Swimming is Good for You

JUMP

IN!

why swimming is so good for you

BY ADAM BAILEY

Every type of exercise has its selling points. But swimming is unlike any other aerobic workout for a few important reasons. Not only could it make you smarter, it could also make you live longer—go figure!

Did you know that regular pool attendance could improve your mental health, enhance your lung improve your mental health, enhance your lung capacity, and make you smarter? No matter the level of experience you are as a swimmer, the general benefits of swimming are yours to go out and make your own. From toddlers to adults, it offers a great fullyour own. From toddlers to adults, it offers a great fullbody workout that not only leave you physically stronger, but there are multitude of other health benefits as well. It but there are multitude of other health benefits as well. It has the power to give your muscles a makeover, transform has the power to give your muscles a makeover, transform you into a cardio king, turn back father time, and mentally calm you quicker than the most secluded beach. calm you quicker than the most secluded beach.

With summer just around the corner, swimming should be on everyone’s must-do list. All you need to do is jump on in! on everyone’s must-do list. All you need to do is jump on in! Some types of exercise can be challenging for people who allows a person to go at their own pace, and it can be inviting for newcomers to exercise. Virginia Bullock, owner of JUMP! Swim Shreveport states swimming is a great activity for people of all ages and fitness levels, offering up all kinds “Swimming may not be appropriate for everyone,” she says, “but many people—from infants to seniors—can participate in swimming or water activities with the appropriate training and supervision. Just a few minutes of swimming at your own pace engages your whole body and gets the blood flowing.” than a person’s own body, although additional tools such as dynamic to your workout. “Learning how to swim is a helpful life skill, and it’s never too late to learn. If you can’t What’s the most important thing to know when learning how to swim? “Breath control,” states Bullock. “This is hold your breath. Blow bubbles!”

SWIMMING IS SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES AND FITNESS LEVELS

Some types of exercise can be challenging for people who are new to it or who feel very unfit. Swimming, however, allows a person to go at their own pace, and it can be inviting for newcomers to exercise. Virginia Bullock, owner of JUMP! Swim Shreveport states swimming is a great activity for people of all ages and fitness levels, offering up all kinds of health benefits. “Swimming may not be appropriate for everyone,” she says, “but many people—from infants to seniors—can participate in swimming or water activities with the appropriate training and supervision. Just a few minutes of swimming at your own pace engages your whole body and gets the blood flowing.” According to Bullock, swimming requires nothing other than a person’s own body, although additional tools such as flippers, kick boards, and water weights can add an extra dynamic to your workout. “Learning how to swim is a helpful life skill, and it’s never too late to learn. If you can’t swim laps, or if lap swimming isn’t your thing, that’s fine,” claims Bullock. “You can try a water aerobics class, which gently builds muscle and gets your heart pumping without putting excess strain on your body.” What’s the most important thing to know when learning how to swim? “Breath control,” states Bullock. “This is important because controlling your breath is one of the big challenges that you have to overcome when you start swimming. Once you have good breathing control and have also learned to float easily, incorporating breathing into your swimming becomes more straightforward. Just don’t hold your breath. Blow bubbles!”

SWIMMING IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH SWIMMING IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH

Love that natural endorphin kick? While many talk about a Love that natural endorphin kick? While many talk about a runner’s high, swimming can bring about all those feel-good runner’s high, swimming can bring about all those feel-good emotions, too. In addition to the happy hormones, you also emotions, too. In addition to the happy hormones, you also can feel a relaxation response similar to yoga, as swimming stretches your body constantly. Combine this with the deep stretches your body constantly. Combine this with the deep rhythmic breathing and you can experience a relaxation rush that’s very unique to the sport. Swimming is also calming and meditative, as the sound of Swimming is also calming and meditative, as the sound of your breathing and the water rushing by helps you focus your breathing and the water rushing by helps you focus inward while drowning out all other distractions. This inward while drowning out all other distractions. This lowers stress and depression naturally. So, if you feel like lowers stress and depression naturally. So, if you feel like you’re emotionally drowning, jumping in an actual body of you’re emotionally drowning, jumping in an actual body of water may be exactly what you need to feel good again. water may be exactly what you need to feel good again. The mental health upsides of getting wet are far-reaching. The mental health upsides of getting wet are far-reaching. Bullock believes regular exercise helps reduce anxiety and Bullock believes regular exercise helps reduce anxiety and depression, as it releases your ‘feel good’ hormones and keeps depression, as it releases your ‘feel good’ hormones and keeps the brain working in a healthy way. By simply being in the water, the brain working in a healthy way. By simply being in the water, many swimmers say they feel more relaxed and less stressed. many swimmers say they feel more relaxed and less stressed.

