There are a few rules to keep the swimming lanes flowing smoothly and avoid any pool collisions!
Which lane should I choose?
Some sessions may include lane swimming. Finding out what lane is right for you helps give you confidence in the pool, so please check our guide to lanes to help you decide.
Fast Lane – for continuous swimming at 20-30 seconds per length (25m), predominantly front crawl
Medium Lane – for continuous swimming slower than 30 seconds per length (25m)
Slow Lane – for continuous swimming at a relaxed and leisurely pace, swimming around 40-50 seconds per length (25m)
Be prepared to change lanes at any time as swimmers enter and exit the pool. The pool dynamics can change.
Check the lane is clear when entering
You shouldn’t just jump or slide straight into your chosen lane. Make sure that there are no oncoming swimmers before entering the pool. If there is no ‘good’ time then sit to the side of the lane to make the swimmers aware that you’re there and ready to join the lane, but only enter the water when it is clear and safe to do so.
Keep your distance
Try to leave a five-second gap between you and the swimmer in front of you, this ensures you both have enough space to swim comfortably. Sometimes, when a lane is busy, it may not be possible to leave a gap. In that case, use common sense and decide on an appropriate distance.
Swimming in the right direction
Each lane typically has a board at each end showing whether you should swim clockwise or counterclockwise. It’s important to follow this direction, even if the lane is not busy, as it will help everyone, including yourself.
Overtaking
If someone taps your foot, don’t freak out! Swimmers often tap each other’s feet to let them know they want to pass. If you have your feet tapped, continue to swim to the end of the pool and wait by the wall until the other swimmer has turned and begun swimming, leave a 5 to 10-second gap and restart your swim. This is not only polite, but it also helps prevent congestion in the lane, which can slow down other swimmers. If you notice that you are often being overtaken, you may want to consider moving to a slower lane.
Stay out of the way if you’re resting
We’ve all experienced it – taking a break is important, and we fully appreciate that. Swimming can be challenging, especially when you’re just beginning your fitness regime. When you do take a break, please be mindful of others who are still swimming. Remember to pause at the end of the lane and shift to the side of the lane to ensure you don’t block others.
Don’t hang onto lane ropes
Whether you’re taking a break, or trying to pull yourself during a backstroke (we see you!), you shouldn’t ever hang off the lane ropes. Not only could you hurt yourself, but the lane becomes loose and starts to wobble into both your and the neighbouring lane.
If you’re ready to get started, book an activity now using the FREE Active Nottingham app or online via our website (the app and website have the most up-to-date timetables too!)
Nottingham Swim School backs National Drowning Prevention Week campaign
Nottingham Swim School, part of Nottingham City Council, is urging parents to make sure their children know how to stay safe and enjoy the water this summer.
Whether heading abroad this summer or opting for a staycation, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), fears that families will head to beaches and inland water locations this summer, without considering the potential dangers, putting themselves and others at risk. Those of us who will be venturing abroad for their summer holiday, may find themselves using non-lifeguarded pools and therefore be at risk if they do not have the necessary water safety skills.
Figures indicate that around 25 per cent of primary pupils leave school unable to swim, and experts fear that as a result of the pandemic many young people lack the ability to swim or self-rescue.
Nottingham Swim School is supporting RLSS UK’s national Drowning Prevention Week campaign, this year running from 15-22 June 2024.
Drowning Prevention Week aims to equip everybody across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge, to make the right decisions about water safety.
Over 300 people accidentally drown in the UK and Ireland every year and many more suffer injury, sometimes life-changing, when they survive drowning.
Nottingham Swim School Officer, Claire Sullivan said: “We are proud to play our part in ensuring our families have a safe summer. We recognise how vital it is for children to know how to stay safe near water and urge our parents to access RLSS UK’s free water safety resources on the Charity’s website, which includes fantastic theme week lesson plans to allow schools to incorporate the resources into our existing lessons. We want our pupils to enjoy all the fun and benefits of being in and around water but be educated on how to do that safely.”
The Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Charity Director Lee Heard, said: “The UK’s beautiful waterways should be places where everyone feels at ease, and can take pleasure from their surroundings, whatever their age, whatever their activity level. But we’re urging people to educate themselves and others on how to enjoy water safely and prevent a fun day out ending in tragedy.
“The Drowning Prevention Week campaign is crucial this year. In recent years, young people have missed out on the vital opportunity to swim, leaving a dramatic gap in school swimming and water safety education.
“RLSS UK believes that through free, accessible education and training, everyone can enjoy water safely. We urge as many parents as possible to get involved with the campaign, use our free online resources, and give their children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.”
Visit www.rlss.org.uk/DPW to access the Charity’s free water safety resources.
In addition, the Open Water Education Network (OWEN) will be visiting two Active Nottingham Leisure Centres during Drowning Prevention Week to promote water safety:
Harvey Hadden Sports Village on Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 June between 4pm and 6pm
Ken Martin Leisure Centre on Thursday 20 June between 4pm and 6pm (was previously 18 June)
OWEN – In memory of Owen Jenkins – was founded to educate children and young adults in Nottinghamshire about how to stay safe around open water and what to do in an emergency, whilst also working closely with water safety groups such as Fire & Rescue Service, Police Service and the Nottinghamshire Water Safety Partnership group. “Had my son Owen and his friends been educated about open water, its dangers and what to do in an emergency he may still be here today” – Nicola Jenkins.
What’s new at Harvey Hadden Sports Village
Exciting News: The Fitness Class Programme at Harvey Hadden Sports Village is getting a makeover.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday 2 April 2024! Harvey Hadden Sports Village Fitness Class programme is getting a fresh update.
We’ve listened to your feedback on our current programme and redesigned it to suit your needs better. Get ready to experience a new and improved workout routine.
Book an activity/session now – click here to get started.
What’s new at Victoria Leisure Centre
Victoria Leisure Centre gym has now reopened following its refurbishment and we’re so excited! We’ve planned some amazing things behind the scenes for you to enjoy alongside the refreshed gym, keep reading to find out more.
Calm Functional Gym at Victoria Leisure Centre
We’re excited to introduce the Calm Functional Gym, located on the ground floor of the Victoria Leisure Centre. This gym is perfect for those who prefer to work out in a quieter environment.
During our Calm Functional Gym sessions, we make sure to:
Lower the volume of the music
Reduce capacity to provide a less crowded experience
Ask all gym-goers to be mindful of their noise levels, and to use headphones if necessary.
Please note that Calm Functional Gym sessions are only available during selected time slots. Click here to book.
Dedicated Ladies Only Functional Gym at Victoria Leisure Centre!
As part of our gym’s refurbishment, we’re thrilled to announce the addition of a Ladies Only Functional Gym.
This area, located on the ground floor, is perfect for toning up and improving overall fitness. Our functional gym zone offers a variety of cardiovascular, functional, and strength equipment to cater to your workout needs.
Enjoy a relaxed and friendly atmosphere while working out at your own pace and level, either with friends or by yourself.
Please note that Ladies Only Functional gym sessions are available during selected time slots only. Click here to book.
Exciting News: Fitness Class Programme at Victoria Leisure Centre is getting a makeover.
We’ve listened to your feedback on our current programme and have redesigned it to better suit your needs. Get ready to experience a new and improved workout routine.
Book an activity/session now – click here to get started.
Active Nottingham wins an internationally recognised health and safety accolade from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council, has scooped a prestigious RoSPA Gold Award in the Leisure Safety category for the fourth time, demonstrating its commitment to high health and safety standards.
