Swimming

We swim for so many reasons: for recreation, for exercise, for competition and even for our jobs. Evidence of competitive swimming dates back to the first Olympic Games in Greece. Since then, swimming has become one of the most popular events to watch during the Summer Olympics. Men and women compete in 17 events each, such as the 100-meter and the medley relay, swimming the following competitive strokes: butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle.

While many people learn how to swim at any early age, some do not learn basic swimming skills until well into adulthood. Fortunately, swimming lessons have become core curriculum in physical education programs across the U.S. and worldwide. Sweden, Norway and other Scandinavian countries require all fifth-grade students to know how to swim. Swimming lessons are widely available in U.S. gyms for both children and adults.

For most family vacations, swimming is an imperative, be it beach, lake, pool or water park. Some of the most popular beach destinations are in Florida, Hawaii and the Caribbean. The Wisconsin Dells earns raves for both its natural lakes and plethora of water parks. For competitive swimming, visit legendary aquatic centers in Austin, Sydney and Indianapolis.