The health benefits of swimming

James Magnussen

You dive into the pool for a game of Marco Polo or to cool down from the hot summer heat. You love the calming feeling of being submerged in water and the fun factor of frolicking in the pool like you were 10 years old again. But do you ever just swim for exercise and for the array of the health benefits of swimming? Don’t be a fish out of water when it comes to knowing just how wonderful swimming is for your mind, body and soul…

Have you ever watched the Olympics and found yourself in awe of the professional swimmers’ physiques? Their long, lean and toned muscular bodies seem to glide through the water effortlessly. Swimmers are in fantastic shape and those who swim regularly know that they not only look great on the outside but feel just as great on the inside. The healthbenefits of swimming are almost unmatched by most any other sport.

Why is Swimming So Good?
Swimming works your whole body, improving cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time. Your cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart.

As you become fitter and are able to swim longer, your resting heart rate and respiratory rate will be reduced, making blood flow to the heart and lungs more efficient. If you’re looking to lose weight, swimming is just the ticket. On average, a swimmer can burn as many calories in an hour as a runner who runs six miles in one hour. Simply put, some call swimming the perfect form of exercise.

Additional Health Benefits of Swimming

• Whole body conditioning: Swimming tones your upper and lower body because you’re using almost all of your major muscle groups. The best strokes for all-over body toning are the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.

• Low risk of injury: There is a low risk for swimming injuries because there’s no stress on your bones, joints or connective tissues due to buoyancy and the fact that you weigh 1/10th less in water. If you’re looking for a safe daily workout routine, swimming is ideal because you can rigorously work out with a reduced chance of swimming injuries. Many athletes supplement their training with swimming.