In addition to the RoSPA Gold Award, Active Nottingham was also presented with the RoSPA Leisure Safety Trophy; which is given to the overall highest performer within the Leisure Safety Award category and recognises excellence in health and safety management.
The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the UK’s largest occupational health and safety awards programme. Now into its 67th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees. The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.
While most awards are non-competitive – recognising individual organisations’ achievements – competitive awards are presented in 20 industry sectors and for specialist areas of health and safety management.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis said: “I am thrilled the team have achieved Gold at the RoSPA Awards. To achieve this for a fourth time is a credit to the hard work of the management team and staff at each of our leisure centres, who ensure the safety of our customers is a top priority.
“I’m delighted Active Nottingham has been recognised, for being one of the best in the country within the leisure industry, even more so with the addition of the RoSPA Leisure Safety Trophy.”
Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded.
“We are thrilled that Active Nottingham has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”
Sponsored by Croner-i, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry.
Pictured left to right:
Errol Taylor – RoSPA, Chief Executive.
Geoff Ritson – Nottingham City Council, Sport and Leisure – Health, Safety and Training Manager
ENDS
Notes to Editor(s)
Active Nottingham operates six leisure centres across the city of Nottingham: Clifton Leisure Centre, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre, Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Ken Martin Leisure Centre, Southglade Leisure Centre and Victoria Leisure Centre. Visit www.activenottingham.com for more information or to find your nearest centre.
About the RoSPA Awards
The RoSPA Awards is one of the most prestigious and recognised health and safety schemes in the world with almost 2,000 entries every year from more than 50 countries, with a total reach of over seven million employees. Running for nearly 70 years, it recognises and rewards organisations, individuals and teams that go above and beyond to achieve health and safety excellence.
About the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) RoSPA is a not-for-profit organisation that has worked for more than 100 years to help people recognise and reduce their risk of accidents, at home, on the road, at work and at leisure. Their goal is to enable everyone to live their lives to the full, safely.
Active Nottingham swimming pools awarded PoolMark Accreditation
Swimmers attending any of the six Active Nottingham swimming pools, part of Nottingham City Council, can be assured they meet the highest quality standards after achieving the PoolMark Accreditation from the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG).
The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) is the leading authority on swimming pool operation, water treatment and technical information relating to health and safety.
PoolMark is the UK National Standard for quality, healthy pools. The PoolMark certification assures operators and the public that the pool meets essential healthy pool operational standards.
Pools that follow and achieve the Code’s standards through assessment are awarded a plaque and certificate to show their achievement.
Jonathan Cook (Swimming Pools Technical Officer) and Ian Dunphy (Assistant Manager/Project Lead) from Clifton Leisure Centre (pictured above) said: “We’re proud to have undertaken this journey for Active Nottingham’s swimming pools. It’s a first for Nottingham City, as only 42 swimming pools (out of the 800+ pools in the UK) have been accredited, and we have six of those – it’s a huge achievement for us.”
Active Nottingham gyms undergo a major transformation
The gyms at Harvey Hadden Sports Village and Clifton Leisure Centre are currently being transformed as part of a wider £1.5m investment for new equipment and set to reopen to the public on Tuesday 28 March 2023.
The average lifespan for a cardio machine is five years and the costs to repair will outstrip the value of the machine, resulting in a higher repair bill. This £1.5m cash injection will make sure each centre has new kit for gym-goers to use.
The money has been set aside to support the income generated from customers, allowing the investment to be made without the need for borrowing or impacting on wider day-to-day council services.
Active Nottingham, which is part of Nottingham City Council, is investing the money over five years across all of its six leisure centres – Harvey Hadden, Clifton, Ken Martin, Southglade, Victoria and Djanogly.
The revamp at Clifton and Harvey Hadden features premium equipment from Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ICG ® – suitable for all training interests and fitness levels. The new kit will also feature immersive digital experiences with new cardio consoles, a functional zone with a stretching area and environmentally friendly Green Zones with self-powered equipment so more can be done to help the environment.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “it was great to visit the gym at Clifton Leisure Centre this week during the installation process, to see the new and improved facilities, meet the team and see their excitement for the gym to reopen. I’m confident these improvements will become a real asset to the community.
“We are refurbishing all Active Nottingham gyms across the city, to make sure wherever people live, they have the opportunity and access to high-quality fitness equipment.”
Left to right: Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, Ben Hattersley (Life Fitness), Andrew Miller (General Manager) and Kirsty Worthington (General Manager)
On Monday 27 March, both Clifton Leisure Centre and Harvey Hadden Sports Village will reopen their doors to the gym for a VIP Open Day, where Master Trainers from Life Fitness will be on hand to help customers utilise the new equipment. Members will also be invited to bring along a friend for free for the day.
To tie in with the reopening, residents will be able to take advantage of a special joining offer of three-month Fitness+ membership for £70 (a saving of £40) when visiting either Clifton or Harvey Hadden Sports Village.
Left to right: Andrew Miller (General Manager) and Cllr Kotsonis.
Active Nottingham set to invest £1.5m in gym equipment
Gyms at Harvey Hadden Sports Village and Clifton Leisure Centre is in line to receive a share of £1.5m for new equipment over the next few months.
Active Nottingham, which is part of Nottingham City Council, is set to invest the money over five years across all of its six leisure centres – Harvey Hadden, Clifton, Ken Martin, Southglade, Victoria and Djanogly.
Harvey Hadden and Clifton will be the first in line to receive new equipment from Spring 2023.
The average lifespan for a cardio machine is five years and the costs to repair will outstrip the value of the machine, resulting in a higher repair bill.
This £1.5m cash injection will make sure each centre has new kit for gym-goers to use.
3D impression of Clifton Leisure Centre gym
Active Nottingham has set money aside to support the income generated from customers, allowing the investment to be made without the need for borrowing or impacting on wider day-to-day council services.
With increasing membership numbers and by listening to members, replacing old equipment will improve customer satisfaction as well as mental and physical health and wellbeing.
It will also allow Active Nottingham to remain competitive in an ever-growing sport and leisure marketplace – especially as today’s gym-goer wants to see smart technology on fitness equipment to enhance the gym experience.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “I am pleased we are investing in our residents’ mental health and wellbeing by replacing the current gym equipment. This will play an important role in the promotion of getting more people active within our community.”
John Wileman, Head of Sport and Leisure for Active Nottingham, said: “This is great news for our members and local residents at each of the six Active Nottingham locations. We are always looking to improve and replacing our equipment means our gyms are not just great to use, but we are directly helping the city of Nottingham.”
The state-of-the-art fitness equipment will be purchased by Active Nottingham over the next five years, providing an enhanced gym experience to residents and members at Active Nottingham’s six leisure centres.
3D impression of Harvey Hadden Sports Village gym
Active Nottingham Leisure Centre first in the country to be recognised for tackling inequalities
Active Nottingham’s Ken Martin Leisure Centre (part of Nottingham City Council) in Nottingham has become the first leisure centre in the country to achieve the Quest Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard, demonstrating its commitment to tackling inequalities.
The Tacking Inequalities in Leisure accolade was bestowed on the centre as part of its Sport England Quest assessment, which measures how well a facility is operating and how effective organisations are across a range of areas.
