Swimming keeps stress at bay: Expert

Shamila Jamaluddin, Staff Reporter

Cooling down in a swimming pool on a hot summer day is the perfect relaxation to improve moods of capital residents, the young, old, ailing and the healthy, relieving them of stress and building courage.

“Controlled breathing and coordinated limb movements propelling through the water is a means of stress management and a remedy for lifestyle ailments namely scoliosis, mental worries, frozen shoulders, lower back problems, knee and joint pains,” said personal trainer and head coach H.A Victor Perera (ASCA Level 5) at Sheraton hotel, Corniche, Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to ‘Gulf Today’ Perera, a lifeguard, black belt, kickboxer and a sea swimmer, added that he trains around 500 students annually, aged five to over 50 years.

Perera, who has been coaching for 15 years in the capital, focuses on swimming styles used in swimming competitions namely the freestyle or front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly stroke.

Being quite popular, he has brought about an awareness amongst his students and their elders. “The fun exercise of swimming improves mental health, increases blood flow in the body, keeps the whole body in shape, makes stronger muscles and bones,” explained Victor, a Sri Lankan, who mostly grew up studying sports sciences and management.

Perera says that children should be introduced to swimming by age four or five which is the best period of their understanding and development. “They learn to swim well during this period.” His young students comprise between ages five to 16 years.

Perera adds that swimming being a valuable skill, age is no barrier.

Also a gymnast, he opined that by the time adults reach 50 years, they develop back pain. “Doctors recommend swimming for these ailments.”

Perera has had around 20 swimmers with scoliosis, mental problems, frozen shoulders, lower back and knee problems. “A female student who suffered frozen shoulders was cured practising swimming. She opted swimming for surgery. She is now a yoga teacher,” said Perera with a smile.

Maribelle Salameh, 12, and her ten-year-old sister Christelle from Lebanon, enjoy swimming next to playing football which is their favourite sport.