Do You Swim? Yes? No?
There are plenty of reasons to swim! This should get you motivated, to find a pool or a swimming club right away!
1. Low impact
There's no ground impact when you swim, and so you protect the joints from stress and strain. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation strongly recommends swimming and water activities for this reason, so much so that they sponsor water classes. Water aerobics classes are also desirable for this reason, because even if you do jump and hit the bottom of the pool, you do so with less force because you're buoyant in the water. Not only that, but if you wear or hold a flotation device during a water aerobics class, the impact is even less.
2. Can be continued for a lifetime
Because there's no impact with swimming, it can be continued for a lifetime. There's a swimming club that has opening for the 100 to 104year-old age group! And the master of fitness, Jack La Lanne, who died in 2011, reportedly still swam one hour every day at age 93!
3. Builds cardiorespiratory fitness
Swimming improves endurance. In one study of sedentary middle-aged men and women who did swim training for 12 weeks, maximal oxygen consumption improved 10% and stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped with each beat which indicates heart strength) improved as much as 18%.
4. Builds muscle mass
In a study of men who completed an eight-week swimming program, there was a 23.8% increase in the triceps muscle (the back of the arm). Swimming helps in the building of muscle mass. If you have been doing no resistance exercise at all and you start to swim, you will certainly get more toned and you may even gain mass like the men in this study. But even without the gain in mass, it's well worth the strength and tone that you will almost certainly gain.
5. An alternative when injured
When athletes are injured, particularly in the lower extremities, they are frequently told to swim to maintain their fitness level. Swimming helps them stay in shape, and it's even part of the rehabilitation. That's because the resistance of the water makes the muscles work hard without the strain or impact that is experienced on land.
6. It's a break from the summer heat
There's nothing like it during the hot days of summer, whether it's at the beach or in the pool. It's relaxing, the movements are smooth and rhythmic, and it's a great workout.
7. It's a family affair
Swimming and other water activities are something the entire family can share. With rising levels of obesity in children as well as adults, family physical activities and good role-modeling may be one way to stem the epidemic of inactivity and obesity.
8. Burns calories
Swimming burns lots of calories, anywhere from 500 - 650 per hour depending on how efficiently you swim (you burn more flopping around than swimming cleanly!) and how buoyant you are (the more body fat you have, the more you float and the fewer calories it takes to swim). Very early and original research on swimming and calorie expenditure showed that swimming, regardless of the stroke, burned about 89% of the calories burned during running and 97% of the calories burned during cycling for the same time period. Stated another way, swimming burns about 11% fewer calories than running but only 3% fewer calories than biking. One important caveat about this data is that calorie expenditure is dependent on the intensity of exercise, and so it's entirely possible to burn more calories swimming than running in the same period of time as long as you swim hard enough, and particularly so if compared to running at light intensity.
Are you curious about the benefits of water exercise?
Ever ask yourself, "Why swim?" Well, look no further!
Why is exercise IN the water better than OUT of the water?
1. Buoyancy: This water property allows people to do exercises that are difficult on land. 90% of your body is buoyant when in the water up to your neck, so you are not hitting the floor as hard as you would on land. No pounding or jarring!
2. Resistance: There is continual resistance to every move you make. The water offers 12% - 14% more resistance than when you exercise on land. Resistance does not allow for sudden body movements.
3. Cooling Effects: Water disperses heat more efficiently, so there is less chance of overheating. The water continuously cools the body. Exercise in the water is cooler and more comfortable than it is on land.
4. Fitness: Getting or keeping in shape? Remember that you cannot just waddle back and expect great results. Improving your fitness depends on how much energy you use.
5. Therapeutic: Helping people recover from accidents and sickness. Combating the aging process.
6. Social: Meeting and being with other people. You can talk to others as you exercise in water. Workout facing your partner or side-by-side. Meet new people, too!
7. Stress Release: Gives you a chance to just relax and forget about work, problems, and other things.
8. Fun: Enjoying the diversion. Water exercise in a playful way and don't worry about being serious! Laugh and enjoy it! Water exercise is fun!
How can water exercise help the participants?
Physical Benefits
Psychological Benefits
What exercise options are there in the water?
- Water Walking: Moving forward, backward, and sideward, using regular, short, quick, or long steps, in waist-deep or chest-deep water.
- Water Aerobics: Full body rhythmic exercises conducted in shallow and/or deep water for 20 minutes or more, designed to provide cardiovascular benefits.
- Water Toning/Strength Toning: Upper and lower body moves designed to strengthen, firm, and sculpt the muscles by using the resistance of the water and/or water exercise equipment.
- Flexibility Training: Large movements using each body part's full range of motion, along with full body stretches.
- Water Therapy & Rehabilitation: Procedures in the water designed and implemented for special clinical purposes.
- Water Yoga & Relaxation: Gentle, easy-flowing moves using the water as a relaxation medium.
- Deep Water Running: Simulating land running in the water depth where the feet do not touch the bottom of the pool. Flotation devices are used. Various running styles, drills, and methods can be used.
- Wall Exercise (Deep or Shallow): Using the pool wall for support to isolate various body parts.
- Water Fitness Products: Professional products designed and manufactured specifically for water fitness activities - for toning, strengthening, and endurance work. Such products add variety to the class, motivate students, and create additional resistance and support.
- Lap Swimming: If the individual is a proficient swimmer, swimming back and forth using various swimming strokes is a possibility. However, lap swimmers should also consider other forms of water exercise in addition to lap swimming.
1. Low impact
There's no ground impact when you swim, and so you protect the joints from stress and strain. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation strongly recommends swimming and water activities for this reason, so much so that they sponsor water classes. Water aerobics classes are also desirable for this reason, because even if you do jump and hit the bottom of the pool, you do so with less force because you're buoyant in the water. Not only that, but if you wear or hold a flotation device during a water aerobics class, the impact is even less.