First established more than 20 years ago, the renowned Quest award has evolved over the years to keep pace with the ever-changing sport and leisure industry, now including aspects such as the Tackling Inequalities assessment and an Exercise on Referral Standard. Still the sector’s best-known improvement programme, its rigorous assessments challenge even the very best leisure centres in the UK.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “I’m thrilled that our efforts and the ongoing work at Ken Martin Leisure Centre have been recognised with the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team. As a service, Active Nottingham is committed to providing accessible leisure facilities and I hope this encourages more local residents with disabilities and those with long-term health conditions to be active.”
Ken Martin Leisure Centre was recognised for working hard to ensure all demographics of the local community are welcome and find the centre accessible, which includes partnering with trusted local organisations, such as housing associations, primary care networks, social prescribing teams and mental health services.
The Sport and Physical Activity team have also been working with the community to help remove any barriers to access through campaigns such as Get Out Get Active, This Girl Can and the Disability Sport Insight and Participation project, which invited people living with a disability to try the facility for free in exchange for honest feedback.
Kirsty Worthington, General Manager at Ken Martin Leisure Centre says: “As well as proactively researching the demographics of our area so we can anticipate some of our community’s needs, we take a more holistic and individualistic appreciation of their requirements by working with partners, such as My Sight Notts, Disability Direct and the Women’s Centre, and local projects, including community-based sports groups, to directly engage with people living in the local area.
“This includes attending local meetings and events, such as community fun days, inviting groups to attend the centre and help alleviate first-time visit anticipation, as well as offering virtual tours and subtitled centre walk-through videos on our website and social media, so people know what to expect in advance.
“The area around the centre has some of the highest levels of deprivation across the UK, experiencing a number of health challenges. Added to this, the area has a mixed population of ethnicities, including new and emerging communities, a large proportion of families and single-parent families, as well as a significant population of older people. We need to offer programmes and activities that truly cater for everyone.”
Some of the activities that ticked the boxes for the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure Standard assessment team include Swim for Health, a 50+ morning and line dancing classes, which all attract a diverse attendance, as well as low-intensity mental health mindfulness classes, which enable customers to learn mindfulness meditation practices to help relax, reduce stress, slow down and live their life in the present.
Along with Active Nottingham’s other leisure centres, Ken Martin also boasts CredAbility accreditation; an independent quality mark run by disabled people, and the CredAbility Access Card, a national scheme that commits organisations to providing a quality service to people with a disability. The CredAbility Access +1 card scheme also allows holders to gain free access for essential companions or carers at Active Nottingham leisure centres.
Kirsty explains: “The CredAbility Access Card acts as evidence that someone needs support to use our services or is eligible for our offers. Not only does it mean we discreetly know they are entitled to concessionary prices and may require individual help, they know we are a verified accessible venue with their best interests at heart.”
Sarah Maxwell, Head of External Accreditations at Right Directions, which manages Quest on behalf of Sport England, says: “We were truly impressed with the investment Ken Martin Leisure Centre has made around inclusivity for its local community. For instance, the video on the Swim School is one of the most inclusive videos I have seen as an Assessor, with information being available in picture, sound and caption formats for members of the community, users and coaches.
“All the evidence, which includes investment in Disability Training Scenario Videos and Unconscious Bias Training to help prepare staff for their roles, demonstrates the centre and organisation are quality, not quantity, driven, with a focus on individual opportunities and thought, without taking a ‘blanket approach’ to their customers’ needs.”
Active Nottingham leisure centre awarded top marks on ‘Quest’ for excellence
Active Nottingham’s Ken Martin Leisure Centre has been awarded ‘Excellent’ for its facilities and services, recognising high quality within UK Sport and Leisure.
It joins Djanogly Community Leisure Centre at the top of the rankings for 2022 – another site run by Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council.
An industry standard developed by the UK Sports Council, Quest assessors look at a range of factors including operational management and approaches to engaging with customers through to community outcomes. Taking place over a two-day on-site assessment and a mystery shopper visit, the overall process ensures a thorough review takes place and provides assurances a quality service is being provided to residents.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “I’m thrilled Ken Martin Leisure Centre has been awarded ‘Excellent’ for its performance and management on the latest Quest Assessment. This is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of our front-line staff delivering best practice and the highest industry standard for the benefit of Nottingham residents using the centre.”
Ken Martin Leisure Centre General Manager, Kirsty Worthington, said: “Thank you to everyone at Ken Martin Leisure Centre and the wider Sport and Leisure teams for their assistance and support during the Quest preparation as well as the recent two-day assessment. It’s brilliant news for us all that we were rated as ‘Excellent’ as it highlights the hard work that is put into Ken Martin Leisure Centre. The hard work does not stop here, we will continue to assess, reflect and progress the site and the services we offer to Nottingham residents and customers. Great job everyone!”.
Active Nottingham operates six leisure centres across the city of Nottingham: Clifton Leisure Centre, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre, Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Ken Martin Leisure Centre, Southglade Leisure Centre, and Victoria Leisure Centre.
Take a virtual tour of Active Nottingham without leaving your house!
A NEW virtual tour promoting the facilities of six leisure centres in Nottingham has been launched by Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council.
The online tool not only allows users to see inside each Active Nottingham leisure centre but also view spaces from 360-degree angles. During the tour, potential members can gain virtual access to the facilities and visit each building from the comfort of their mobile device or computer.
Active Nottingham is much more than just a ‘gym’ with indoor swimming pools, saunas, steam rooms and a range of exercise classes, there is something for everyone and the new virtual tour allows potential members to explore the layout and details prior to arrival.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said:
“I’m delighted Active Nottingham has launched their virtual tours, especially as they provide flexibility for potential members as well as those who may not be comfortable having an in-person tour and want the freedom to view the leisure centres at their leisure.
“The tours also offer valuable information for service users wanting to understand access arrangements, where the changing rooms are, where specific rooms are for classes etc.
“Nottingham residents will benefit greatly from these tours and I hope they will inspire more people to get active.”
Brown Gal Can’t Swim: City Council helps BBC presenter to get South Asian women swimming
Summaya Mughal (left) and Alice Dearing (right). Image: Charlie Firth
Nottingham-born BBC presenter Summaya Mughal has been learning to swim at Active Nottingham pools in a bid to encourage other South Asian women to take the plunge.
Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council, has supported her during her journey which she starts sharing on air this week. Her five-part series looks into learning to swim at the age of 27 and explores why many South Asian women are less likely to swim.
In revealing that she couldn’t swim, Summaya exposed the cultural barriers that she faced and how it has affected her both physically and mentally. As part of this journey, Summaya has given other members of the South Asian community the confidence to take their first steps into swimming.
As a result of her campaign, Summaya was honoured at the Nottingham Awards 2022 last week for her work in the Voluntary and Community Sector. Meanwhile, Active Nottingham, Nottingham Swim School and the council’s school swimming department have been honoured at the recent Swim England Teaching and Education Awards.
The series titled ‘Brown Gal Can’t Swim’ sees Summaya learn to swim in just eight weeks at Active Nottingham swimming pools, supported by Nottingham Swim School swimming teacher Victoria Charles. Olympians Rebecca Adlington and Alice Dearing also provide support and guidance and set Summaya additional challenges including a 500m open water swim – will she do it? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “We’re thrilled to be a part of this project with Summaya and the BBC to help raise awareness and showcase the importance of learning to swim within South Asian communities. This campaign will go a long way to help break down barriers that people face when it comes to swimwear, changing rooms, and going swimming itself and help get more communities involved in swimming.
“Active Nottingham and Nottingham Swim School are proud to have helped Summaya learn to swim over the past eight weeks and it was great to see her face the 500m open water challenge at Spring Lakes.
