What is mermaiding? 6 Minute English

Rob: Welcome to 6 Minute English, the programme

where we explore an interesting topic

and bring you some useful items vocabulary. I'm Rob.

Neil: And I'm Neil.

Rob: Now Neil, I know you're a keen swimmer.

Neil: I am. I try to get to the pool once a week

and do a few lengths, yes.

Rob: That's good to hear because swimming

is one of the best sports for keeping fit.

It's an aerobic exercise - aerobic means a very

active type of exercise that makes your

heart and lungs stronger.

The opposite of this is anaerobic - and for my question

today Neil, I wonder if you know which of these activities

is an example of anaerobic

exercise? a) weightlifting, b) kickboxing or c) dancing

Neil: I don't have a clue but I'll pick

my favourite sport - a) weightlifting.

Rob: Is that really your favourite sport?!

Anyway, we'll find out the answer at the end

of the programme.

Neil: So what about you Rob

do you visit the swimming pool very often?

Rob: Only to use the cafe! I don't like anything

aquatic - I mean connected to water.

I just don't like getting wet - and swimming up and down

a pool is just boring!

Neil: Well there are alternatives to plain swimming.

There's synchronised swimming...

Rob: Synchronised - that's moving together at the same

time or speed as someone else.

Like dancing in water I suppose?

Hmm, I'm not a good dancer either.

Neil: How about the new craze of 'mermaiding'

which is making a splash at the moment -

in other words becoming very popular.

The idea originated in America but is now popular in

the UK and Europe.

Rob: OK. Tell me more!

Neil: Let's hear from an expert - Emma Longden,

who's founder of Fin2Fit - which runs classes,

teaching the skills of swimming safely like a mermaid...

Emma Longden: Mermaiding is putting a monofin on

your feet. Putting a beautiful tail on

and getting in the water and swimming like a mermaid.

Rob: OK, so I would need to wear a monofin

- the prefix 'mono' means 'only one or single'

- so a single fin -that's like a mermaid's tail

- then I just get in the water and swim around

like a mermaid - I'm not so sure about that Neil

- I don't really know how mermaids swim!

Neil: There's more to it than that Rob.

It's actually good for your fitness as

Emma can explain...

Emma Longden: It gives children's confidence in water

a boost, it improves their water strength,

it gives you an entire body workout.

It works your cardiovascular system,

it works your legs, your core - it improves the children's

swimming technique, flexibility, balance, co-ordination

- you get the reward, you get the social aspect -

and alongside all of that,

they're learning vital life skills along the way.

Neil: So there are many benefits to mermaiding Rob.

Improving confidence, strength, technique

and it's good for your cardiovascular system

- cardiovascular relates to your heart

and blood vessels.

Rob: I like the sound of the social aspect

- and by that Emma means being with other people

and having fun. It's an activity that's sociable.

And it teaches life skills - useful skills

that help you deal with everyday challenges.

Well that's great for kids - and that's the problem.

Neil: What's that?

Rob: Mermaiding is for kids - so I can't get involved

- even if I wanted to... can I?

Neil: You can Rob. According to Emma, it's growing

in popularity with adults too -

any excuse to live out your fantasies hey!

Emma Longden: There are so many adults that actually

kind of want to live out their childhood

dreams that they wanted to be a mermaid when they

were children and they didn't get the

opportunity and now it's here and now it's available...

So yes, we do a lot of adult classes as well.

Neil: There you go Rob - living out your childhood

dreams - that doing things you wanted to do

when you were a child. Like being a mermaid!

Rob: Sorry Neil, that wasn't a dream for me

- although I did dream of swimming like a shark once!

Anyway, mermaiding is a good form

of aerobic exercise - but earlier I asked you

what an example of anaerobic exercise is.

Is it... a) weightlifting, b) kickboxing or c) dancing

Neil: I said weightlifting. Was I right?

Rob: You were Neil, well done. Any exercise

that consists of short exertion, high-intensity movement

is an anaerobic exercise - such as weight lifting,

sprinting and jumping. I won't go into

scientific detail - but aerobics exercise

is done over a longer period of time and strengthens

the heart and lungs,

thereby improving the body's utilisation of oxygen.

Neil: Thanks for that Rob.

Now I think we should sprint through our recap

of some of the words we've talked about today -

starting with 'aerobic', which you just explained.

"Mermaiding is a good aerobic workout."

Rob: Assuming you don't mind dressing up, of course!

Next we had 'aquatic' which refers to something

connected with water. "Synchronised swimming

is an example of an aquatic sport."

Neil: Ah, you slipped in another of our words there

- 'synchronised' - which means 'moving

together at the same time or speed as someone

or something else'. "We synchronised our watches

so that we all arrived at the same time."

Rob: Good idea - you're always late Neil.

Then we mentioned 'mono' which means 'one'

or 'single' and is used as a prefix on words such as

'monochrome' - one colour - or 'monorail'

- a train running on a single track.

Neil: Then we heard the word 'cardiovascular'

- a word that relates to the effect on your

heart and lungs. "Experts say those who quit

smoking could also quickly reduce their risk

of cardiovascular disease."

Rob: Finally, we also mentioned 'social' -

this adjective relates to activities that you do

with other people and are usually fun.

"Now I live in London, I have a great social life."

Neil: Well you never invite me out Rob!

Anyway, that's it for this edition of 6 Minute English.

Before you rush off to fulfil your dream of

being a mermaid, don't forget to visit our

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and of course our website!

Rob: Yes and that's at bbclearningenglish.com.

Bye for now.

Neil: Goodbye.