swimming techniques - Swimming is a form of exercise that burns a lot of calories, increases your cardiovascular fitness levels, improves your muscular endurance and strength, does not impact the joints due to the water supporting your weight, refreshes and cools you in hot weather, and which can be done safely even in old age. There is historical evidence of human beings swimming since millennia. For instance, there are cave drawings dating from the Stone Age, depicting people swimming. Swimming is also mentioned in the Bible as well as in the Greek epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which date back 1500-2000 years. Four swimmers performing the crawl are also shown in ancient clay seals of Egypt, dating from 4000 BC. In fact, humans are born with the inherent ability to swim. It has been found that when newborn babies are put in water, they instinctively hold their breath and move their limbs. This is the reason some families are going in for providing swimming training for their babies. But, it is not advisable to try out this inherent swimming reflex in babies at home for self-evident reasons of safety.