WRITTEN BY NY PRESS ON JUNE 21, 2012. POSTED IN CONTINUING EDUCATION, NEWS OUR TOWN, NEWS OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN, NEWS WEST SIDE SPIRIT, OUR TOWN, OUR TOWN DOWNTOWN, SPECIAL SECTIONS, WEST SIDE SPIRIT.

By Laura Shin

From stress relief to reducing the risk of heart disease, there are many reported benefits to swimming. And on a hot summer day in New York City, it’s also a great way to cool off. These are just a few reasons why some adults who never learned to swim are signing up to learn now.

“Everybody can learn to swim—it has nothing to do with age,” said Lori Pailet, managing director of Aqua Skills, a swim instruction group in Manhattan. “There are so many benefits—it’s great cardio, great for circulation, great for flexibility and it doesn’t hurt your joints.”

Aqua Skills offers group classes as well as private and semiprivate lessons for adults at different locations in Manhattan. It offers a flexible schedule with classes seven days a week and an “Early Bird” class that begins at 6 a.m., said Pailet.

Many other programs also offer beginner swim classes for adults in the city.

“One of our members was 65 when she started taking lessons,” she said. “When she grew up, she didn’t have the finances or time to learn to swim. She wanted to enjoy the water with her grandchildren, so she decided she was going to do it.”

The adult beginner classes cover the basics of swimming as well as addressing any fears that adults may have about being in the water. The class is a good fit for adults who have never swum before or those who can swim a little bit but have not gone into deeper water, O’Donoghue said.

For more information about Aqua Skills, visit www.aquaskills.com or call 212-206-6976.