Swimming is an exceptionally popular choice of exercise. We all know that one of the reasons for this is that it is extremely enjoyable, but in this post, we are going to take a look at all of the different ways in which swimming keeps you active and the many benefits that are associated with this type of workout. 

Swimming builds muscle

One of the ways in which swimming keeps you active is because it builds and strengthens muscle. This occurs because when exercising in the water your body comes up against a natural resistance, and then you will create even more when you are swimming and thus pulling or pushing the water away from you. This is what results in the building and strengthening of your muscles. This is extremely beneficial when you consider the fact that swimming is an exercise that has a low-rate of energy, whereas other muscle-strengthening workouts can often cause damage.

Swimming improves your core body strength

Swimming is one of the best exercises when it comes to developing your core body strength, and this is because it is one of the few exercises that actually uses all of the muscles in your body simultaneously. While it is true that roughly 70 per cent of your efforts will come from your upper body, you can also have an effective lower body workout too, especially if you incorporate fin and kickboard workouts into your session. 

Swimming improves heart health

Another benefit of swimming is the fact that it improves heart health and function. Swimming is a good choice if you are looking for an activity that improves cardiovascular health and is a moderate paced workout choice, as it works the large muscle groups in your body and increases heart rate. Nevertheless, one thing you do need to be mindful of is the fact that your heart rate can be a bit slower when you are swimming as opposed to working out outside of the water.  The Association of Naturopathic Practitioners can help you find a practitioner who can help you if you need specific workouts, nutrition, and herbal medicine advice for heart health.

Swimming burns calories

One of the main advantages of swimming is that it burns calories. There is no overlooking the importance of regular exercise in order to stay fit, and swimming is one of the best choices because it can help you to burn off some of the calories you have consumed throughout the day, thus helping you to get rid of excess body weight and fat. For instance, if you have been swimming for one hour, you could burn around 700 calories. Of course, this all depends on the person – the weight they are and the intensity of their workout. Nevertheless, you should try to fit in a minimum of two and a half hours of swimming per week. As time goes on, challenge yourself more by increasing speed, as you will need to do this is you are to continue burning calories. 

Swimming is a good choice for athletes engaging in higher-impact activities

Swimming may not be your first choice of exercise. Perhaps you are a runner? Maybe you play basketball? No matter what type of activity you engage in, you should still consider incorporating swimming into your weekly exercise routine. This is because it will give your body a much-needed break from higher-impact activities. A balanced workout routine is imperative if you are to look after yourself and avoid injury, otherwise, you will not give your body enough time to heal properly. 

Swimming improves endurance 

Last but not least, the final benefit associated with choosing swimming to keep active is that you will improve your endurance. You will find that you are able to swim for a longer period of time than you would be able to if you were engaging in other activities. All you need is the right technique, and you can find yourself working out for a lot longer than you would be able to if you were running for example. This is also beneficial because it means that in the end, you are going to burn more calories too.