Why is swimming the best workout you can do?

Did you know that swimming is one of the few sports that involves every major muscle of the human body? Whether your goal is to build your endurance, work on your strength, improve your breathing and lung capacity or just diversify your fitness routine, swimming is the sport you should consider.

Swimming – one of the best workouts

It is no secret that swimming is one of the best types of physical activity, for several reasons. One of them is the fact that when you are in the water, your muscles, skeleton and joints are completely freed from the limitations of gravity. In addition, people suffering from various forms of arthritis can easily include swimming in their daily lifestyle, without having to struggle with heavy fitness classes or the stress placed on the joints.

As we showed previously, all those who are ready to quickly jump into the pool will have a guaranteed full body workout, because swimming is the only sport that involves almost every muscle group in the body. In addition to the physical benefits of swimming - burning calories, building muscles, improving posture and many others - it is possible that this type of exercise can also help you in terms of mental health. A study showed that constant swimming decreases the risk of depression and anxiety, having a direct impact on emotional well-being.

Another advantage that may be surprising is that some research claims that regular swimming influences social dominance in a durable and sex-dependent manner, determined by physiological adaptation.

The health benefits of swimming

There are dozens of benefits that swimming has for health, and we will discuss the most significant of them in more detail below.

Body and muscle building

Although swimming is considered a type of aerobic exercise, with low impact, it is also an excellent resistance training, which trains all muscle groups in the body without negatively affecting the joints, as happens with weight training.

During swimming, the main impact is obviously on the upper part of the body, including here the back, shoulders, forearms and trunk muscles, but let's not forget the importance of leg movement, which engages the glutes and soles. So, we can really say that swimming is a workout for the whole body.

Swimming is not only a perfect way to strengthen your body, but it also has the ability to increase your endurance. The benefits in terms of cardiovascular resistance are due to the constant and stable breathing during swimming and the oxygen that you breathe coherently and constantly while swimming and which is necessary for the tissues in the body. Swimming allows you to constantly receive the amount of oxygen necessary to continue the effort for extended periods of time.

There are four different swimming styles:

1. Butterfly
2. Back
3. Bras
4. Free

Stimulating metabolism and burning calories

Have you ever gotten out of the pool and felt like you were starving? If your answer is yes, you should know that this sensation has an explanation: while exercises performed on land normally increase the body temperature, swimming has a completely different impact, because the body temperature in the water remains quite low. A study has shown that activities in water are more beneficial for burning calories and stimulating human metabolism, unlike those you do on land.
A one-hour session of easy swimming in the pool would burn about 500 calories, while a faster session would burn 700 calories. Depending on the swimming style, the weight of the person and the efficiency in the water, these numbers can vary slightly. Some more complex styles (butterfly) burn more calories than the simpler ones (breaststroke).

Improvement of mental state

The simple fact that you enter the water and leave behind all the problems for a while will help you to have a better emotional state. While swimming, your body releases endorphins (hormones of happiness) that increase your optimism, stimulate energy and reduce stress and anxiety.

Preventing the risks of various diseases

Several studies have been conducted on the positive effects of swimming for disease prevention. From lowering blood pressure to improving osteoarthritis and vascular problems, swimming is, without a doubt, a suitable workout for everyone.
In addition, the horizontal position of the body and the resistance in the water make swimming one of the safest sports. The risks of rapid movements, which cause accidents, are reduced due to the density of water, which is 800 times greater than air.

Stimulating intelligence

It may sound shocking, but swimming can increase your IQ. Your biological and mental health are closely related. In one of his books, Dr. Win Wenger shows that one of the effective methods to increase your intelligence level is to swim.
Only 3 weeks of movement in the water is all you need to notice a significant improvement in IQ, mental concentration and cognitive function. In addition, a research has shown that swimming is an indisputable factor in reducing the aging process and in stimulating longevity.

Help for people with multiple sclerosis

Because the range of motion is quite limited in water, there are a variety of aquatic exercise programs recommended for people suffering from multiple sclerosis. As we show above, due to the high density of water, swimming is very beneficial for the development of flexibility, balance and the natural walking cycle. Precisely for this reason, it is very common for neurologists to prescribe numerous water therapies for patients with multiple sclerosis.

Where do you start when you want to start swimming?

Swimming is not a type of training that can be started without a certain physical foundation and without preparation. Try to start slowly and increase the volume gradually. There are several steps that you must take into account when you want to start swimming training.
1. Equipment and accessories. A bathing suit, goggles and a swimming helmet are the essential elements for every swimmer or amateur. Diversify your equipment set with fins, a beacon, kickboard and paddles.
2. Start with an easy level and build speed moderately. Be realistic. The first weeks in the water will not be easy. Try to swim for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. After that, add kicks, various exercises and try to reduce the rest time.
3. Technique and speed. Swimming is certainly one of the most beneficial sports, but also the most challenging, due to its complex technical structure. To be able to swim quickly, efficiently and to have great resistance, the technique is the first step that you must master.

There are never enough words to describe the beauty and benefits of swimming. Swimming is a great workout for people of all ages and with different physical backgrounds. Depending on the type of swimming, this aquatic exercise will improve your strength, increase your endurance, influence your posture and stimulate your mood. So, get a bathing suit right away and start the best journey you can take for your health.

Article source: healthnews.com

Image source: freepik.com