NatNews

Though outdoor pool season is beginning to wrap up for the year, it doesn’t mean that you need to say farewell to chlorine anytime soon. Whether as cross-training workouts or a form of main exercise, swimming is a great way for individuals to enhance their overall well-being.

Swimming not only can help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses (such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and strokes) but can also improve mental health, as being in the water and engaging in exercise can allow a person to feel more relaxed and less stressed, and improve cognitive function.

Dallas resident and triathlete Mike Hart said he learned how to swim properly shortly after he signed up for his first triathlon in 2022.

“Unlike running or cycling, I couldn’t just muscle my way forward in the water,” he said. “I quickly realized that technique is everything.”

Hart said swimming has taught him more patience and has also helped sharpen his breath control and ease some tightness in his back and shoulders. It’s now become a beneficial activity he truly enjoys and takes part in on a regular basis.

“Over time, swimming became not just a workout but a fun sport that left me feeling stronger and mentally refreshed,” he said. “Swimming also opened me up to amazing triathlons, some of the most fun endurance events around.”

Australian professional triathlete Regan Hollioake said swimming is an effective way for individuals to develop fitness without stressing the body’s joints, bones, and muscles in the way that higher-impact sports (such as running and cycling) do.

“Swimming builds cardiovascular fitness, increasing your overall endurance and making your body more efficient at supplying oxygen during all three disciplines, with the added benefit of being low-impact, giving your body a break from the heavy demands of running and riding,” she said. “You can use your swim to complement the others without the same risk of injury.”

The buoyancy of the water provides relief to a person’s body, taking off weight but still adding resistance. According to the Cleveland Clinic, such a benefit is especially helpful to individuals with arthritis, fibromyalgia, obesity, or reduced mobility as well as women who are pregnant. Swimming can also strengthen one’s heart, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure.

“I also use swimming as a means of recovery after hard bike and run sessions, as it’s great for circulation, helps to reduce muscle soreness, and can be a nice mental reset after a hard session or day,” Hollioake said.

Like Hollioake, Hart has also discovered that knocking out some laps in the pool is an effective way to give his body some relief while also building strength and fitness.

“Swimming is one of the rare workouts that can be both a recovery aid and a powerful training tool,” he said. “The water supports your body, easing the load on joints, and lengthens muscles in ways land sports can’t. At the same time, swimming engages your entire body and forces you to control your breathing, building endurance and lung function in ways that other endurance sports can’t.”

A person doesn’t have to be a triathlete, the spawn of Michael Phelps, or more than a weekend warrior to incorporate swimming into his or her exercise routine (though it’s obviously important at least to know the basics of swimming, and there are adult swim lessons for those who need or want to learn). Hollioake said she would strongly encourage individuals to have a swim analysis or join a swim group to help with correct form.

“Proper technique is everything in swimming, and it can be hard to make progress without some instruction,” she said.

Hollioake advises someone new to swimming on a regular basis not to be afraid to use swimming aids (such as flippers, floaty shorts, and pool buoys) if they help him or her develop better technique and feel more comfortable in the water. She also said it’s important to be consistent with swimming.

“Start with short but regular sets,” she said. “The more regularly you can go to the pool, the better your ‘feel’ for the water will become.”

Not everyone may be able to get to the pool every day or swim as long or far as desired, and not all swimmers will have the same workouts and motivations. Hollioake said an individual adding swimming to the mix needs to set realistic goals that work best for him or her.

“This could be to build up the number of laps or hit a certain time for 50 meters,” she said. “This helps keep you motivated when it’s feeling tough. Most importantly, make it fun! Go swimming with a friend, mix up your sets, and try some open-water swims.”

Hart also noted the importance of developing proper swimming form and to remember that it is a process that will take patience and the understanding that results won’t magically appear overnight. 

“Racking up billions of miles with flawed technique can lead to frustration and maybe even injuries,” he said. “A good swim coach can spot inefficiencies pretty quickly, and there are billions of YouTube tutorials with drills that can make a difference. Over time, good technique makes swimming feel more flowy and fun and lets you actually push power through your strokes and go fast. Take your time, keep at it, and enjoy the progress.”

Kiwi fruits (not the bird) are originally from China and were initially known as Chinese gooseberries prior to being renamed for marketing purposes in 1959.

For some individuals, the start of the fall season is not contingent upon what the calendar says or what the temperatures are outside. Rather, the actual autumnal equinox is overshadowed by a certain beloved staple—the pumpkin.

