Staying afloat: how sports like swimming influence self-esteem - Self-Esteem Section

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 1993 by Marie West

Over the past five decades, women's self-esteem has been achieved through various means. In the '40s, World War II brought the need for women to work in factories to help the war effort. Then, in the '50s, raising a family made a woman feel good about herself. In the '60s, women began to actively participate in social issues that were sweeping the country. The '70s brought about the sexual revolution, and women began feeling good about their sexual being. In the '80s, and thus far in the '90s, there has been an emphasis on women in sports and being fit.

Exercise has many psychological benefits that affect self-esteem. Swimming or any sport, is an ideal way to develop these positive characteristics. While striving to achieve a better body, we are also achieving a better state of mind. A negative attitude toward one's body image has been linked to a greater vulnerability to depression.

We all have the basic tendency to strive, actualize, maintain and enhance ourselves. Most of us pursue personal growth and self-fulfillment. Fitness is an individualistic approach to expressing the control we want to have over our bodies.

Sports like swimming, which present personal rather than team challenges, enhance our ability to relax. Rolling back and forth in a weightless environment is reminiscent of being inside the womb. It may also be an unconscious acknowledgment of life which begins from the sea. Whatever the reason, a body of water is an effective place to escape into one's self.

Swimming produces physiological changes too. These include improved cardiovascular fitness, a lower resting heart rate, higher volumes of blood being pumped and lower blood pressure. Injury rates are low since there is no gravitational pull affecting the joints and soft body tissue. Swimming is a gentle way to improve flexibility and reduce tension, both important benefits of exercise.

To prevent loss of interest in any exercise, set goals and challenge yourself to meet them. Push the limits of strength and endurance by adding variety to your routine. For example, practice using different strokes and building or decreasing speed within each swim. Plan and measure your progress regularly. When the goals are achieved, your self-esteem will soar.

Whatever it is swimming or any other sport, exercise should be an integral part of your daily lifestyle. It improves mental health, builds up immunity to diseases, makes your physically stronger and helps maintain your weight. The result will be a longer and happier life.