What’s your flavour of exercise routine? Do you like cardio? Building strength? Endurance training? Whatever it is, you’ve probably got a whole list of exercises that you do regularly in order to maintain your current body weight and strength. However, if you don’t, then you’re probably in that stage of fitness where trying to find the right exercise routine is taking far too long. Browsing the internet, bouncing between personal trainers and listening to conflicting advice from fitness friends can muddle all of the information in your head. If only there was a simple, relaxing exercise that gave you the results you wanted, be it weight loss, muscle building or increased stamina. Well… there is.
Swimming!
Taking a dip in the pool is perhaps one of the best ways to reach all kinds of fitness goals. Not only is it one of the cheapest forms of exercise to get involved with, it’s also a fantastic group activity to indulge in with your friends or family—even the kids can join! It’s a lot of fun, it can be taken seriously or just as a hobby, and it’s easy to learn. So without further ado, here are 5 reasons why you should swim more often.
- Swimming doesn’t stress you out
One of the best things about swimming is that it doesn’t stress your muscles and bones out. Unlike running, cycling or any other number of exercises you could do, swimming is a fantastic low-impact workout due to how you move through the water. The water in a pool gives you buoyancy, meaning you float through the water and it puts almost no pressure on your joints. This makes swimming a fantastic exercise for people of all ages regardless of their health conditions. Whether you’re senior looking to get a little healthier or a young adult that wants to build up strength and stamina, swimming is the exercise for you.
- Swimming is inexpensive
When you think about running, cycling, weight lifting and so on, there’s usually some equipment involved. For example, if you sign up for a gym membership then you can expect to pay a lot of money just for entry. If you want to lift weights at home, then you’re going to need to purchase a set of dumbbells and if you want to run, then you’re going to need a treadmill unless you prefer to run outdoors. Swimming is low-cost because admission to a pool is either free (if you live in a luxury apartment complex or already have a gym membership that has a pool) or very low, and the equipment you buy isn’t very expensive at all. A swim cap doesn’t cost much and swimming clothes are low-cost as well. Some details can be found here if you’re curious about just how much things like swimwear costs and how budget-friendly this form of exercise is. This makes swimming the perfect exercise for anyone who is conscious about their budget and wants the best value for their money.
- Swimming is a fantastic outdoor activity
Whether it’s at the beach, an outdoor pool or a crystal clear lake, you can swim outdoors and it will make the perfect outdoor exercise activity. While swimming for fitness is great, you can also swim for fun especially if you plan for it to be an outdoor activity. For instance, you could host a pool party with food, beverages, music and, of course, swimming. Or you could go to a lake with friends and family to camp out and take a dive into the water for a bit of fun. No matter who you go with or what your age is, swimming will make a brilliant outdoor activity that combines fun and fitness in a single package. It’s easy to learn, meaning you can quickly teach your friends and family the basics so they can start actually swimming instead of just floating in the water helplessly.
- Swimming helps to build strength and fitness
Swimming is a resistance exercise much like weight lifting. However, unlike lifting weights, you don’t put as much stress on your joints and bones which, as described above, makes it a low-impact exercise. However, it doesn’t mean that it’s any less effective at growing your muscles and giving you better stamina. Swimming engages many muscles all over the body, such as your shoulders, back, abs, and legs. The motions you do in the water work your muscles, and the harder or faster you swim, the more these muscles are used. However, it’s important to note that swimming alone won’t get you large muscles. You still need to lift weights and consume a lot of protein in order to see larger muscles, but if you’re looking to tone down and slim yourself while building some muscle, then swimming is absolutely the way to go. Swimming actually compliments weight lifting very well, which is why a lot of gyms have swimming pools in addition to their main equipment. Fast swimming also helps you build a strong hard, making it a great calorie-burning exercise that comes with cardiovascular benefits. Whether you’re a beginner at swimming or an accomplished expert, it can help you build a stronger and healthier body, making it the perfect accompaniment to a healthier lifestyle.
- Swimming is a form of meditation
For many people, swimming is a form of meditation. It’s calming and relaxing, meaning it can help you improve your focus and help you relieve stress. Because it’s such a low-impact exercise, you don’t feel stressed out when you swim and your body doesn’t ache like running or weight lifting. In order to take advantage of this, you can use swimming as a form of post-workout relaxation, or you can use it to replace your intense workouts such as sprinting, running or lifting. If you already use meditation as a means to relax after a stressful day at work, then why not take a detour at the end of a long work day and take a dip in your local pool? Better yet, if you have a pool at home then start taking care of it and use it as a way to meditate and exercise at the same time.