Whether it’s a pumpkin-spiced beverage (Starbies love their PSLs), pumpkin-flavored treats, pumpkin displays (the Dallas Arboretum will have more than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash), or a number of other pumpkin-centric attractions, many people are simply drawn to the typically orange creator of joy. (Although, it is important to note that pumpkin-spiced items don’t contain actual pumpkin but, instead, typically comprise cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, which combine to create the flavor many individuals have come to savor.)

Dallas resident Laura Hays said she believes that pumpkins are loved not only for the foods they help create but also for what they represent.

“Pumpkin-flavored treats are delicious, and they signal the beginning of fall, which is the best time of the year for many people,” she said. “The weather cools off, cozy sweaters come out, and leaves change colors.”

Dallas resident Eli Rodriguez runs with the Train Pegasus group, which meets several mornings throughout the week at a Starbucks, so he frequently sees individuals ordering drinks with pumpkin flavors during this time of year. And while he may not always indulge in seasonal lattes, you can bet that he’ll make other purchases with pumpkin images and aesthetics.

“I do buy Oreo cookies when they bring out the Halloween ones because it’s my favorite holiday,” he said.

However, not everyone prefers the taste of what many consider to be a seasonal gem that blesses their lives for a few months.

“I love fall, but I have never liked pumpkin-flavored anything,” Dallas-area resident Robyn Allen said. “I am unsure why people love it so much. I absolutely do not get it.”

The reason might actually have nothing to do with taste at all. In fact, research revealed that it’s another human sense that creates the fascination with pumpkin. The scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger can spark fond, comforting, and cozy memories and emotions. Allen also believes that seeing pumpkins has a similar effect.

“I think people are drawn to the pumpkin aesthetic because it triggers an emotional response usually flooded with good memories,” she said. “When the leaves turn and the pumpkins are in season, we associate those things with weather that is a relief from the summer heat. The crisp air and warm soups or drinks are comforting.”

The changing of one season to another often symbolizes more meaningful and personal changes for some individuals, allowing them to reset and gain new perspectives. The fall season is a time when temperatures start to decrease, allowing many people to spend more time outside and see the natural changes taking place in the world around them. Such experiences in nature can produce cognitive benefits and boost one’s mood.

This type of idyllic setting has the ability to trigger feelings of fondness and the anticipation of upcoming holidays.

“People love autumn pictures, and pumpkins symbolize Halloween and Thanksgiving,” Rodriguez said. “This means that cooler weather, a cozy atmosphere, and spooky season are here.”

Pumpkins and the fall months also allow for decorators to tap into their creative sides in abundance. Hays, who often hosts celebratory get-togethers with friends, loves a good theme and opportunities to bring holidays to life.

“Pumpkins make fun displays, especially with all of the different varieties of colors and textures,” she said. “Then it’s time for Halloween, with pumpkin carving, costumes, and candy.”

When Halloween ends, the pumpkins do not disappear, as they are often included in other autumn and Thanksgiving decor, images, meals, and marketing. Linus may have waited all night for the Great Pumpkin, but perhaps he was actually expectant of something more than simply an oversized orange item.

“For most people, I believe that the pumpkin symbolizes the beginning of cultural and family traditions,” Allen said. “Holiday season is officially upon us, which mostly is exciting, as we get to spend time with family and friends. There is something magical about holidays that I believe has an effect on people to always want to recreate it and never give up on the idea of happiness.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

New album cover

Monday, September 8: Dallas Speed Dating & Singles Mixer (ages 27–37) at Birdie’s Eastside
Tuesday, September 9: Rangers vs. Brewers at Globe Life Field; Bonsai Bar at Celestial Beerworks; Free Rooftop Movie — Coming to America at Sundown at Granada
Wednesday, September 10: 2025 State Fair Saddle Up at The Rustic
Thursday, September 11: Dallas Wings vs. Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center; Frisco RoughRiders vs. Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Riders Field; 39th Annual Grapefest at Historic Downtown Grapevine (goes through Sunday)
Friday, September 12: Late Night at the Museum at the Dallas Museum of Art; Luke Bryan at Dos Equis Pavilion; Candlelight — Tribute to Fleetwood Mac at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
Saturday, September 13: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; Vitruvian Salsa Festival at Vitruvian Park; Pink Floyd Tribute — Bricks in the Wall at Legacy Hall
Sunday, September 14: Cowboys vs. Giants at AT&T Stadium; Ofrendas & Otoño Festival at City Park; PicklePAWlooza at the Sandy Pickle