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The health benefits of swimming for all of us are huge, whatever our age, shape or size. Swimming just once a week can have a positive impact both physically and mentally.
Research has proven over the years that the all-over-body workout given by swimming has some major benefits on the human body and its various systems.
Do you get out of breath doing normal everyday stuff? Regular swimming, once or twice a week will help to improve your stamina and overall fitness by getting your heart and lungs to do some work. Do not be put off my the word work or exercise because a swim only has to be gentle and of low intensity to still do wonders to your cardiovascular system, especially if you're not used to it.
Click here for more details about why swimming is the best exercise.
To get the most from your swimming, click here and check out some swimming workouts.
We need muscular strength for all of our everyday activities, from walking around to getting up off of the couch! Swimming benefits all ages when it comes to strength and tone of our muscles. A half an hour swim a couple of times a week and you will see the health benefits of swimming in your toned muscles and you will feel stronger in yourself.
This is one of the health benefits of swimming that is often forgotten, Regular swimming gets your muscles and bones moving and that in turn opens up and gets your joints moving nicely. Moving your arms and legs in ways they are perhaps not used to or in ways they otherwise would not if they were not swimming, allows the joints in between them to stay supple and free-moving.
Exercise in general gives us all that feel good factor, but swimming really has a positive effect on overall body shape. Regular swimming burns fat (the wobbly stuff under your skin, incase you didn't know!) and when that reduces and the muscles under the fat become toned and firm, the result: a fitter and more satisfying body shape.
Regular swimming can have dramatic effects on injuries. The impact free nature of swimming allows muscles and joints to work and exercise but under conditions that are stress free and therefore promote the healing and rehabilitation of muscle pulls and joints strains. This is one of the key health benefits of swimming.
Like any other form of exercise, swimming burns calories and plenty of them. Because swimming is an all over body workout - in other words your whole body is continually moving as you swim - the net amount of calories is usually larger than that of other common forms of exercise. How? Swimming uses just about every muscle in your body. The more muscles that get worked out, the higher your metabolism is raised. The result: calories are burnt at a huge rate causing your body to shed fat like you never thought possible.
For more details about swimming and weight loss and burning more calories when you swim, click here.
There is nothing like escaping the stresses and tensions of life at the end of the working day. Whatever your job, be it a high-powered company director or a busy parent at home, you need time out to unwind and relax. Swimming offers just that: the chance to escape, relax and chill out. Let your mind wander away whilst your cruise up and down the pool at your own pace. And you get all the health and fitness benefits thrown in for good measure. Just what the doctor ordered!
Are you one of millions with a back problem? A lower back problem more than likely as this is the most common one. The zero impact nature of swimming allows your lower back and surrounding joints to move freely without the impact of the ground and your own body weight pressing through them constantly. It might not be a miracle cure but gentle impact free movements of swimming will all help, guaranteed! The benefits of swimming at work once again.
It is a well-known fact that swimming while pregnant is safe and very beneficial to you and your unborn baby. The zero impact nature of swimming means there is no impact on your most load baring joints like the hips and knees. There is also no sudden jolting or bouncing movements to unsettle baby. So if you are pregnant swim all you like!
For more details about swimming during pregnancy, click here.
Obviously it is important to consult your doctor about going swimming following an operation, as some people may have to wait a few weeks or months to avoid infection. Nonetheless, when the body is ready to be immersed into the water once gain, swimming can help to exercise the many major muscle groups, which can speed up the recovery process.
Time to take your health seriously and give it the best boost you possibly can. Take full advantage of all of the health benefits of swimming by taking the plunge today.
My book 'The Complete Beginners Guide to Swimming' will take the non-swimmer by the hand and support you with each stroke.
You can already swim? Will this book will give you the tips and techniques to get the best out of your swimming and elevate your health and fitness to new heights.
Click below to download your copy today, or click here for more details.
I am wondering if it is too late to learn to swim? 'It’s never too late to learn to swim! Depending on how comfortable or uncomfortable you are in the water will depend on where you start.'
I recently started swimming to overcome asthma. Is there a stroke that will help my lungs and help me swim better? 'When it comes to asthma and your lungs, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise to help because of the nature of the breathing technique.'
I am resuming swimming after back surgery, and I need to get the kicking going. 'Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise and rehabilitation for back surgery, and front crawl is one of the safest strokes.'
I want to use swimming to work out my chest and stomach. 'I presume you are asking this question because you feel you are not getting the best from your swimming workout or not seeing the desired results.'
I want to swim to lose weight. How can it help me? 'Swimming is an excellent form of exercise! If you are a non-swimmer, I recommend you contact your local swimming school and enrol in some lessons.'
I badly need to know how to improve my swimming stamina. 'The short answer to your question is practice, practice, practice. Like any fitness routine, the more you do it, the fitter you get, and swimming is no different.'
Will I lose weight swimming breaststroke? 'I want to start swimming for weight loss, and the most enjoyable style for me is the breaststroke.'
I would like to get back into swimming to get back into shape. 'Swimming is the perfect way of getting back into shape and one of the safest for someone with arthritis.'
I am 58 years old and planning to learn to swim to help my diabetes. 'Learning to swim will help your diabetes by giving your whole body a good level of exercise to help burn some calories.'
I enjoy swimming but weight loss is too slow. 'The biggest mistake people make when it comes to weight loss is that they get stuck in the same routine, and I think this is what has happened to you.'
I never had the opportunity to learn to swim. 'It is never too late to learn to swim! As for where to start, that all depends on how comfortable or uncomfortable you are in the water and in a swimming pool environment.'
I swim twice a week, but I never seem as fast as everybody else. How can I get the most out of swimming? 'Comparing your speed to other swimmers and realising you are slower does not necessarily mean you are not getting the most out of it.'
I always use breaststroke, but I understand crawl is better for my lower back. 'Front crawl is not the only swimming stroke that will take pressure away from your lower back. In fact, there are a few ways of swimming that will help complement your breaststroke.'
How should I enter a pool where the water is sometimes chilly and warm? 'Walking quickly into chilly water causes the heart and circulatory system to react suddenly to the change in temperature.'
Is it possible to reduce my weight by swimming? I am learning to swim, so please help me reduce my weight and increase my stamina. 'The short answer is an absolute yes! Swimming is one of the best ways of reducing weight, increasing stamina and generally improving fitness.'
I am wondering, is swimming good for your knees? Lately, I have been having bad, weak knees. 'Much depends on which swimming stroke you choose to swim and what problems you may have with your knees if any.'
I have a friend who had not been in the water for ten years. He was badly out-of-shape and as unfit as he could be, yet, despite all this, after 10 years of no exercise, he was effortlessly able to swim 1000 meters, on the first day back in the pool. How can this be? 'There are a few explanations for this, and without knowing more details, it's tricky to say which one fits best. It may be a combination of each of them.'
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