomnia shows that swimming may help improve sleep. Participants also noted that they now have better sleeping patterns after engaging in swimming workouts.

Swimming can help improve your mood too. Researchers did a 12-week aquatic program, and the results showed that the participants who suffered from dementias had lesser mood swings.

• Stress Management

Since swimming is a physical activity, it helps stimulate the brain and encourage the production of neurochemicals. These neurochemicals are responsible for making your body feel good and lower stress levels.

Swimming also has a massaging sensation as the result of the movement of water. This helps encourage relaxation for the entire body.

• Improve Brain Functions

Swimming is really helpful in improving brain function. Since it is an aerobic exercise, it strengthens your heart muscle and over time, making it much larger. This will then result in improved blood flow to the brain, allowing your body to function better.

This is why many experts recommend this activity to people who have ADHD or those who just have a hard time concentrating.

Swimming Statistics Facts

Do you want facts about swimming? Well, here are some interesting swimming facts that you might want to know about:

• In the United States, over 15% of adults swim at least 6 times a year. Also, 1 in every 5 adults in the country does not know how to swim.
• In children aged 1-4, the leading cause of accidental deaths is drowning.
• 60% of drowning-related deaths happen in swimming pools.
• 88% of people who drown in boating accidents were not wearing life jackets.

Final Words

No age limit tells you it is too late to learn how to swim. In fact, you can learn how to swim even when you are already in your 50s or 60s.

Swimming also has plenty of benefits. These include a healthy heart and lungs, combat obesity, slow down signs of aging, and improve blood and oxygen flow to the brain.

If you are an adult and don’t know how to swim yet, join a swimming class, and start learning. You will be amazed at how fun and beneficial it truly is.

For more information on our private swim lessons, please see our adult and senior swim pages.

This article is brought to you by The Swimming Swan

The post Is it Too Late to Start Learning How to Swim? first appeared on Swim Lessons and Private Lifeguard Services.

Lakes, Pool, Oh My! Our Palm Springs Lifeguards have you covered!

 

Are you visiting the Palm Springs California Ara and are you in need of a pool party lifeguard for a birthday party? Would you like a Palm Springs swimming instructor to work with the kiddo’s while you’re vacationing in Palm Desert?

Our Riverside team of swimming instructors, coaches, lifeguards and managers work remotely throughout the Coachella Valley region for any and all water safety needs. Whether we are working with individual families or partnering with Homeowners Associations – our Red Cross certified staff are fully vetted, have gone through a rigorous training program to make sure they are up to par on their skills. It’s important for staff to practice their skills and not just have a certification. Hands on experience and training are crucial.

Lakes, pools and more – we have no problem accommodating your request for water safety services. Is your facility in need of seasonal or year-round lifeguard services in the Coachella Valley desert? Let our team do what we do best – manage your water safety needs by staffing, providing on-going training, insurance and purchasing any equipment needed.

Contact us today to get started.

For more information on our programs in Riverside County, please click on these links: lifeguard services and Palm Desert / Palm Springs

This article is brought to you by The Swimming Swan.

The post Lakes, Pool, Oh My! Our Palm Springs Lifeguards have you covered! first appeared on Swim Lessons and Private Lifeguard Services.

Storms and Water Safety

Article by: Dayle Rothman

Do you know when and why to get out of the water? You’re at the beach and dark clouds start rolling in, what do you do? You’re at the community pool and the sky is clear but you hear thunder, does that mean you must get out of the water? The Swimming Swan’s number 1 goal is to keep you safely swimming and that includes water safety during storms. 

 

Electricity and water are a deadly combination!

The risk of being struck by lightning in the water is real and extremely dangerous. Lightning typically strikes wide open flat surfaces and searches for the highest point. When you are swimming in a lake or the ocean your head bobbing out of the water may be the highest point for miles making it a favorite target. A direct lightning strike is terrifying, but it’s often an indirect strike that can still reach you several feet away. According to the US National Weather Service a typical lightning flash measures about 300 million volts and 30,000 amps. which is more than enough to kill. When lightning strikes water it travels horizontally along the surface which is why it’s more hazardous to swimmers than fish who swim deeper. Swimming pools both indoor and outdoor are also to be avoided during electrical storms since there are metal pipes in and around the pools that can attract the electricity. Storms are frequently regarded as a summer issue but they can pop up any time of the year and should always be taken seriously. Here are the recommended guidelines you should follow to keep you and your family safe during storms.

 

• We advise always checking the upcoming weather before planning a day at the lake or beach. If storms are predicted, consider postponing your plans to avoid unnecessary danger.

 

• If you hear thunder or see lightning get out of the water immediately! Follow the CDC’s 30-30 rule to assess how far off the storm is after you have exited the water. Count to 30 after the initial roar and if you don’t reach 30 before the next roar of thunder or bolt of lightning automatically suspend all water activity for at least 30 minutes.

 

• Taking shelter can be tricky if you are at the lake or beach. If a storm rolls in quickly your car may be the best form of shelter. Avoid concrete structures since there are metal pipes that can conduct electricity through the structure. 

 

• If there is no shelter available, the CDC recommends crouching low with as little of your body touching the ground as possible.

 

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan

Lifeguard Certification Courses in San Diego County, California

Lifeguard Certification Courses in San Diego

Is swimming as natural as breathing to you? Are you living in the San Diego vicinity and dreaming of spending your days by the water but need to make some money too? Do you enjoy being there to help others and want to be a part of your community? If you answered yes to these questions, then The Swimming Swan is here to help you achieve success! We are Licensed Training Providers of the American Red Cross with decades of professional experience. 

