Every exercise has its own selling point. But, swimming is not like a common aerobic workout or cardio exercise in several ways. Firstly, the fact that your body is submerged in the water and your muscles along with bones are unshackled by the pressure of gravity. This makes swimming the perfect exercise for people suffering from osteoarthritis for whom weight lifting exercise could be highly painful. Swimming lowers arterial rigidity, a risk factor that leads to heart disease. A lot of research has suggested a link between swimming with lower blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension.
The buoyancy and coldness of water also appeal to those who are obese or heavy on weight and may not be comfortable in doing exercises like running. But, you shouldn’t be fooled as your body is surely doing a lot of hard work when it is in the pool. Water is denser than air, hence moving through it puts more pressure on your muscles and links, in comparison to out-of-water exercises. And, what adds to it is that pressure is uniformly distributed. It doesn’t just put all the burden on your legs, hips, or knees, but evenly distributes.
How you consume air while swimming is yet another point of differentiation. During cycling or running, your breath is more shallow and you exhale forcefully. But, in swimming, it is vice-versa. You breathe in faster and very deeply and then easily exhale the air out. As your head is inside the pool while swimming, breathing adjustments are necessary to add strength to your respiratory muscles. Such type of breathing helps in keeping your alveoli in the lungs from collapsing or sticking together.
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And, what serves as icing on the cake is that you get the lean and curvy swimmer’s body. Swimming burns all the excess fat better than any other form of cardio exercise. If you are thinking of running or cycling, then you will just use your lower body. Swimming doesn’t just engage your legs but also puts your upper body to function, your back and middle back, your biceps and triceps. You take a look at a swimmer’s photo and you will how well-developed their upper body is.
Lastly, comes your back benefits. When you work in a horizontal posture in comparison to an upright posture, you avoid that hunched position of your desk or steering wheel. There isn’t any hard impact on your back like cycling or running. Hence, swimming makes your back arch a little in the opposite direction. This may help in improvising your posture and preventing backaches and injuries which may happen from long hours of sitting in a hunched position
The exercise is also connected to life-enhancing, mood-bursting, and heart-healing benefits linked with other aerobic exercise forms. People enjoy swimming a lot more than running or cycling. With over half of people who switch to different exercise programs every few months, people who take up swimming are likely to follow it for a long time.
Some tips for swimmers
So, if you like swimming, then it is recommended to start slow. Don’t try to do too many things too early and focus on the right technique. Consider seeking the help of an instructor if you haven’t had any previous swimming coaching as a child. If you are a novice, then it may be tough for you to relax in the water. Do not be nervous or tight as it may limit the benefits. Commence with a 30-minute session first three times a week. You should ease into it and eventually build up a similar to a running regime.
Some of the benefits of swimming are mentioned below:
- Swimming enhances your body strength and defines your muscles. It is the best aerobic exercise to offer a total workout to your body.
- Swimming helps in building bone mass. Swimming has offered great benefits to those who fail to do weight-bearing exercise to lose weight.
- Swimming keeps you flexible. It makes you twist, stretch, and do a lot of things under liquid pressure. This repetitive stretching while doing different strokes makes your body flexible.
- Swimming lowers inflammation. It benefits heart muscles and reduces inflammation which may atherosclerosis which may build up in the heart.
- Swimming helps in burning your calories. Everyone knows that swimming is an amazing way to get rid of your calories, but people don’t realize it. According to the stroke you select and your intensity, swimming can help you burn as many calories as running. Along with it, you don’t have to worry about smelling sweat.
- Swimming can help in your asthma problems too. If you are suffering from asthma, then running on a treadmill is not for you. But, swimming helps alleviate asthma symptoms but also adds to your overall health of the lungs.
- Swimming helps in curing depression and stress. If you like the natural endorphin kick, then swimming can help you get that feel-good emotion. Though yoga may provide you with calmness, swimming helps you stretch your body with deep rhythmic breathing. This creates a relaxation rush in your body and mind. Swimming is very calming to both body and mind. Studies reveal that swimming can reverse any previous damage done to the brain, previously.
- Swimming works as a perfect beauty treatment. Swimming in saltwater helps your skin retain moisture and detoxifies your body, thereby promoting new cell growth.
So, swimming is not an exercise for your body, but also for your mind. It promotes health and longevity. So, if you feel motivated yet then all you need to do is grab your swimwear and goggles and jump in the water. It is important to check the swimming guide before you go. Shop for the best swimming goggles and buy the most flexible swimwear so that you don’t have any problem in swimming. Apart from that you can also get a swimming cap and a swim watch for yourself. Make sure you train yourself under a coach first. The right health regime waits for you and swimming is just the first step to go for it.