“Summaya has also worked with the black swimming association to challenge the lack of representation of black and Asian people in both recreational and elite swimming – she also engaged with Olympic swimmers Becky Adlington and Alice Dearing in her campaign, who both set her challenges for Summaya to complete.
Her work with diverse communities is second to none, both engaging and empowering!”
The Brown Gal Can’t Swim podcast is available on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p0ctzgft It will also be broadcast as a series on BBC East Midlands Today from Tuesday 11 October 2022.
Summaya at Southglade Leisure Centre. Image: Charlie Firth
Importance of learning to swim
Swimming is the only sport which could save your life and is a tremendous amount of fun for all people of all ages and children especially, enjoy getting into the water. But it is important to swim safely. It’s also important to remember children (and adults) who appear to be confident in the water are not always competent swimmers.
Reasons why you should learn to swim
Swimming provides many health benefits by keeping your heart and lungs healthy
Improves your strength and flexibility
Increases stamina
Improves balance and posture
Increases stamina
Swimming provides challenges and rewards accomplishments – which helps children become self-confident and believe in their abilities
Lastly, your child will have plenty of opportunities to make friends and grow in confidence.
It’s the only sport that can save a life
Swimming teaches us about water safety, not only in the water but around it too
If taught early on in life it will help with physical development skills such as muscle tone and hand-eye coordination
According to Swim England:
Swimming provides challenges and rewards accomplishments, which helps children (and adults) to become self-confident and believe in their abilities
You can have the opportunity to make friends and grow in confidence
Learning to swim is a skill for life and is rarely forgotten, swimming doesn’t care about age either making it an accessible sport for all.
Active Nottingham and Nottingham Swim School are one of the largest swimming lesson providers in Nottingham. Learn to Swim today and make a lifelong difference, get in touch today.
Brown Gal Can’t Swim: Summaya Mughal aims to get South Asian women swimming
Left to Right: Summaya Mughal and Alice Dearing. Image: Charlie Firth
Nottingham-born and raised Summaya Mughal, a BBC presenter and podcaster for BBC Radio Sounds, and Radio Leicester is presenting a five-part series which explores why many South Asian women are less likely to swim.
The Brown Gal Can’t Swim (BGCS) series, will see Summaya take on swimming challenges set by Olympians Rebecca Adlington and Alice Dearing. She said: “I’ve spent over 20 years embarrassed about not having a skill it feels like kids have”.
Breaking down barriers and misconceptions
Statistics from Swim England show people from black and Asian backgrounds are less likely to swim than those from white communities, with 49% of black and Asian communities unable to swim 25m unaided.
Summaya aims to break down misconceptions about swimming and encourage members of the South Asian community to get behind her campaign and learn to swim.
About the journey itself, Summaya says: “It has tested me physically and emotionally but I’m hoping it makes a difference and encourages others to learn to swim too. After all, it could save your life.”
As part of the BGCS project Summaya is challenged to swim 50m in a swimming pool by Rebecca Adlington and 500m in open water by Alice Dearing in just eight weeks – will she do it? Keep listening to the BGCS podcast daily from Monday 10 October 2022.
Ihttps://bbc.in/3fV17lpmportance of learning to swim
According to Swim England, swimming is the only sport that could save your life.
Swimming is a tremendous amount of fun for all people of all ages and children, especially, who enjoy getting into the water. But it is important to swim safely. Check out our blog for the importance of learning to swim.
Good luck with the campaign Summaya, Active Nottingham and Nottingham Swim School is proud to work with you on this project and we all look forward to seeing more about it in the next few days!
Active Nottingham named finalists at the Swim England Teaching and Education Awards 2022
Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council, is delighted to have been named by Swim England as 2022 Awards Finalists after entering the awards for the first time.
They have been shortlisted in two categories:
Swim School of the Year – Nottingham Swim School
Swimming Teacher of the Year – Deborah Williams, Nottingham Swim School.
Deborah Williams was awarded ‘Runner Up’ for Swimming Teacher of the Year after being nominated by Nottingham Swim School parents and students from Djanogly Community Leisure Centre and Southglade Leisure Centre.
Deborah Williams
Additionally, Nottingham City Council’s School Swimming department came away with School Swimming Provider of the Year for the second year in a row.
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, said: “I’m delighted Active Nottingham has been successful in their efforts to become finalists at the Swim England Teaching and Education Awards 2022 in two categories. This is an incredible achievement to all the team for their incredibly hard yet rewarding work.
“Well done to Deborah Williams for achieving ‘Runner Up’ in the Swimming Teacher of the Year category. Deborah should be very proud of her achievement, as should all who were nominated.
“Congratulations also to our Nottingham City Council colleagues for winning School Swimming Provider of the Year for a second year in a row, with special thanks to School Swimming Manager, Claire Moores – well deserved.”
Nottingham Swim School Manager, Claire Sullivan, said “We’re pleased Nottingham Swim School was nominated for Swim School of the Year, alongside many of our Nottingham Swim School teachers in the Swim Teacher of the Year category.
“As a City Council delivering both school swimming (during the daytime) and Nottingham Swim School (Monday-Friday 4-6.30 pm and weekends) we are committed to teaching as many children and young people in our City to swim and to learn this vital life skill.”
Nottingham City Council School Swimming Manager, Claire Moores, said “Thank you to the Sport and Leisure teams at Active Nottingham for providing us such a fabulous learning environment for school pupils to learn new and essential life skills. How we pull together from collaboration to delivery is a real team effort, and the Swim Teachers should be very proud of the recognition of all their hard work.”
The Swim England Teaching and Education Awards 2022 took place in Solihull on Thursday 28 September and gave Swim England the chance to honour the very best of the swimming workforce within the UK. It’s a chance to highlight the innovations and achievements of the best educators, swimming teachers, tutors and swim schools within the sport and recognise their success.
Nottingham Swim School operates swimming lessons at six Active Nottingham leisure centres across the city of Nottingham: Clifton Leisure Centre, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre, Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Ken Martin Leisure Centre, Southglade Leisure Centre and Victoria Leisure Centre
From Group Fitness to Swim School
Meet Elidia, Group Fitness Instructor for Active Nottingham and now Swim School Teacher for Nottingham Swim School (part of Active Nottingham). We recently caught up with Elidia to find out about her fitness journey and what led her to become a Swim School Teacher.
Hi Elidia, thanks for catching up with us today. So…how did you get into the fitness industry?
I was originally training in the gym as a customer/service user and during that time frame, I worked in the nursery for Nottingham Nursery in Radford. I thought, being in the nursery industry I’ll always have a job, but sadly, it didn’t work out for me and I was made redundant.
I thought to myself, well I love gym training and doing fitness classes, why don’t I train to become a fitness instructor – that way I can still do my fitness and work in the gym. I completed all my required training and passed, turns out I never ended up working in the gym and jumped on fitness classes. I’m overwhelmed at how much I’ve progressed from working in a nursery to where I am now as a Swim Teacher!
How long have you worked in the fitness industry and what is your favourite class to teach?
About four years, which has gone so quick! I would definitely say Group Cycling is my favourite class to teach – which I do at Southglade but also do cover work.
I need to try Group Cycling (said in disbelief they’ve just said that – haha)
Yes, you do Carrie. Group cycling is good fun. Come along, it’s great for all abilities as we offer beginner classes and intermediate. All of my classes are designed to get your heart pumping, have fun and improve your skills. Group cycling is amazing for balance, stamina, speed and rhythm as you have to keep in time to the music – I will push you, but it’s for your benefit!
