While all exercise can produce greater health and longevity, studies point to swimming as one of the best choices for doing so.
Here are just a few of the many reasons why:
Counts As Both Cardio and Strength Training With Low Impact:
While swimming, if you aren’t moving constantly, you’re sinking. (Forced cardio!) Plus, water is about 800 times denser than air, so your muscles are under constant resistance. Low impact means swimming is a great workout for injured athletes, who need to take it easy on their joints, but it may also mean more results. Swimming allows you to workout at higher intensities and keep you going even on those tough days.
Improves Muscle Definition and Strength:
Swimmers gain muscle strength throughout the entire body. Where runners see muscle build in their legs, swimmers utilize more muscle groups to move through the water. While the legs kick, the arms pull. As the back reaches and rotates, the stomach tightens to power the legs and stabilize the core, making swimming one of the best aerobic exercises to give you a total body workout.
Great For Your Lungs:
Unlike working out in dry gym air or braving seasonal pollen counts, however, swimming allows you to breath moist air while you train. Not only does swimming help alleviate asthma symptoms, studies have shown that it can actually improve the overall condition of the lungs.
Lowers Stress and Depression:
Love that natural endorphin kick? While many talk about a runner’s high, swimming can bring about all those feel-good emotions too. In addition to the happy hormones, you also can feel a relaxation response similar to yoga. Research also shows that swimming can reverse damage to the brain from stress through a process called hippocampal neurogenesis. So, if you feel like you’re drowning emotionally, jumping in an actual body of water may be exactly what you need to find your feel-good feet again.
Anyone Can Do It:
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, pregnant, a new mom, or an Ironman competitor, swimming can provide you with a great workout. You control the pace, intensity, and what you get out of every session. Start working towards a healthier life and find the perfect pool for you and your family today!
