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Apart from the activity of swimming itself, whether in an indoor pool
or outdoors, inland or at the sea, there are a number of other activities
based on swimming.
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They include life saving, diving, sub aqua, surfing,
synchronised swimming, water aerobics, and water polo. More detailed
information on these activities can be obtained from the specialist organisations
listed below. They all involve movement in water in different ways.
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Some, like
water aerobics, water polo, and synchronised swimming are normally done in
pools. Surfing is largely on particular sea coasts, while life
saving and sub aqua are often learnt in pools but then practiced in other
natural water areas.
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Many of these activities are largely done for
fun, but swimming and diving, synchronised swimming and water polo have an
important competitive element.
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Amateur Swimming Association 01509 618700
British Octopush Association www.britishoctopush.org/
British Sub-Aqua Club www.bsac.com/
Surf Life Saving Association www.lifeguards.org.uk/
British Surfing Association www.britsurf.co.uk/
English Surfing Federation 01271 890421
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Swimming Times
UK Swimming
Dive
Diver
Scuba World
Carve Surfing Magazine
Threesixty Bodyboarding Magazine
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Find a local swimming
pool, group
or club (see organisations above).
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See if there are
introductory sessions or classes at your local club, pool or nearest
water area.
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Consult books or magazines
on different activities based on swimming.
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Check in your local library/paper
or swimming pool for more information.
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Skills and people
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Swimming is an activity
suitable for people of all ages and both sexes.
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It is possible to go swimming and surfing and do sub aqua on your own,
but most the other activities based on swimming require other people to
participate as well.
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Even for swimming, many people like to go with
friends and family; having someone with you is also good for safety
reasons. Many people join a local group, club or class in order to
get the most out of the activity.
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For the more informal activities
like swimming and surfing there is no need for the people you go with to
be of the same standard as yourself, but this is much less true of water
polo, synchronised swimming and even water aerobics.
Equipment or clothing
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A swimsuit of some kind is obviously essential.
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Surfers and sub
aqua people usually have wet suits. They also need special equipment
in the form of board and aqualungs, masks, flippers etc respectively.
A place or facilities
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Access to a swimming pool or other safe area of water is
essential.
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Surfing needs a particular type of coast and sea, while
sub aqua enthusiasts are usually looking for particular coast formations
and/or wrecks and other submerged items to investigate.
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