There are many different ways we can get some much-needed exercise on a regular basis. Some people like to go walking or jogging, others hit the gym, and some indulge in cycling or playing a sport. All forms of exercise have their benefits and it often comes down to the individual and their personal fitness goals and what form of exercise they choose. Living in such a warm climate, swimming has always been popular in Australia. This article is going to be taking a closer look at swimming as a form of exercise, listing the benefits and why it’s so good for you.
#1 – Swimming Is Low Impact Exercise
Exercise routines that involve running and jumping are high impact, which can place a lot of strain and shock on both the joints and muscles. Whether you are suffering from joint or muscle pain or not, it’s often desirable to do some form of exercise that is low impact and more kind to the body. Swimming fits the bill perfectly.
Being supported by the water – whether you’re swimming in a pool, down the beach or even in a creek – you’ll be getting strenuous exercise that burns calories, strips excess weight and strengthens muscles without putting excessive stress on your body.
#2 – Excellent for Cardiovascular Fitness
While it’s low impact, swimming is hard work and really gets the heart and lungs working. Add in the fact that you need to strive and breathe while basically being immersed in a body of water, it takes your cardiovascular fitness to the next level.
If you go swimming regularly for several weeks, you’ll soon notice just how much your cardio fitness has improved and how effortless swimming seems to have become.
#3 – Swimming Builds Endurance
Swimming is one of the very best exercises there is to build up your stamina and endurance, which is one key reason why it’s such a popular training method for many professional sportspeople. If you do a lot of slow laps of the pool, in no time you will increase your levels of endurance quite markedly and because of the resistance the water places on the body, even sprint swimming will help to bolster your stamina.
#4 – You’ll Receive a Full Body Workout
When you go swimming, whether you’re doing freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly or even a dog paddle, you’re working just about every part of the body and every single muscle group. In fact, there are not many exercises in the world that can claim to give you a full-body workout in one single exercise. Generally, you have to perform different exercises within a routine to achieve this. Swimming really is unique when it comes to getting an all-over workout, all at the same time.
#5 – You’ll Build Strength and Achieve Muscle Tone
One of the fitness goals of most people is to look better and be more toned and in shape. Anyone who has ever watched swimming in the Olympics will know that all swimmers have excellent physiques.
Not only will you lower the fat levels on your body and increase muscle toning, but swimming will also increase your muscle strength exponentially. Because there is always resistance, it’s like doing resistance training such as weight training.
#6 – Burn Off Excess Body Fat
Many people, when they first embark on a regular exercise schedule, have a few extra kilos they want to get rid of and even for those who don’t carry extra weight, you probably want to prevent your body from gaining body fat.
Both fast and slow swimming against the resistance of the water is an excellent way to speed up the metabolism, burn calories and burn off that excess body fat. As an exercise, a half-hour of swimming can be more effective at burning fat than spending the same amount of time in the gym or out jogging.
#7 – Alleviate Stress and Clear Your Mind
Being in and around water naturally has a relaxing impact on the human mind and body. Therefore, swimming is a fantastic way to relieve stress from your mind, clear the head and put yourself in a better mood for the rest of the day.
It’s always an incredibly relaxing feeling after taking a dip in the pool or the sea, doing some swimming and then chilling out afterwards.
#8 – Swimming Can Help Heal Injuries
When you’re trying to recover from an injury to a muscle or a joint, it can make it very difficult to exercise without aggravating that injury further. Low impact swimming, however, can be very therapeutic and can even help speed up the healing process.
So long as you don’t overdo it or go out too hard, swimming can help to mend torn muscles and reduce joint inflammation without putting a lot of stress on the body.
The Benefits Of Swimming In Summary
Let’s quickly sum up with a list of the main points:
- Swimming Is Low Impact Exercise
- Excellent for Cardiovascular Fitness
- Swimming Builds Endurance
- You’ll Receive a Full Body Workout
- You’ll Build Strength and Achieve Muscle Tone
- Burn Off Excess Body Fat
- Alleviate Stress and Clear Your Mind
- Swimming Can Help Heal Injuries
The Takeaway
Swimming is one of the best all-around forms of exercise there is. It’s low impact, gives you an all-body workout and has numerous fitness and health benefits. If you’re looking to start a regular exercise routine, be sure to include swimming as part of your fitness regime.
Source:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/swimming-health-benefits