What other classes do you run?
Aqua Fit – which is literally for everyone of all ages and abilities. I also teach ladies-only aqua fit classes on a Sunday morning at Djanogly Community Leisure Centre (nice plug, we see what you did there). I have my vision and what music I’ll play in each class. I don’t want to keep my classes the same every week so I will play about with the routine and mix it up, so it doesn’t become same-old same-old. Keeps everyone on their toes! I’m also a stickler for time-keeping and starting on time so it’s fair to everyone in the class.
Also teach H.I.I.T, Circuits, Stretch and Tone (I like Stretch and Tone). I cover a lot of classes too.
You’ve done the different group fitness classes for a number of years now, what was the main reason for you wanting to become a Swim Teacher?
I was told many years ago, but the ladies I worked with in the nursery, “don’t put all your eggs into one basket”. I thought I’ve worked with children (in the nursery), so I thought I could marry the two elements together (as I also do Aqua Fit classes) and put all my skills together and become a Swim School Teacher so I can give back what I’ve learnt to teach children and help them progress.
Did you find it hard doing your Swim Teacher training?
It wasn’t easy, I found it intense (especially with still teaching group fitness classes) but at the same time my dad passed away so had a lot of emotions to cope with. I can’t believe that I’ve actually passed my Swim Teacher qualifications as I thought I was going to give up. But I believe my dad was watching over me, pushing me to complete and I’m glad I continued with it all as it’s been really rewarding. Ever time I found myself not wanting to continue with it, I would push myself more and write more lesson plans to keep focused. Nottingham City Council and the rest of the team in Active Nottingham has been so supportive and encouraging.
Would you recommend becoming a Swim Teacher?
Yes I would. I’m loving it, I’m loving this – I should have done it years ago!!!!
I hear you’ve now received your certificates now to show you’re fully qualified and raring to go.
Yessss! I have, I have received them. I have my first induction today and tomorrow and then I can start on the programme in September. I saw all the different people teaching Aqua Babies and thought yes I could do that, then they also explained you can progress with coaching and perhaps (one day) we can coach swimming for the Olympics. So I’ve gone from thinking I’ll be teaching Aqua Babies but wow, I could also do some coaching too! The opportunities with training to be a Nottingham Swim School teacher are incredible.
What’s your plan over the next few years now?
Hopefully, I can continue to teach swim school with the different age groups (including adults as well) but I’d love to coach and also become a mentor! But teaching aqua babies I’m looking forward to that, as that’s where you can build a child’s water confidence and from there they can progress through the different stages and get their different hats.
For those that aren’t aware, as people progress through the different swim school stages with Nottingham Swim School they will receive a new hat to correspond with the new stage that they’re in. Similar to different coloured belts in Judo, Karate etc.
Thank you for your time. It’s been great hearing about your fitness journey. You’ve gone full circle from just working out in the gym to now Swim School Teacher/Group Fitness Instructor.
Are you a morning or evening person? Some people find it easier to exercise in the morning as their energy levels are at their highest, others prefer to wait until the evening as it fits better with their daily life.The time of day we choose to workout will depend on many things – ultimately it needs to fit in with everything in our lives. It needs to fit around work, studies, family and other commitments. We also need to choose times best suited to our bodies and our natural energy levels. The best time to exercise is down to us, working out whenever we can and being consistent.There are some benefits to exercising at certain times of the day, take a look below.Morning workouts:
Exercising first thing in the morning and on an empty stomach has been shown to burn more fat than after eating a meal. Your body tends to use up fat stores for fuel rather than using energy from the meal you just ate.
Mood boosters – starting your day with endorphins – those “feel-good, happy hormones” can have a sustained effect on your mood for the remainder of the day.
Being more productive – exercising in the morning can help to improve energy and concentration levels – helping you to be more alert and ultimately better and quicker at doing tasks.
Improve your body clock over time, making you more energetic in the mornings and sleepier at night – helping you to fall asleep quickly and enjoy a better quality of sleep.
Important: if exercising in the morning don’t forget to sufficiently warm up. Your muscles and joints tend to be “colder” when you have just woken up and are more prone to injury.
Afternoon/evening workouts:
Studies have shown most people tend to perform physically better later in the day – power, muscle strength and flexibility are normally better in the evening than in the morning.
Your body will be warmer as your core temperature increases as the day progresses, meaning you will feel more flexible and be able to move easier than earlier in the day.
Afternoon or evening exercise, especially at the end of a busy day may help you to relieve stress. Endorphins produced during exercise can also help you wind down before bed, especially as exercising in the evenings could replace other habits such as watching television, drinking alcohol or excessive snacking.
Some research has suggested that testosterone production may also be higher in the evening – this hormone is important for building muscle in men and women.
Regardless of the time of day we exercise, it is still very important to ensure we warm up sufficiently.
Try to find a time to work out that suits your lifestyle – taking all aspects into consideration – but most importantly, a time that you will consistently be able to stick with in the long run.
Working out in the heat
It might be hot out but we also want you to stay active but safely! So, here are some tips for keeping your cool when working out!
Stay hydrated: Hydration is always important (see our tips for staying hydrated) but during the heat of the summer it’s even more so.
Split up workouts: If the summer heat is too challenging for you, break the day up into multiple smaller workouts. This allows your body to rest, refuel and regain some precious energy without impacting on your fitness goals.
Dress appropriately: Don’t be tempted to choose fashion over function, pick clothing that is lightweight, loose-fitting and lighter coloured clothes to help keep your core body temperature lower.
Timing: Avoid the midday heat (or the hottest part of the day – as this could actually be 5 – 7 pm in some locations) when the sun’s rays are at their strongest. Train early morning or in the evening if it’s cooler. If you opt to train outside, do it responsibly and don’t put yourself at risk – find some shade.
Cover up: Make sure you’re fully protected when going outdoors, by putting on the factor 50! (A waterproof one is even better if you get really sweaty). If you burn yourself and attempt to work out, your body will struggle to cool itself, which increases the risk of skin cancer.
Listen to your body: It will always tell you when it needs a rest or has had enough. During hotter weather, there are chances you won’t be able to exercise at the intensity you normally would, but that’s okay. The best thing to do if you’re exercising outdoors in the heat is to reduce your exercise intensity and take frequent breaks.
If you feel/sick – stop immediately: Sit down, rest and drink plenty of fluids (if you’re outside, get to somewhere shaded). Try and get a juicy snack, like fruit. Don’t be tempted to finish your workout. Your body and health are far more important.Spot the symptoms of heat exhaustion:
To help protect yourself and others is to spot the symptoms of heat stroke, which include:-
A headache
Dizziness or confusion
Excessive sweating
Very thirsty
High temperature
Fast breathing or pulse
Loss of appetite and feeling sick
Cramps
If you notice that someone has signs of heat stroke/exhaustion you should:
Help them to lie down in a cool place – such as a room with air conditioning or in the shade
Coll them down – such as a cool flannel, cold packs around the neck and armpits, or a cool, wet sheet
Get them to drink plenty of water
Do not give them aspirin or paracetamol – it will not help the raised temperature and may be harmful
Stay with the person until they’re feeling better. Most people should start to recover within 30 minutes
How to stay hydrated before, during and after your workout
Ensuring we are adequately hydrated when exercising is essential – it is important to not rely on thirst alone to tell us how much to drink.
Benefits of drinking enough fluid:
keeps our muscles working well
helps to prevent fatigue
promotes recovery
replaces fluids lost through sweating.
