Swimming, in practical terms, refers to the set of movements done by people and animals in water. Aside from the fact that Swimming serves as the principal method of people to move in both small and large bodies of water, people also engage in Swimming to exercise, as their main occupation, or just to enjoy, especially during the Summer season. Swimming is also considered as a competition event by different Sporting event bodies.

The Competitive type of Swimming is the one people usually see in television shows, probably in sports channels and news. The goal of a person joining a Competitive Swimming event is to be the fastest over a given distance. Several sporting tournaments feature Swimming as one of their main events. In the Summer Olympic Games, both male and female swimmers compete for 13 Swimming events. Considerably, the most prestigious Swimming event is held in the Olympics. Athletes in this event are required to compete in a 50 meter pool.

Recreational Swimming is the most common type of Swimming. Many people engage in this type of Swimming to feel refreshed and to simply relax. Recreational Swimming is done mostly in public Swimming pools found in resorts and in the beach. Swimming as a form of exercise is also connected to Recreational Swimming.

Swimming is also considered as an occupation by many people. Fishermen and divers earn income by diving into deep waters to search for abalones or pearls. Lifeguards are also considered as occupational swimmers, tasked to rescue other swimmers in distress. The military forces also include Swimming as a part of their job description. They usually use Swimming to approach or depart a “difficult” location, gather information, or for combat.

Swimming Lessons
Since Swimming is considered as a basic skill for survival in water-based disasters, many people – of all ages - enroll in Swimming lesson classes.

Swimming lessons are done to help non-swimmers develop their water movements, general water endurance, and confidence. Swimming Classes are progressive and they usually start with water floating technique lessons, followed by the introduction to the three most popular Swimming strokes namely: breast stroke, freestyle, and Back crawl strokes.

Children at the age of 5 (infants) are often the ones given Swimming lessons. Aside from private Swimming schools, many primary educational institutions consider Swimming as a basic component of their Physical Education classes.

It is important to note, however, that learning how to swim and Swimming lessons in general does not guarantee the prevention of drowning incidences involving infant children. Swimming lessons can generally improve their grasp of basic water motor skills and their endurance. For Swimming lessons involving infants, it is important to make sure that an adult is guiding the child during sessions. It is also important to prepare Personal flotation devices (PFDs) and life jackets for additional safety.