Mermaids Are Creatures of Legend

Mermaid

There are many reasons to become a mermaid or merman.  Expand your love for the water by enrolling in a  class today!  They are creatures of legends, mysticism, and beauty.  Every little girl grows up dreaming of becoming on, and now with the popularity of movies like Aquaman, so do little boys.  Those dreams stay with us as we grow older – the desire to be one with the water, moving gracefully and swiftly with the stroke of a single tail.

Mermaids are Mer-mazing, Why?

SSI Mermaid

It doesn’t take much imagination to see why “mermaids” can be so much fun.  After all, it’s fantasy meets sport! For some, the draw to become one is swimming itself, for others it’s about the fitness and overall wellness, for others still, mermaids are all about the artistic expression. Becoming a mermaid is a little different for everyone, in general they are notoriously social and supportive of other.  No matter what it mean to you, a day with the mermaids is never dull!

Fantasy meets Mermaid reality

Mermaids

As the culture has taken off in the past few years, more and more children and adults alike have decided to fulfill their dream of being a mermaid by “jumping right in” with little or no formal training. This in and of itself, is inadvisable and has led to situations that tarnish the community. Firstly, not all  tails are created equally. As in other aquatic sports, having the proper equipment, and understanding how to use that equipment, is paramount for safety.

To Tail or not to tail

Firstly, not all tails are created equally. Some fabrics may not offer enough stretch and therefore “bind” a mermaids legs together in an unsafe manner while others may add excess drag and weight.   There are two components that make up the mermaid swim system.  The “mono fin” and the “tail” itself, so which system is correct for you?  These topics can present a real problem for inexperienced mermaids without the proper training.

more than bubble kisses

Another one of the more significant concerns for mermaids, presents itself when swimmers attempt extended breath holds, known in the diving world as “apnea”. Without the proper training, it can be very difficult to detect the onset of a blackout, or to respond to one quickly. Mermaids are never encouraged to perform extended breath holds without the proper training and an equally qualified mermaid buddy.  Certifications Count!

Benefits of Mermaiding are Immeasurable

Mermaid

It seems that most everything about the sport promotes overall wellness. Every mermaid who has been mermaid swimming consistently will tell you that it is surprisingly serious physical activity. While very efficient, dolphin swimming is compound body movement and involves some of our largest muscles, which in turn can rapidly lead to fatigue (one reason swimming with a buddy is so important). Some have even reported losing so much weight in the first year of “mermaiding” that they have had to buy all new equipment and tail skins!

Another interesting way the lifestyle promotes wellness is through the pre-dive activities that the sport offers. All that compound movement requires lots of stretching before-hand in order to minimize cramps while swimming. You’ll often stretch, as well as perform breathing exercises prior to swimming. These “breathe up” type sessions are often strikingly similar to mindfulness meditation sessions, which have been shown to lower heart rate and increase oxygenation of the body.

 Perhaps one of the less obvious, but most beneficial effects of this style of swimming is that it almost always promotes a more confident demeanor, both in water and on land. For many, becoming a “real mermaid” involves getting around the stigma of playing a fantasy character while simultaneously wriggling into a mermaid tail before a strenuous swim. Add all those health benefits to mermaids’ inherent love of the outdoors, and it becomes difficult to measure just how much overall wellness a safe mermaid really does promote. In our shop, we call that “the power of the tail”. Whatever you call it, woe to the sailor who insults a mermaid. The lifestyle really is good for the mind, body, and soul.

Mermaid Training Center
SSI Blue Ocean Partner

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