Here are some tips to follow:
Drink at least 2 glasses of water in the 2-hour period before your workout.
Always have water with you when exercising – frequent sipping is better than gulping it all down at once
Aim for around 1 glass (roughly 250ml) for every 30 minutes of exercise.
Try and drink another glass of water in the hour following your workout.
Although fairly difficult, it is possible to drink too much water – hyponatremia can happen when we take in more fluid than we are able to get rid of, causing blood sodium levels to become diluted and drop to dangerously low levels. You would have to drink excessive amounts of fluid (in a short space of time) for this to be an issue. Always listen to your body when exercising and don’t ignore signs such as dizziness and nausea.
The sweat rate calculation can be a very accurate indicator of how much you need to drink following a strenuous workout:
Weigh yourself before exercise – ideally first thing in the morning and after going to the toilet
Weigh yourself again after exercise – also after going to the toilet
For every kilogram of body weight lost (which will be fluid loss), drink around 1-1.5litres of water.
Sports Drinks:
Plain water is best for staying hydrated. Sports drinks and diluted fruit juice can be beneficial when taking part in endurance events. They will usually contain some carbohydrates as fuel as well as electrolytes to help replace those lost during longer more intense periods of exercise. As these types of drinks are sometimes costly, you could try making your own. Recipe: Add around 200ml of fruit juice or squash (not sugar-free) to 800ml of water, along with a generous pinch of sea salt.
If the taste is an important factor in helping you drink enough, diluting fruit juices or sports drinks in water is fine – especially if it means you will be keeping yourself well-hydrated.
Although other factors can influence this, a good indicator of whether you are adequately hydrated is monitoring the colour of your urine. It should ideally be a pale yellow colour, not clear.
Staying hydrated when exercising is a very important – yet too often neglected – part of ensuring we feel well and perform our best during physical activity.
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Staying Motivated
Have you ever started a fitness regime and then quit? If you answered yes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people start fitness and wellness programmes but stop when they get bored, aren’t enjoying it or don’t see the results as quickly as they’d hoped. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated.
Set goals: Start small and celebrate the little wins, but remember to make them realistic and achievable. You will lose all interest if your goals are too ambitious.
For example, if you haven’t done any exercise in a while, a small goal is to walk 10 minutes a day for five days. A bigger goal would be to talk 30 minutes a day for five days. But a longer and even bigger goal is to complete a 5k walk.
Make it fun: Pick activities that you enjoy and vary the routine to keep it interesting. Try something different if you’re not loving your current workouts. Check out swimming for relaxation or play badminton – who knows, you might just discover a ‘hidden talent’! Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be boring – you’re more likely to stick with classes or a routine if you’re having fun.
Make physical activity part of your everyday routine: Without even knowing it, you can increase your daily physical activity. Whether that is taking the stairs instead of the lift, or parking your car further away in a shopping centre/supermarket car park or even going for a walk during your break at work.
“But I work from home?” Why not stretch, walk or climb your stairs on your breaks or do some squats, lunges or even situps. If you have a dog, take them for an extra walk. Research has shown that sitting for long periods of time may negatively affect your health (even if you’re doing the recommended amount of exercise each week).
If you sit for several hours during the day (either at home or work), aim to take frequent breaks to get yourself moving, such as walking to get a glass of water (or tea/coffee). Try standing up when taking phone calls or even video meetings.
Write it down: If you have goals such as losing weight, sleeping better or boosting your energy levels…….write them down or log them somewhere (try logging your goals using the Boditrax machines). Seeing your goals on paper (or digitally) will help you to stay motivated.
Try keeping an exercise diary by recording what you did during each physical activity session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterwards.
Recording your efforts help you to track your progress and also helps you on your off days to act as a reminder – you got this!
Reward yourself: After each exercise session, regardless of what you did, take a few minutes to savour the great ‘feel-good’ feelings that come with exercising. If you really want to, you can give yourself a big treat like a pair of new trainers, a new swimsuit or training gloves.
Go easy on yourself: If you generally don’t feel like it or you’re genuinely too busy to work out, give yourself a break and have a day or two off. Go easy on yourself, you know your body better than anyone – the important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can!
If you ever feel your motivation slipping, review these tips to remind yourself of the ‘why’.
#BeExceptional and let us help you stay motivated. At Active Nottingham you have access to 6 gyms, 6 pools, 6 health suites and over 300 fitness classes. Find out more about our memberships.
Tips for new starters
To ensure your new fitness journey is successful, here are some tips to help you find your feet (especially if it’s your first time visiting Active Nottingham!).
Find out what services are available – download the Active Nottingham app and have a general nosy around.
Click on the “book” activity sessions to see what classes you might fancy, or what time a swim session begins. Check out the “news” section to see what has been going on or learn about the 3rd party activities taking place around the different centres
Join the Active Nottingham Facebook Group Community, with a page for each leisure centre you can chat to other centre users, get advice from others – they’ve all been where you are. Joining a gym, swimming pool or fitness class can feel daunting, but the community are incredibly welcoming
Try different things until you find something you enjoy
There is no “one size fits all” programme, but try not to worry about what everyone else is doing. Try different programmes, classes and activities until you find something you truly enjoy and you’ll be motivated to stick to
Keep track of your training
Setting goals and writing them down as well as keeping track of your progress is very useful to help you to stay motivated and see how far you’ve come from where you started
Try a simply training diary or keep a record on a spreadsheet, or download one of the many apps on Google or Apple for doing this
Give the new Boditrax machines a try to help you on your fitness journey; find out what another member thought of the Boditrax machines here
Don’t worry about what others are doing:
the best tip to stay motivated is to find something that YOU truly enjoy – others at the centre may be working towards certain goals or targeting their training around their own injuries or health conditions which may not suit someone else – everyone is unique – if you are unsure, always ask a professional for advice
Build up gradually:
going from nothing to trying to train every day of the week could lead to burnout and even worse – injuries
Start slowly, for example twice a week and build up from there – consistency is by far the most important factor when it comes to achieving fitness goals – so rather stick with a sustainable plan than one that is difficult to maintain in the long run
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Mindfulness during exercise
Add mindfulness to your workout routine
Hands up if you just want to distract yourself when working out. Did you know there are so many benefits of being mindful during exercise, such as:
reducing stress
feeling good mentally and physically
improving your workout performance
Not being focused can impact the sensation of a job well done following a workout. Your workouts become less effective and you begin to rush through your routine. Embracing mindful fitness can help change this, and you might get more out of your workouts than you think.
Benefits of mindfulness during exercise
Zoning out during a workout, such as listening to your favourite playlist and moving your body through an activity you don’t have to think about (such as running or walking) can be meditative, allowing your mind to roam free whilst your body does the work.
But becoming too distracted breaks the connection to what you are actually doing. There is a flow when we are ‘in the moment’ and that provides many benefits:
Better mental health
Improved physical health
Increased commitment to exercising
Increased levels of satisfaction
How to workout with mindfulness
Finish your planned workout
Have a specific goal eg. a body part or a time frame to work towards.
Pay continuous attention to your body. If you’re doing cardio this could be the repetitive strike of your feet on the treadmill or when strength training, how each muscle feels as you use it.
Reflect on the positive results of working out eg. increased energy/boosted mood/better sleep.
Slow down and focus on your form and breathing.
End on a good note
Be sure to remember all the good things about the workout and how good it feels when you’re done. If you can, try and lie down at the end of the workout for relaxation – that is your chance to really feel the effects of your hard work!