Our 2-day Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR/AED course is the first step to your new dream job by the water. The primary purpose of the American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course is to provide entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide professional-level care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services EMS personnel take over. You must be at least 15 years old, pass a 300-yard continuous swim test in front crawl or breaststroke, and capable of treading water for 2 minutes using only your legs. You will also be required to complete the Red Cross 7 hour online coursework prior to the first day and bring a print out with you for verification.

Do you have a few friends also interested in becoming lifeguards? We work with any group of 5 or more and our instructors will travel to you for on-site group training. For group training we will need access to a pool that is at least 82 degrees, has a deep end of 7-feet, and a comfortable classroom setting. You are flying solo that’s great too, check our calendar of available public courses.

We currently offer lifeguard certification courses at 2 locations within San Diego that you may already be familiar with. Green Oak Ranch Retreat and Event Center is 142 acres of beauty with a rich history of helping those in need. The pool overlooks the undeveloped hills around the ranch and is a serene setting to spend your days. The Ranch is under 30 minutes from anywhere in North San Diego County.

If you are looking for more action and want to be closer to the beach, The Plunge is one of the largest indoor pools in Southern California and recently renovated with floor to ceiling windows. The Plunge is open year-round thanks to a retractable roof and features recreational swim with access to “the best inflatable obstacle course in San Diego”. They also offer lane swimming, multiple water aerobics classes, and Plunge Masters Swim Team. With all of this activity and private parties too, this location will be humming with action daily! 

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan

 

Swimming: The Gift of Memories

Swimming: The Gift of Memories

By Dayle Tillman

 

Many of us initially introduce swimming to our infants and toddlers with safety as our main goal.  As new mothers we read about children drowning and we know it’s the devastating silent killer.  Teaching our children to swim is so much more than just a precaution though.  Giving the gift of swimming is a sport that will carry our children to their golden years and they will fill the chapters of their life with memories from swimming that are full of laughter and love.

As toddlers and young children explore swimming, they are developing healthy muscles and lungs in a fun environment.  Can you remember spending hours in the water until your mom insisted you get out of the pool immediately exclaiming your lips were turning blue?  Do you remember what you were doing?  Perhaps you were diving to find the penny, competing with your friends to see who could swim the longest distance before coming up for a breath or the classic favorite pool game “Marco Polo”.  

Swimming also lends itself to quality family time with minimal external distractions.  Lazy weekends spent at the pool lounging around chatting casually in a relaxed atmosphere that is often challenging to find indoors.  Engaging in some healthy fun competition like diving rings that just may give the smaller family members a chance to some bragging rights at dinner that night.  Even busy weekends spent traveling to sports events that may separate families for the day can wind down with dinner outdoors and an evening swim under the stars sharing the events of the day.

Teenagers spend a hefty amount of summer break hanging out with friends at the pool or beach.  Social anxiety is high at this age and being a confident swimmer is paramount to enjoying this free time.  Pool parties aren’t very much fun if you are afraid of the water and this is the time in our lives that many of us create some of our memories that linger long after our youth.  As a sport, swimming is a wonderful way to compete both individually and as part of a team.  High school and college athletes have a sense of belonging and school pride along with earning personal accolades and financial scholarships.

Weekends and vacation are the true destination from the time we enter the workforce until we retire.  Spending time on the water and filling our free time with beach adventures, boating and pool time is exactly what we crave. The gift of swimming allows us to enjoy this time and take full advantage of the soothing and uncomplicated environment that water creates.

For more information on our kids swim lessons programs, please  see: parent-tot swim, toddler swim, preschool swim, child swim.

 

This article is brought you to by: The Swimming Swan 

 

7 Water Exercises for Weight Loss

By: American Sports & Fitness Association ASFA

Anyone with a fitness certification knows that water exercises are a great way to get a low-impact workout that is easy on the joints. This is especially important for individuals who are trying to lose weight and may have discomfort around their joints. Water exercises can be a great way for people who want to lose weight, tone up and get fit.

1. Walking in the pool is an easy exercise that anyone can do regardless of fitness level or age. The natural resistance from the water helps to burn additional calories and help tone muscles without over straining. People who need more stability can hold onto the sides of the pool for balance.
2. Marching is another great option for those that struggle with walking. Be sure to get your knees up as high as you can to use the water resistance to your benefit. Being in the water takes the stress off the hips and knees and can allow greater range of motion than being out of the water.
3. Walking lunges in the pool are perfect when functional training for weight loss. The lunges help strengthen the muscles around the knee and increase agility and stability. Being in the water helps you lunge deeper allowing you to be more efficient with the movement.
4. Leg lifts are another functional muscle workout that you can do in the pool. You can face the wall and lift backwards to strengthen the glute muscles or lift to each side to strengthen the outer and inner thighs. Doing the movements slow and controlled adds greater resistance from the water giving you a full leg work-out without impact to the joints.
5. Jumping Jacks in the water take this cardio move to a new level forcing you to engage your core muscles to stabilize and keep balance with each jump.
6. Flutter Kicks can be performed using a kick board or by holding on to the edge of the pool. This move strengthens and tones the entire leg and works your core by holding the body in a plank like position.
7. Scissor Kicks also get your heart rate up and tone your legs. You can do this by holding on to the edge or leaning against a step. With your feet floating in front of you, scissor kick your legs to tone up and burn calories.

Working out in the water can provide you with the best Functional Fitness program allowing you to tone up, burn calories, lose weight, and increase overall personal fitness. Any trainer that has completed their personal trainer course can help demonstrate or create a personalized water fitness plan to help you lose weight and meet your fitness goals.

For more information on our private at-home aqua fitness courses: see here.

This article is shared by: The Swimming Swan