Your Health can Best be Supported by Swimming

Many people think that running is the best physical activity you can do to get in shape. However, this isn’t entirely true; swimming does more to get an individual in shape. Unlike running, it doesn’t cause as much stress on the knees and ankles. It’s really easy on the joints and it often recommended by doctors when an athlete is injured.

 Plus, swimming works every single muscle in your body. The only thing swimming doesn’t help develop is bone density. Otherwise, it benefits you in all other areas.

Swimming helps to develop general strength, cardiovascular fitness, and endurance. It is often used for cross-training. Swimming before a land workout will help you gradually get your heart rate up and stimulate muscle activity. If you decide to swim after your land workout, this can help you cool down, move blood through your muscles (helping you recover), and calm you down. It helps breathing because it will increase blood circulation because of the pressure of depths.

Swimming actually burns calories at a rate of about 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile (1,760 yards or 1,609 meters), then you will be using about 900 calories in one hour. It helps you develop muscles you wouldn’t normally use and can help your primary active muscles by making supporting muscles stronger. There’s even a lower risk of injuries in swimming when compared to other sports.

By swimming, you can boost your immune system. Most competitive pools have a water temperature that is below the human body temperature. Once the body starts adapting to these temperatures you could receive a solid resistance to colds and flus.

Not only does swimming help with physical aspects, but it also helps with psychological areas too. If you swim slowly through the water you can develop a rhythm and it’s almost a meditation method. Many people feel refreshed after a swimming workout. It’s also been proven that swimmers develop life skills such as sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense of self-worth from their participation in swimming. Swimmers seem to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group.

Overall, swimming is a physically and mentally healthy sport to take a part in. By continuously swimming you’ll tone your body and mind to places you couldn’t get them before.