Many people believe that swimming is probably one of the best exercises a person can take on and there’s a good reason why they think that way.
Finding the right exercise that will satisfy all of your needs is not as easy as many people think. Should you buy weights or go to the gym to start weight training and to increase your strength as much as possible? Should you consider bodyweight training or maybe you should invest in a treadmill to do some running at home. All of these different exercises target different parts of your body.
However, if you truly want an exercise that will activate every muscle in your body and improve your stamina then you should definitely consider getting swimming lessons. It will help you develop your strength, improve your lungs and you will feel much more energetic. It’s also much more pleasant to swim in water instead of pulling and lifting weights in the gym.
To help you understand why swimming is the perfect exercise, here are some of the health benefits you will experience if you start swimming.
Strength and muscle improvement
One of the main reasons why many people want to start training their bodies is to see improvement in their strength, their muscles, and their physical appearance. You will be glad to know that when swimming you are activating every possible muscle group in your body. You will be using your legs, your core, your arms, and chest. The faster you want to traverse in the water (in the pool), the more stress in your muscles.
There isn’t any other way of improving your body like you can with swimming. For example, going out for a run or a jog, the only thing that you are using during the run is your legs and feet. You won’t see any improvement in your upper torso or your core. It is true that weight lifters can tone their entire body, but they have to dedicate their day for a certain muscle group. They do not have an exercise that will provide exertion to the entire body.
Cardio workout
If you plan to take on regular swimming lessons, you will be glad to know that you won’t have to dedicate separate time to focus on your cardio. This is because water is much denser the air which means that moving through that environment is very difficult. You are required to constantly fight against the resistance of the water. For this kind of movement, you will definitely be out of breath in just a couple of minutes. In other words, you are getting 2-in-1. Both strength and cardio in just one exercise.
Improved sleep
The idea of swimming providing people with better sleep does not make a lot of sense and it is easy to dismiss. But, believe it or not, recent studies have shown that it can indeed improve your sleep. In a study, people suffering from insomnia were asked to engage in this aerobic exercise. After a couple of weeks of following the same regimen, the participants reported much better sleep throughout the night.
Almost fifty percent of the participants did not have symptoms of insomnia at the end of the study.
So, if you are suffering from insomnia or if you have trouble getting a good night’s rest even when you are tired then you should probably engage in this aerobic exercise too. However, if you feel the need for a couple of lessons to perfect your swimming style, you should check out fultonswimschool.co.nz.
It’s great for everyone
It is a fact that weight lifting and many other exercises are not healthy for everyone. People suffering from weak bones or that have chronic problems with joints cannot engage in activities that may put too much stress on one’s bones. For these people, bodyweight training, most sports, and weight lifting are out of the question.
Fortunately, swimming is simple and does not have any kind of impact on any joint or body.
Improves bone mass
Not only can people with problems engage in this activity because it is easy on the joints, but it can actually even help them. Recent research in the Journal of Applied Physiology claims that this aerobic exercise can actually improve the bone mineral density (BMD) of humans. Keep in mind, running has been proven time and time again that it provides the biggest benefit in BMD, but swimming is a close second and a much better option than any other exercise. So, if you are a person that is looking for a low impact workout, you should definitely consider signing up at your local pool.
Weight Loss
It is no secret that working out can help you burn calories which will ultimately lead to weight loss. But, losing weight and burning enough calories throughout the day is definitely not easy, especially if you are on a diet that is rich in carbohydrates. Running and jumping rope has been a long-time favorite for athletes because it burns a lot of fat and calories. But many people do not know that water polo athletes are actually burning more calories than anyone which is why they have to stay on a diet that is rich with calories.
Assuming that you are looking to improve your body’s physical appearance and lose some weight, maybe you should consider water polo too? If not, then doing a couple of laps at your local pool will be more than enough.
Helps with stress
Working out and breaking a bit of sweat after a stressful day at work is always helpful. The best part after an intense exercise and after so much sweating is to take a nice cold shower. Well, by swimming you are both exercising and getting that great feeling of a cold shower at the same time. The water running through your face and caressing your body will activate all of your feel-good hormones. Once you are done, you will truly feel relaxed without a care in the world.
