Can Swimming Keep You Fit?

Swimming is associated with several benefits, including fitness. It can be a perfect way to keep fit, especially if it is a sport you enjoy since you will do it regularly. Swimming can be a suitable way to lose weight, burn calories, build your muscle strength, strengthen your joints, among other benefits. The thing with swimming is that it allows you to use much of your energy to coordinate different swimming abilities and activities, making it an exercise sport. Like any other form of fitness exercise, you are likely to get hungry after a good swim, which makes it a good fitness exercise.

For those reasons, learning how to swim even as an adult and regularly swimming comes with many benefits in regards to health and fitness. It is never too late to learn swimming, and you can hire a private swimming teacher to work on your skills personally. That said, let us look at how swimming helps you keep fit.

It burns calories

Exercising every day for at least 30minutes can go a long way in keeping your body fit. Swimming is one of the cardio exercises that help burn calories, therefore reducing fat and overall body weight. If you are struggling to burn calories in your body, consider swimming for at least two and a half hours every week, and you will notice a change. What you do, you challenge your body during every swim by moving faster during the swimming laps. That allows you to use more energy, which burns the calories in your body. For instance, a 155pound weighted adult can burn around 744calories in only one hour of a swimming lap. 

It improves cardiovascular health.

Swimming is a form of cardio workout, which means that it can improve cardiovascular or heart health. When you swim, your heart rate increases as you work out the massive muscle parts of your body, making it a suitable moderate-based cardiovascular activity. Cardiovascular exercises improve the functioning of the heart and its overall health. Note that your heart rate may slow down when working out in the water, so you must pay attention to how you feel during the swim. If you have an underlying heart problem, consult with your doctor before you begin a new swimming workout to avoid complications.

Muscle building

It is not only through lifting weights that you can build your muscles but also through swimming. When swimming, a lot of strength is involved in pushing the water away from your body using your hands, arms, and legs. Water provides a natural resistance as you swim, increasing as you move the water away from your body. That helps you gain more muscles, which not only makes you stronger but also boosts your balance. Moreover, swimming is a low-impact sport with low risks of injuries, which is likely to motivate you to continue exercising.

It is impact-free cardio.

Many people always desire to stay fit but can’t engage in high-intensity activities such as running, intensive weight lifting, etc. due to health reasons. Swimming is a suitable free cardio activity for such people. It happens in the water, so your body parts are protected from any form of impact or injury. It is especially helpful for people with joint problems such as arthritis but still needs to stay fit.

Relieves chronic pain

With a professional instructor, swimming can relieve chronic pain in people with joint and muscle issues. You need a  professional instructor because you have to master the right strokes to ease the pain, or else you will worsen it. The water buoyancy reduces the pressure in the joints and, at the same time, allows you to strengthen the muscles resulting in pain relief. Many people have reported back pain relief as a result of swimming.

Swimming is an excellent way to meet your fitness goals. If you are overweight or have joint problems that deter you from engaging in high-intensity exercises, swimming can be the perfect solution. It is a free impact activity that allows you to take charge of your exercise activity according to your ability and needs.

Related reading: 

• Tips to avoid drowning
• Keeping you family healthy
• Why you should learn to swim