2. Can be continued for a lifetime
Because there's no impact with swimming, it can be continued for a lifetime. There's a swimming club that has opening for the 100 to 104year-old age group! And the master of fitness, Jack La Lanne, who died in 2011, reportedly still swam one hour every day at age 93!
3. Builds cardiorespiratory fitness
Swimming improves endurance. In one study of sedentary middle-aged men and women who did swim training for 12 weeks, maximal oxygen consumption improved 10% and stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped with each beat which indicates heart strength) improved as much as 18%.
4. Builds muscle mass
In a study of men who completed an eight-week swimming program, there was a 23.8% increase in the triceps muscle (the back of the arm). Swimming helps in the building of muscle mass. If you have been doing no resistance exercise at all and you start to swim, you will certainly get more toned and you may even gain mass like the men in this study. But even without the gain in mass, it's well worth the strength and tone that you will almost certainly gain.
5. An alternative when injured
When athletes are injured, particularly in the lower extremities, they are frequently told to swim to maintain their fitness level. Swimming helps them stay in shape, and it's even part of the rehabilitation. That's because the resistance of the water makes the muscles work hard without the strain or impact that is experienced on land.
6. It's a break from the summer heat
There's nothing like it during the hot days of summer, whether it's at the beach or in the pool. It's relaxing, the movements are smooth and rhythmic, and it's a great workout.
7. It's a family affair
Swimming and other water activities are something the entire family can share. With rising levels of obesity in children as well as adults, family physical activities and good role-modeling may be one way to stem the epidemic of inactivity and obesity.
8. Burns calories
Swimming burns lots of calories, anywhere from 500 - 650 per hour depending on how efficiently you swim (you burn more flopping around than swimming cleanly!) and how buoyant you are (the more body fat you have, the more you float and the fewer calories it takes to swim). Very early and original research on swimming and calorie expenditure showed that swimming, regardless of the stroke, burned about 89% of the calories burned during running and 97% of the calories burned during cycling for the same time period. Stated another way, swimming burns about 11% fewer calories than running but only 3% fewer calories than biking. One important caveat about this data is that calorie expenditure is dependent on the intensity of exercise, and so it's entirely possible to burn more calories swimming than running in the same period of time as long as you swim hard enough, and particularly so if compared to running at light intensity.
Are you curious about the benefits of water exercise?
Ever ask yourself, "Why swim?" Well, look no further!
Why is exercise IN the water better than OUT of the water?
1. Buoyancy: This water property allows people to do exercises that are difficult on land. 90% of your body is buoyant when in the water up to your neck, so you are not hitting the floor as hard as you would on land. No pounding or jarring!
2. Resistance: There is continual resistance to every move you make. The water offers 12% - 14% more resistance than when you exercise on land. Resistance does not allow for sudden body movements.
3. Cooling Effects: Water disperses heat more efficiently, so there is less chance of overheating. The water continuously cools the body. Exercise in the water is cooler and more comfortable than it is on land.
4. Fitness: Getting or keeping in shape? Remember that you cannot just waddle back and expect great results. Improving your fitness depends on how much energy you use.
5. Therapeutic: Helping people recover from accidents and sickness. Combating the aging process.
6. Social: Meeting and being with other people. You can talk to others as you exercise in water. Workout facing your partner or side-by-side. Meet new people, too!
7. Stress Release: Gives you a chance to just relax and forget about work, problems, and other things.
8. Fun: Enjoying the diversion. Water exercise in a playful way and don't worry about being serious! Laugh and enjoy it! Water exercise is fun!
How can water exercise help the participants?
Physical Benefits
- Improved flexibility and strength
- Builds up endurance
- Increases muscular flexibility
- Muscular balance
- Heart muscle becomes stronger
- Improves the physique
- Increases circulation
- Rehabilitates muscles
- Improved ability to control and maintain healthy weight
- Social Benefits
- Have fun
- Fellowship with other people
- Enjoyable - even when working hard
- It is a safe program
Psychological Benefits
- Helps develop a positive attitude (individually and as a group)
- Contributes to a feeling of well-being
- Teaches patience
- Releases stress and tension
- Renews energy
What exercise options are there in the water?
- Water Walking: Moving forward, backward, and sideward, using regular, short, quick, or long steps, in waist-deep or chest-deep water.
- Water Aerobics: Full body rhythmic exercises conducted in shallow and/or deep water for 20 minutes or more, designed to provide cardiovascular benefits.
- Water Toning/Strength Toning: Upper and lower body moves designed to strengthen, firm, and sculpt the muscles by using the resistance of the water and/or water exercise equipment.
- Flexibility Training: Large movements using each body part's full range of motion, along with full body stretches.
- Water Therapy & Rehabilitation: Procedures in the water designed and implemented for special clinical purposes.
- Water Yoga & Relaxation: Gentle, easy-flowing moves using the water as a relaxation medium.
- Deep Water Running: Simulating land running in the water depth where the feet do not touch the bottom of the pool. Flotation devices are used. Various running styles, drills, and methods can be used.
- Wall Exercise (Deep or Shallow): Using the pool wall for support to isolate various body parts.
- Water Fitness Products: Professional products designed and manufactured specifically for water fitness activities - for toning, strengthening, and endurance work. Such products add variety to the class, motivate students, and create additional resistance and support.
- Lap Swimming: If the individual is a proficient swimmer, swimming back and forth using various swimming strokes is a possibility. However, lap swimmers should also consider other forms of water exercise in addition to lap swimming.
Culled and edited.
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