Swimming is an ideal aerobic workout that helps you burn calories and improve your health. Whether you’re swimming in your gym pool to relax or participating in a swimming class, you can benefit from this exercise.
A new study in Dallas, USA, has found that the health benefits of swimming are as good as those of running. The study, which compared blood pressure, cholesterol levels, maximum energy output, and other measures of cardiovascular health across nearly 46,000 men and women walkers, runners, swimmers, and couch potatoes, discovered that swimmers and runners had the best numbers, followed by walkers.
There are some amazing health benefits of swimming:
- Swimming works the heart and lungs. This trains the body to use oxygen more efficiently.
- It uses the arms, the legs, and other muscle groups. This improves muscle strength and flexibility.
- Swimming, like other forms of aerobic exercise, burns calories well and can play an important role in helping you lose weight.
- Swimming is easy on the joints and muscles, because water supports and cushions the body. It is often recommended for people with arthritis and other chronic conditions. The resistance of water also allows you to work out vigorously with little danger of injuries.
- Swimming is suitable for any age group. Unlike gyms and high-impact sports, there are no age restrictions to participate. In fact, it is great for families as it allows all members to be active at the same time and at their own pace. Swimming is also a wonderful way to encourage children to be sporty from a young age.
- Swimming improves the quality of your health. Buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure of the water is brilliant for those with joint problems or those who are returning to exercise after an illness or injury. Swimming can reduce back pain or oedema in pregnancy.
- For people who hate sweating during a workout routine, swimming may be ideal, because the water helps keep you cool.
- Swimming is great for your mind as well. There’s a relaxing, meditative side to it. You can let your mind drift in the soothing water, focus on your breathing, and your movements. It can be extremely stress-busting.
- You can swim all your life. You needn’t give up swimming just because you’ve crossed the middle age.
If you’re already a swimmer, you’ve discovered the benefits of this activity. If you aren’t, it’s never too late to learn how to swim. However, choose the location where you swim carefully and consult your physician before undertaking the activity. According to a paper published in the ‘European Respiratory Journal’, if you’re swimming in a chlorinated pool, the chlorine could exacerbate respiratory problems such as asthma. It can also dry out your skin and affect your hair if you don’t rinse it off well. There’s also a small risk of contracting a virus or infection from a public pool, particularly if it’s not properly chlorinated. Swimmers also need to supplement their aquatic exercise with some weight-bearing activity, like walking, to keep their bones strong.
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