Losing weight: Swimming is one of the best ways to get in a good workout and feel the benefits throughout your body. Many people turn to exercise as a way to lose weight, and swimming is a great way to torch fat. In the water, if you’re not actively swimming, you’re sinking, and moving through water takes a lot more energy than moving through air. Because of this, swimming can burn up to 900 calories per hour, a much higher burn rate than running or cycling. Losing that weight can produce a number of health benefits of its own. Cutting calories can reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes and can help to lower your blood pressure, all of which will help you live longer and more fully (think less time at the doctor’s office, for example). Of course, losing weight is also aesthetic – after a few months in the pool, you’ll likely have dropped a significant amount of weight and will be ready to rock your swimsuit at the beach!
Building strength: In addition to cutting fat, swimming is a great way to build up your muscles. And not just in your arms – swimming works your torso and legs as well, making it a truly full-body workout. While your arms pull, your legs kick and your core tightens and rotates, targeting muscles that are difficult to get at with running.
Improving flexibility: Good swimming form requires you to reach forward with your whole body, pulling yourself through the water and flexing your ankles back with each kick. The result is that the act of swimming itself stretches your whole body, increasing your flexibility – which makes you less prone to injury in other sports and will make your body feel years younger.
Low impact: One of my favorite things about swimming compared to other sports is that it’s extremely low impact – there’s no pounding your knees against the ground like in running. As a result, it’s possible to swim hard one day and easy the next without risking injury. The low-impact nature of swimming also makes it a ready substitute for other sports in case of injury, so that you can keep up fitness and speed up your recovery. Swimming is also a sport that you can practice for your whole life since it’s easy on your joints.
Living longer: It’s a good thing that you can continue swimming deep into old age, because this sport will also keep you living longer! One study that looked at swimmers over several decades found that swimmers tended to have longer lifespans than people who ran or didn’t exercise at all.
Lowering stress: You’ve probably heard of “runner’s high,” that feeling of running on air and finding your happy place can be triggered in the water as well. In addition to the benefits of releasing good endorphins, swimming forces you to focus on your breathing – using many of the same techniques that are intended to reduce anxiety outside of exercise. And while focusing on the thin black line at the bottom of the pool can seem boring from time to time, it’s also meditative. For long-time swimmers, simply seeing the line pass by as you float by effortlessly on the surface can be enough to ease any troubles that might be bothering you back on land.
Cleaning skin: Jumping in the pool can be a daily cleansing for your skin, especially if you swim in a saltwater pool. Unlike a chlorine pool, saltwater will keep your skin feeling moist and supple. It also has the benefit of reducing the frequency and intensity of rashes, like eczema. And while chlorine pools can dry out your skin and hair, they too have some benefits – for acne sufferers, chlorine exposure during your daily swims can reduce outbreaks.
Improving productivity: Swimming can actually make you better at work, which will make you happy and impress your boss. Improved blood flow throughout your body also reaches your brain, increasing your capacity for critical thinking and improving your productivity on difficult tasks. The same boost to your cardiovascular system can provide a bump to your overall energy – exercise can actually leave you less tired than you would otherwise be, helping you fight through the post-lunch lull.
Building strength: In addition to cutting fat, swimming is a great way to build up your muscles. And not just in your arms – swimming works your torso and legs as well, making it a truly full-body workout. While your arms pull, your legs kick and your core tightens and rotates, targeting muscles that are difficult to get at with running.
Improving flexibility: Good swimming form requires you to reach forward with your whole body, pulling yourself through the water and flexing your ankles back with each kick. The result is that the act of swimming itself stretches your whole body, increasing your flexibility – which makes you less prone to injury in other sports and will make your body feel years younger.
Low impact: One of my favorite things about swimming compared to other sports is that it’s extremely low impact – there’s no pounding your knees against the ground like in running. As a result, it’s possible to swim hard one day and easy the next without risking injury. The low-impact nature of swimming also makes it a ready substitute for other sports in case of injury, so that you can keep up fitness and speed up your recovery. Swimming is also a sport that you can practice for your whole life since it’s easy on your joints.
Living longer: It’s a good thing that you can continue swimming deep into old age, because this sport will also keep you living longer! One study that looked at swimmers over several decades found that swimmers tended to have longer lifespans than people who ran or didn’t exercise at all.
Lowering stress: You’ve probably heard of “runner’s high,” that feeling of running on air and finding your happy place can be triggered in the water as well. In addition to the benefits of releasing good endorphins, swimming forces you to focus on your breathing – using many of the same techniques that are intended to reduce anxiety outside of exercise. And while focusing on the thin black line at the bottom of the pool can seem boring from time to time, it’s also meditative. For long-time swimmers, simply seeing the line pass by as you float by effortlessly on the surface can be enough to ease any troubles that might be bothering you back on land.
Cleaning skin: Jumping in the pool can be a daily cleansing for your skin, especially if you swim in a saltwater pool. Unlike a chlorine pool, saltwater will keep your skin feeling moist and supple. It also has the benefit of reducing the frequency and intensity of rashes, like eczema. And while chlorine pools can dry out your skin and hair, they too have some benefits – for acne sufferers, chlorine exposure during your daily swims can reduce outbreaks.
Improving productivity: Swimming can actually make you better at work, which will make you happy and impress your boss. Improved blood flow throughout your body also reaches your brain, increasing your capacity for critical thinking and improving your productivity on difficult tasks. The same boost to your cardiovascular system can provide a bump to your overall energy – exercise can actually leave you less tired than you would otherwise be, helping you fight through the post-lunch lull.
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