Active Nottingham named as Triple Finalists at the 2022 ukactive Awards
Active Nottingham, part of Nottingham City Council, are delighted to have been named by ukactive as 2022 Award Finalists after entering the awards for the first time.
They have been shortlisted in three categories – Regional Club of the Year (Harvey Hadden Sports Village), Activation Award (recognising organisations who run events to inspire and encourage people to be more active) and Physical Activity Hero Award (Charmaine Daley with This Girl Can Nottingham).
Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Cllr Eunice Campbell-Clark, said: “I’m delighted to announce Active Nottingham has been successful in their efforts to become finalists at the ukactive Awards, in not one but three categories. This is an amazing achievement to all the team for the incredibly hard work they do, not just at our leisure centres, but within the community. I wish them the best of luck at the finals in June.”
Charmaine Daley will go head to head with other finalists in a public vote for the Physical Activity Hero Award. Charmaine has been involved in this Girl Can Nottingham since 2015 and more recently involved as the community motivator role, empowering and inspiring thousands of women to enjoy moving more and falling in love with their bodies through exercise.
Charmaine has a passion for helping those in need by dedicating her time to raising money for good causes through the power of Zumba; including the delivery of ‘Socially Distanced Street Zumba’ with This Girl Can Nottingham at the height of lockdown in Bulwell.
Voting opens on Monday 9 May and closes on 27 May, with the winner announced at the awards ceremony in Birmingham on 30 June 2022.
Pictured: Charmaine Daley, Physical Activity Hero Award finalist
ukactive’s annual awards are the most prestigious within the physical activity sector; they recognise facilities, suppliers, operators, educational institutes, health practitioners and large corporations that have demonstrated exceptional standards in driving forward the physical activity agenda.
Active Nottingham operates six leisure centres across the city of Nottingham: Clifton Leisure Centre, Djanogly Community Leisure Centre, Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Ken Martin Leisure Centre, Southglade Leisure Centre and Victoria Leisure Centre.
Swimming goggles are specially designed to allow you to see underwater and to protect the eyes from the chemicals in the water, such as chlorine. Goggles are watertight (if you’ve fitted them correctly) by making an air pocket around the eye and stopping water from getting inside and irritating the eyes when swimming.
What are the benefits of wearing goggles you ask?
Protection – when swimming without goggles, eyes may look red and itchy; which are caused by chemicals within the water designed to keep the pool clean and sanitary. Chlorine is not good for our delicate eyes and can harm them, so it’s best to wear swimming goggles for protection and to prevent them from drying out.
“What if I wear glasses?” Prescription swimming goggles are available for those who need them – best to speak to your optician about these.
Vision – swimming goggles have a watertight design helping us to open our eyes underwater, which also gives us water confidence as we can see what we’re doing (especially if you are learning to swim so you can avoid a rogue foot or hand).
It’s fun! – Wearing goggles and swimming underwater provides confidence and also makes swimming a lot more fun.
Children and goggles
If your little one hasn’t worn goggles before, get them to try them on at home for the first time as it’s a familiar environment for them. If you can, try to get them to wear them in the bath or the shower, that’ll help them to realise goggles keep the water out of their eyes. Before you know it, they’ll be dunking their head underwater the next time you’re in the pool!
If you or your little one is learning to swim, Nottingham Swim School students are encouraged to wear swimming goggles when having their lessons (or if you’re taking part in a lap or competitive swimming it’s just a good idea).
Don’t delay, pick up some goggles today!
A to Z of Nottingham Swim School
Ever wondered why swimming is regarded as one of the most beneficial activities for young people?
Look no further than our A–Z of Nottingham Swim School to understand why.
Active – Children who are active are happier, healthier and more able to learn. Increased activity is essential for a child’s development. Butterfly stroke – They’ll learn the skills to swim this more complicated of strokes during their lessons. Competitiveness – Swimming is great for developing positive competitiveness as each child strives to achieve the next badge or move through the stages. If they join a swimming club, they’ll experience competitive teamwork too. Diving – Knowing how to safely launch yourself headfirst into water is a skill taught during swimming lessons. Energy – Swimming builds your child’s muscles and lung capacity, giving them more energy to achieve. Free stuff – All Nottingham Swim School members receive free access to all of our public swim sessions across the city! They also get a swim hat on joining and at each new stage reached too!
Graduation – As each skill is perfected your child will graduate, receiving badges, medals and certificates of achievement. Health – Swimming is great for your child’s heart and circulation, providing natural, low-impact resistance to build muscle and release those happy endorphins. Intelligence – Holding your breath can reportedly increase intelligence levels as swimming is the best exercise for building lung capacity, which improves the ability to take in more information. Joints – The natural support and resistance provided by water means swimming is a fantastic activity for developing strong joints. Kick – Each swimming stroke has a different style of kick, and your child will master them all by the time they reach Stages 8-10 of our Swim School. Lifesaving – Being able to swim is a real lifesaver and after all the key skills have been achieved your child can train to become a rookie lifeguard too. Motivation – Motivational instructors will ensure your child gets the best from their weekly lessons. No equipment necessary – Apart from a swimsuit, there’s no expensive equipment needed to swim.
Open to all – Some of our pools offer specialist sessions for children with a disability or additional needs. Some also host lessons for older children and adults. Portal – With our Swim School portal you can track your child’s progress and move class when they’re ready. Quality time – Whether you’re in a pool or by the seaside, swimming is a great opportunity for parents and children to bond, sharing quality time in otherwise busy lives. Related sports – Being able to swim gives opportunities to try other sports like water polo, surfing, competitive diving or even triathlon. Safety – Safety is an essential part of learning to swim and your child learns to be aware of hazards in and around water. Training – To become a competent or advanced swimmer, training is essential, providing your child with a routine to follow that will set them up for life. Underwater skills – Between stages 8 and 10 children learn underwater skills like synchronised swimming. Vitality – Swimming’s benefits for physical and mental well-being mean your child will have more vitality and vigour. Weight – Water is around 800 times denser than air, so your child will burn more calories, keeping your child at a healthy weight. X-Factor – Swimming is such a great sport for health, well-being, social skills and mental attitude, your child will develop the X-Factor to help in all aspects of their life. Year-round activity – Come rain or shine, winter or spring, swimming can be enjoyed at any time. Zzz – Swimming uses huge amounts of energy, so your child will sleep better after exercising.
Asmita, 55, who was born in Tanzania, contracted polio at the age of 2 years, resulting in curvature of the spine and reduced ability to walk unaided.
When her family moved to England in 1975 she attended Aspley Wood School which focused on supporting children with special needs and it’s there that Asmita learnt to swim as part of her 1:1 physiotherapy sessions.
“I wondered how I was going to be able to swim if I couldn’t use my legs”
With her physiotherapist’s help she built up her upper body strength and was soon regularly swimming at Beechdale Baths and taking part in sponsor swims to raise funds for the school.
She stopped swimming when she began college, studying English, and later started as a trainee machinist at Marathon Knitwear, as part of a Youth Training Scheme working there for 17 years
It was her son, Christopher, who is also a lifeguard at Clifton, who encouraged her to start swimming again and rekindled her passion for it. Asmita now swims five mornings a week utilising her Flexible Fitness Swim and Health Suite membership to the maximum with regular sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi sessions too.
Christopher regularly joins her in the pool before work and along with other staff, is there to help with getting in and out of the water.
“I’ve lost over a stone in weight and feel better for it, my mood is brighter, I have less stress on my shoulders and I’m loving life!”
