Physical health benefits of swimming

Swimming is a great low-impact workout, especially for those who suffer from joint pain. If you are a runner, your joints and spine might hurt from the frequent trainings. In this case, swimming eliminates any impact on your joints that caused injury or pain previously. When you are in the water, it creates a buoyancy for your body to counter the effects of gravity. This helps to support your body’s weight and give you a more controlled and wider range of motion as compared to exercising on land. It can also improve your balance and strengthen your core to better your performance in other sports.

Being in the water is not as easy for everyone and the progression of each individual differs accordingly.

1) The water creates a natural resistance creating friction that you must work against
2) The viscosity of water gives you the opportunity to strengthen your muscles without weights. You can also strengthen an injury safely–for example, preventing falls due to imbalance while on land.
3) Even if you are not on rehab, you can define and tone your muscles with some simple maneuvers in the pool. In deeper water level, you can work both your upper and lower body.
4) If you assume there is a wide stance, jump so that your knees will rise above the water and then land safely back on the pool’s floor, your abs will get a nice workout.
5) You can do arm movements under water to help strengthen your back and shoulders. If you feel like these moves are too easy, you can wear water gloves or other resistance accessories to make things a bit tougher.

The best swim strokes for people suffering from lower back pains are the ones performed in a vertical or standing position to keep the spine neutral and avoid hyperextension. Strokes that requires exercises from the abdominal and hip muscles also improve back health! On top of that, a strong core is key to maintaining correct posture and a healthy spine. All of your power in the water comes from core strength–if you need guidance on strengthening your abdominal and oblique muscles, we have a guide to the top swimming exercises to do outside of the pool.

+ Water Aerobics
+ Back stroke
+ Pulling
+ Pool walking

Good for beginners? Definitely a yes for me! This is a good life skill that you should try to learn from young. You may not be able to swim for a full workout (30 minutes or longer) right away, but you can work your way toward a longer workout. Start slowly, probably 5-10 minutes depending on your body’s capability. Always remember to listen to your body, especially in the water! If you think you cannot swim anymore, please take a break! It is important to give yourself a break when you first start out.Equipment required? No, except for a swimsuit. Goggles and a swim cap are optional and it depends on individuals’ preference especially when it comes to comfort and level of performance. To mix things up, you can add small accessories to your water workout, like kickboards or swim noodles.

Finally, before I end this article, I would like to let you guys know that water puts hydrostatic pressure on the body. Hydrostatic pressure is caused by the weight of fluid putting equal pressure on the fluids in our body.The pressure forces your heart and lungs to work a little bit harder compared to regular exercise. So if you feel tired just from a 15 minute swim, it is normal! In fact, doing even minimal activity in the pool works out your heart and lungs in a very different way than they are used to. Regular pool workouts can actually allow you to take in more air during land exercises. So, by taking a dip, you are conditioning your body to be more efficient.