Pepper Lozada Dives Into the Unmatched Benefits of Swimming

If you want to learn how to swim, you would most likely go to the Bert Lozada Swim School founded by Remberto C. Lozada, or "Tito Bert," who formulated and implemented his own style of teaching swimming in 1956 at the YMCA Manila.

- MYLENE MENDOZA-DAYRIT

Three generations of Lozadas have since been involved in the sport, either as competitor, teacher, or coach. Tito Bert's method was a combination of lessons from his father and his own learnings from his exposure to international swimming competitions.

His passion for the sport, strict discipline, and emphasis on stroke mechanics not only produced an effective method of teaching but also developed champions in competitive swimming.

We reached out to his daughter-in-law who heads the Infant and Toddler Aquatic department of the swim school, Pepper Angeles-Lozada, to share some thoughts about the sport as an exercise.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: What are the primary benefits of swimming as a regular form of exercise and how does it compare to other cardiovascular activities?

COACH PEPPER ANGELES-LOZADA: Swimming is one of the most well-rounded exercises you can do from a holistic health and wellness perspective. First off, it's incredibly joint-friendly. Since water supports most of your body weight, there's minimal impact on your joints, making it ideal not just for athletes but also for older adults or anyone recovering from an injury. Unlike running or cycling, which mostly target the lower body, swimming works the entire body—upper body, legs, and core—all at once. That means you are building muscular strength and endurance while also getting your cardio in. Cardiovascularly, it's powerful! It improves both heart and lung capacity and tends to enhance oxygen efficiency more than most other cardio workouts. Mentally, it's a game-changer! There's something calming about being in the water. It reduces stress, helps with anxiety, and even improves sleep.