Swimming offers incredible benefits to your body. Even if you’re not a strong swimmer, doing laps in a pool can help kickstart a healthy lifestyle and get your heart rate up. While swimming isn’t a magic pill, exercising regularly by swimming can help you improve your health, your body, and your mental well-being.
Here are some health benefits of swimming:
1. Swimming helps relieve stress.
The benefits of being in the water to relieve stress are still being studied, but multiple small studies have indicated that even a short swim can improve one’s mood and mental functions. If you’re more interested in the stress relief aspects of swimming, aqua therapy may be an excellent outlet for you.
2. Lowers the risk of heart-related diseases
Swimming is a form of low impact cardiovascular exercise. Unlike running or other types of more vigorous exercise, swimming eases pressure on your joints while strengthening your muscles, lungs, and heart.
3. It’s a full body workout.
Most full body workouts are composed of different exercises that often may require a gym or other tools to complete. With swimming, one simply has to change the stroke to target specific areas of the body. Because water provides resistance, switching from just the backstroke to the butterfly can help you tone your muscles without stressing your body. If you’re a keen swimmer who has a pool in your backyard, consider using a solar panel or pool blanket to keep your pool warm and usable as the weather permits, thereby staying consistent with your swimming regime.
4. It helps maintain a healthy weight.
Swimming can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and increasing muscle tone. Even swimming at a slow or moderate pace burns a considerable number of calories without excess stress on your body. Swimming laps slowly can burn more calories in less time than simple exercise like walking or yoga, making it an efficient way to exercise.
5. Safe for people with pre-existing health conditions
If you suffer from diabetes, MS, asthma, or other health conditions or have mobility issues, swimming is a safe and effective way to exercise. For people suffering from joint issues, swimming offers a safe place to workout without overstressing your joints. Pregnant women, in particular, are also encouraged to swim as it offers a weightlessness that other exercises can’t supply. Additionally, studies have shown that swimming compared to other more intense exercises offer the same health benefits, making it an excellent choice if more rigorous exercises are not safe for you.
In conclusion:
Swimming is an excellent exercise for all age groups. While kids may be more interested in the joys of splashing and playing in the water, swimming laps or doing other types of water therapy offers adults a place to exercise effectively and safely. Following safe swim rules is a must, no matter how experienced of a swimmer you are. Additionally, if you frequent a public pool, it may be a good idea to be trained in CPR in case one of your fellow swimmers needs assistance.
Overall, swimming is an enjoyable sport that offers a multitude of health benefits and is a great way to keep your body moving and healthy.