Swimming: a tool for health across cultures

We’re thrilled to introduce new regular contributor, Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi who will be sharing the latest news and views from the medical world. To kick us off this month, Dr Hussain shares how swimming has promoted health across cultures

From the tranquil waters of ancient bathhouses to the rigorous training of samurai warriors, swimming has long been recognised as a powerful tool for health and wellbeing. Across cultures and centuries, civilisations have embraced water not just for survival, but as a source of rejuvenation, fitness and even spiritual renewal.

Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia: the first swimmers

Dating back as early as 2500 BCE, swimming played a significant role in the daily lives of ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. Egyptian tomb paintings depict swimmers in fluid motion, suggesting that swimming was both a recreational and health-promoting activity. The Nile River served as a place to exercise and a natural wellness retreat, where immersion in its waters was believed to purify the body and refresh the soul.

Greek Olympians and Roman bathhouses : masters of aquatic fitness

For the ancient Greeks, swimming was essential to athletic training. Olympians combined swimming with running to boost endurance and overall strength, while Greek scholars emphasised its importance in education. The Romans expanded on this by constructing elaborate public bathhouses (thermae), where swimming was a crucial part of hygiene and wellness. Roman physicians even prescribed swimming as a treatment for ailments such as joint pain and fatigue, recognising its restorative properties centuries ahead of modern rehabilitation therapies.

Japan and China: Water as a warrior’s tool and a healer’s ally

In Japan, swimming was not only a sport, but a martial skill known as ‘suijutsu’, practiced by samurai for agility and survival. Over time, this evolved into a respected discipline for both combat training and physical wellness. Meanwhile, in China, water therapy played a pivotal role in traditional medicine. Ancient healers recommended hydrotherapy in warm springs to promote circulation, relieve pain, and restore balance to the body – practices still embraced today in many of China’s famous hot springs resorts.

India and the Middle East: swimming as a sacred and therapeutic practice

Ancient Indian texts reference swimming as a practice that strengthens both body and mind. In Hindu culture, water immersion has long been linked to spiritual purification, with sacred rivers like the Ganges serving as destinations for ritualistic cleansing and renewal. The Middle East saw the development of hammams (bathhouses), where water therapy was used for relaxation and health.

Swimming today: a legacy that lives on

Fast forward to the present, and swimming remains one of the most effective ways tools for cardiovascular health, rehabilitation and stress relief. Its historical significance across cultures proves that humans have always recognised water’s incredible power – not just to sustain life, but to enhance it. Next time you take a dip, remember: you’re participating in a tradition that has been cherished for millennia, from the banks of the Nile to the bathhouses of Rome and beyond.

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi is a GP with an extended role in lifestyle medicine. He leads the Royal College of GP’s lifestyle and physical activity team; heads the UK’s first NHS-based fitness club; is a TV doctor on This Morning and GMB and sits on the advisory board for Swim England. When not working, Hussain is a keen triathlete.