Remember the days when summer was almost near, and you couldn’t wait to go out and swim a little when you were a child? Maybe though you never learned how to swim, and don’t realize the physical and emotional benefits of swimming. Swimming is a lot of fun, and it’s the best exercise that you can do for your health, in fact medical studies have proved it. Learn about some of the benefits, and how swimming correctly can get you healthy, and emotionally invigorated too.
The Benefits of Swimming
Swimming has a lot of benefits that you might not realize. It gets your body into shape by building up your muscle strength, and enables you to physically keep going, or stamina. It has another great benefit too; it builds flexibility for fluid motion. For the elderly or those with joint or muscular problems this is a good way to exercise.
The weight of the water provides resistance, but the buoyancy gives support to your body, and it’s easier to exercise. Swimming will allow you to build up your cardiovascular system too. Even if you don’t have any serious health issues, it might be a good idea to check with your doctor anyway. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Another good thing about using swimming as an exercise routine is that you can build up according to your schedule. You can start out with a gentle swim of hand over hand, and then go up to harder routines, like the breaststroke. However, be careful with using the breaststroke, if you have knee problems.
This movement in the water can pull the knee and ligaments out of balance. That’s another reason that a good check up with your doctor is advisable. After you’ve had enough time in the water, you could use water aerobics to enhance the workout in the pool. Water aerobics get all your large muscles moving, like your upper thighs and arms. More importantly, it gets your heart rate up and consistent when doing it in a synchronized pattern.
When you go and swim make sure to do it often. You don’t have to do a long stretch of exercise in the water, but every day or every other day is best. In fact, medical studies have shown that physically it’s better for you to swim for shorter periods of time. By swimming for shorter periods you’ll also eliminate boredom from routine.
Getting the Most from Swimming
Of course, you can help with that mental aspect by changing up your routines, only after you mastered the endurance level. 30 minutes of swimming is a good way to begin, and it will give you the maximum benefits too. When going out to swim, take along a friend too, or swim in with a group of people, it will keep you from giving up on getting fit.
To get the most out of your swimming, learn to swim in the right way by know the techniques of it. Know how to do the doggie paddle, breaststroke and other types of styles in swimming. If you don’t your just wasting energy, and you won’t get the benefits you need. When you’re in the pool workout practicing on your technique skills, so you’ll be a better swimmer.
It doesn’t matter when you do it, it’s just a personal preference, but make sure to take the time to. Don’t always do hard techniques, but switch it up with easy ones too. However, you do it, just make sure it flows from one routine to another.
Get the Right Swimming Gear
Before going into the water to swim, go out and purchase the correct swim wear. Wearing the incorrect clothing, like shorts and summer time shirts, will throw off your entire swim routine. It might be a little intimidating at first, stepping into the pool, especially if you’ve got a few pounds to lose, but that is another reason you’re swimming, to get rid of that excess weight, and get tone.
For extra resistance, go into the pool, if allowed, with some flippers on. Wearing flippers will help you learn what a correct body position is in water. You want to swim with your head lower in the pool than your legs. If you don’t this is how your legs sink, and you can’t get a full body workout, and the benefits.
Summary
Swimming is a great way to get in shape and stay in shape. Keep practicing with improving your swimming skills, or even learning how to swim. You’ll love the way you look and feel, and in the long run your body will thank you for the needed exercise. It’s a lot of fun, and you can help others be fit and trim by swimming with a partner. You might just make a new friend too.