Volunteering has always played a large part in Asmita’s life, helping out at Aspley Wood School for over 16 years and she’s now heavily involved with the Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service.
Having successfully completed a Level 1 Swimming Teacher Certificate as part of the InstructAbility project, you will probably see her poolside at Clifton, volunteering on Mondays and she’s hoping that she may be able to take her new skills further and look for paid teaching work in the future.
“Age is no barrier to learning and I love helping people and giving something back.”
Things haven’t always been easy for Asmita and she’s overcome many obstacles in life, but she says these have only served to make her stronger and more determined to grab every opportunity to enjoy life.
“Go for it, give yourself a chance to try something new and don’t give up!”
If you live in Nottingham City and have a registered disability you can save up to 50% discount off activities, so why not join Active Nottingham today?
My disability doesn’t stop me
say Jack who plays Visually Impaired Tennis at Nottingham Tennis Centre.
“Being able to play the sport I love, is so important to me”
I’ve played Visually Impaired Tennis nearly all my life after my Dad searched for a sport we could play together when I was 4 years old and I now regularly compete on the tournament circuit, something that I love, as I get to meet up with the other players, many of who are also now my friends.
My last regional competition was on the 15th April at Billesley Indoor Tennis Centre, Birmingham, where I competed in the B3 Category, up against other players from across the Country. For the tournaments nearer home, I tend to travel alone to, but if I’m in London or Newcastle then Dad comes too and we’ll stay overnight.
VI Tennis is played on a smaller court than usual, with a lower net and uses an audible ball so we can hear it bounce. Depending on our level of sight, we’re allowed up to three bounces before returning the ball across the net
People often ask me how I can hit the ball, but as a Category B3 I do have partial sight, so with the added noise from the bell, it’s not impossible and I also get two bounces before I have to return the ball too, which obviously helps.
The Friday night session (6pm – 7pm) at Nottingham Tennis Centre is the only visually impaired one in Nottinghamshire, as far as I know, and the facilities are great. Without it, I’d have to travel much further to train and that probably wouldn’t work for me, as I need to fit it in with studying at Derby University.
Other than playing tennis, I love walking and try and keep as fit and active as I can, as having a strong core can help with balance. It’s not just about that though, it’s also about how good exercising makes me feel and competing in the sport I love playing really makes me happy.
The Tennis Foundation are working really hard to promote VI Tennis and for the first time this year they’re planning to host three Junior VI Tennis Festivals in 2018. The nearest one is at Loughborough University Tennis Centre. They’re open to children and young people of any ability who are blind or partially sighted and only cost £10.00 per person. There’s also the added benefit that if you’ve not attended before you’ll even get a free racket, so why not join me and starting playing VI Tennis.
Recently a fellow student and friend, Vincent Chan, created this video about VI Tennis and I hope it will inspire other people to come along to the Friday night sessions at Nottingham Tennis Centre.
Rayah started swimming before her first birthday, often going to the baby pool at Ken Martin Leisure Centre with her family on a Sunday – so she’s been in and out of the water from a young age.
Her dad Ramnik is an Active Nottingham, and Rayah is following in his footsteps, having already completed an obstacle fun run with her dad as well as taking part in Race for Life with her mum too. Rayah enjoys being very active.
After starting with Nottingham Swim School this year, Rayah has just completed her first Duckling badge – getting used to the water and gaining some initial experience of being in a class environment without her parents.
Swim School is a great start for young children to get involved with fitness, and it helps build their confidence and self-esteem ready for other challenges later in life.
At this level, the emphasis is on the development of basic swimming skills and water confidence through fun and games. The Swim England Duckling awards 1–4 are used within these classes. Rayah has built the confidence to be able to jump in the pool, hold her breath, paddle and kick and show the correct form using floats.
Ramnik didn’t want Rayah to be afraid of water like some of the less capable swimmers in his class when he was at school – he wanted her to feel comfortable with water from an early age. He’s keen for Rayah to have fitness and nutrition as part of her life and routine, rather than for it to become a challenge in the future.
Rayah loves blowing bubbles underwater and playing with floats and splashing around – it’s really built her confidence and makes her feel happy.
What makes Swim School so great for Rayah is that she had the same teacher for Notts Gym Tots as she now does for swimming, meaning that there’s already a respectful relationship.
All the staff are friendly and helpful. Dad, Ramnik, appreciates the email portal updates as they are convenient for him to check timings and Rayah’s progress at any time of the day.
It’s great to see her develop her skills in the pool each week!
Swimming at Ken Martin Leisure Centre is convenient and local. Rayah’s made friends and knows people in her swimming class from school – her parents have also got to know the other parents there, making the poolside a lot more sociable!
Rayah has just completed her first 10-week block and is eager to get back in the water for her next block of lessons after the school holidays. She can’t wait to start.
Isabelle’s a 6-year-old swimmer with Nottingham Swim School
“She’s like a little mermaid, she’d sooner be underneath the water than on top.” Mummy’s little mermaid
When Mum Leanne, a keen swimmer when she was younger, took Isabelle to her first Water Babies Class at Beechdale Swimming Pool, aged just 8 weeks old, she hoped her little baby would like it. But Isabelle did more than – she loved it from the start!
Isabelle learned really early on to hold her breath underwater and kick back to the side, which are some of the key safety skills taught at the class and by gaining water confidence at such an early age Isabelle was able to swim 5 metres by the age of just 2 years old!
She started Nottingham Swim School lessons in August 2015 and has since gone from strength to strength, building stamina and learning the right techniques. She achieved her 400-metre badge at just 5 and since then has progressed to being able to swim 2200 metres.
She can confidently swim butterfly, but Mum says the breaststroke took a little longer to get the timings right, due to the co-ordination needed.
Her favourite part of her lessons are swimming backstroke, diving, practising race starts and mastering the tumble turn, which has proved invaluable for her Individual Medley Time Trails at Northern Swimming Club, which she joined in January 2017.
Along with attending her regular Swim School lesson at Clifton Leisure Centre she also enjoys the Swim School Quackers sessions where she’s learning invaluable lifesaving skills including how to swim fully clothed.
Being a member of Northern SC, means she now trains 3 times a week at Harvey Hadden Sports Village which she loves as she enjoys being with the other swimmers, some of who are family too.
“As parents, it’s important that both our girls are safe around water, especially when we go on holiday, so we can relax a little.
Proud of her achievements
Practising diving on holiday
She recently took time trails in 100m freestyle, 50m fly, 100m breaststroke and 100m individual medley and swims with swimmers at the club meets who are much older than her.
She thoroughly enjoyed the recent fun gala at Harvey Hadden in March, as she can’t compete in galas at club level until she’s 8, something she can’t wait for.
Outside of swimming Isabelle loves singing, dancing and being on stage, but you’ll also find her in the pool having fun with friends, especially as she can SWIM FOR FREE as a Nottingham Swim School member.
Being active is important for their health too, they work hard at school and exercising is a great way to wind down. When Isabelle comes out the pool, she’s really happy with herself for what she’s achieved.
Asmita, 55, who was born in Tanzania, contracted polio at the age of 2 years, resulting in curvature of the spine and reduced ability to walk unaided.
Things haven’t always been easy for Asmita and she’s overcome many obstacles in life, but she says these have only served to make her stronger and more determined to grab every opportunity to enjoy life.
Other than playing tennis, I love walking and try and keep as fit and active as I can, as having a strong core can help with balance. It’s not just about that though, it’s also about how good exercising makes me feel and competing in the sport I love playing really makes me happy.
