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Cool way to stay healthy

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Water sports are a great way to spend time with friends, keep fit and stay cool during summer. However, participation can be limited if you are unable to swim well. This summer could be the time to take some lessons in order to enjoy the water more.

'For adults learning to swim for the first time, there are the usual problems associated with being placed outside your comfort zone. There can be feelings of fear, anxiety, or there could be some overconfidence. These challenges are similar to those faced by children, but are more apparent with adults,' explains Simon Joyce, general manager of Harry Wright International (www.harry wright.com.hk).

'Many adults realise that swimming is ideal for keeping fit and being a non-contact sport also reduces the risk of injury. These factors, combined with the rapid growth of triathlon and affluence, have seen a spike in the interest of adults wishing to swim.'

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Harry Wright International has received many inquiries about lessons from a range of adults, Joyce says. Some are absolute beginners while others are interested in increasing their level of fitness, wish to enter competitions or want to get back into a sport they had left. The challenge for adults returning to the sport after a significant break is that they can have preconceived ideas of what they can do or could do when they were younger. Joyce says some adults have difficulty understanding that their body has changed. Adapting to these changes, and being aware that you can't train like you used to, is the most frequent challenge faced, he says.

For adults wanting to learn the basics, Harry Wright International offers private lessons only. The advantage, Joyce says, is that individual instruction can help reassure the swimmer and help them gain confidence while they develop their technique at a faster pace.

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Participants must be a member of an established swimming club.

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