SWIMMING IMPROVES MUSCLE DEFINITION AND STRENGTH DEFINITION AND STRENGTH

Health experts suggest that in order to stay healthy you should be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic should be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. This can include anything from running to activity a week. This can include anything from running to walking to circuit training or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts at home. If you choose to do particularly Training) workouts at home. If you choose to do particularly vigorous activity, such as fast swimming, you can slash this vigorous activity, such as fast swimming, you can slash this to 75 minutes—which is only just over an hour each week. to 75 minutes—which is only just over an hour each week. Plus, who wouldn’t want a swimmer’s body? Plus, who wouldn’t want a swimmer’s body? Swimming fires up more of your body’s major muscle groups Swimming fires up more of your body’s major muscle groups than other forms of cardio exercise. While the legs kick, the arms pull. As the back reaches and rotates, the stomach tightens arms pull. As the back reaches and rotates, the stomach tightens to power the legs and stabilize the core, making swimming one to power the legs and stabilize the core, making swimming one of the best aerobic exercises to give you a total body workout. “With running or biking, you’re mostly using your lower body,” Bullock claims. “Swimming not only engages your body,” Bullock claims. “Swimming not only engages your legs, but also recruits your upper body and core—especially legs, but also recruits your upper body and core—especially your lats, the muscles of your middle back, and triceps, the your lats, the muscles of your middle back, and triceps, the backs of your upper arms.” Swimming offers the potential to tone up pretty much Swimming offers the potential to tone up pretty much everywhere. Someone who starts working hard in the pool everywhere. Someone who starts working hard in the pool could expect to see more definition in their arms, upper body and thighs in particular. Additionally, swimming is body and thighs in particular. Additionally, swimming is a great way to burn calories, but most don’t realize it can a great way to burn calories, but most don’t realize it can be just as efficient as jumping on the treadmill. Depending be just as efficient as jumping on the treadmill. Depending on the stroke you choose and your intensity, swimming on the stroke you choose and your intensity, swimming can burn equal or greater calories than running. An added bonus? You don’t have to worry about sweat in your eyes. bonus? You don’t have to worry about sweat in your eyes.

SWIMMING HELPS YOU STAY FLEXIBLE

Swimming requires you to reach, stretch, twist, and pull Swimming requires you to reach, stretch, twist, and pull your way through the water. Your ankles become fins and are stretched with each kick as you push off against and are stretched with each kick as you push off against the liquid pressure. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still stretch on your own, but repetitive stretching found in your various strokes also helps with flexibility.

PREGNANT? NO PROBLEM! PREGNANT? NO PROBLEM!

Swimming is a recommended form of exercise for those who are pregnant, as it is one of the safest ways to work out while pregnant. It can also help with common pregnancy while pregnant. It can also help with common pregnancy symptoms like backaches and swollen joints. However, it is always a good idea to consult a doctor when trying a new form of activity during pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around one-third of adults in the United

SWIMMING HELPS YOU FALL ASLEEP FASTER

“I’ve never had a problem sleeping,” said no one, ever! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around one-third of adults in the United States do not get enough sleep. If accessible, swimming may benefit those who seek better sleep. That should be music to an insomniac’s sleepy ears. Apparently, getting sweaty is the passport to a good night’s sleep.

SWIMMING CAN MAKE YOU SMARTER

Of course, all exercise is great for the mind, but can swimming actually make you smarter? The Griffith Institute for Educational Research, a university in Australia, studied 7000 children under the age of five to see if swimming could affect their intelligence levels. The research focused on kids who took swimming lessons compared to a control group of non-swimmers. The results showed that kids who regularly participated in swimming were able to master language development, fine motor skills, confidence, and physical development sooner than the control group. Swimming may also help with math skills, as swimmers regularly calculate the meters swum in sets or interval drills to put their adding and subtraction skills to work.

While all exercise can produce greater health and longevity, research points to swimming as one of the best choices research points to swimming as one of the best choices for doing so. A 32-year study at the University of South for doing so. A 32-year study at the University of South Carolina found men aged 20 to 90 who swam regularly had a 50 percent lower death rate than runners, walkers, or men a 50 percent lower death rate than runners, walkers, or men who didn’t exercise. Swimming is also linked to many of the who didn’t exercise. Swimming is also linked to many of the same life-extending, heart-saving, mood-lifting benefits associated with other forms of aerobic exercise. And it’s fun, associated with other forms of aerobic exercise. And it’s fun, which matters. “People tend to enjoy swimming more than running or bike-riding,” Bullock says. “While about half of running or bike-riding,” Bullock says. “While about half of the people who try a new exercise program give up within a the people who try a new exercise program give up within a few months, people who take up swimming are more likely to few months, people who take up swimming are more likely to stick with it.” If you’re sold on swimming, Bollock recommends starting If you’re sold on swimming, Bollock recommends starting slowly. Being nervous and tight may limit the sport’s benefits. slowly. Being nervous and tight may limit the sport’s benefits. “Don’t try to do too much too early, and focus on proper technique,” she says. “Consider enlisting the help of an technique,” she says. “Consider enlisting the help of an instructor if you didn’t have any formal coaching as a kid. If instructor if you didn’t have any formal coaching as a kid. If you’re not used to swimming, it can be hard to relax in the you’re not used to swimming, it can be hard to relax in the water. Start off with 30-minute sessions three times a week, water. Start off with 30-minute sessions three times a week, and don’t forget to take frequent breaks. You want to ease and don’t forget to take frequent breaks. You want to ease into it and build up.” For most people, swimming is a relatively novel activity that they don’t do often. This is good because swimming can add variety to your fitness program, preventing boredom and monotony that often lead to plateaus or quitting. “The ‘fun’ factor of swimming,” says Bullock, “is especially helpful when it comes to helping children increase their Feeling motivated to grab those goggles now? Just don’t

IT’S FUN!

For most people, swimming is a relatively novel activity that they don’t do often. This is good because swimming can add variety to your fitness program, preventing boredom and monotony that often lead to plateaus or quitting. “The ‘fun’ factor of swimming,” says Bullock, “is especially helpful when it comes to helping children increase their physical activity. Kids can practice basic gross motor skills, learn water safety techniques, and have a great time while splashing around in the water. It’s perfect for the whole family!” Feeling motivated to grab those goggles now? Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

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