Five Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Swimming
As the weather finally begins to warm up there’s no better way to beat the heat, and keep our bodies healthy, than by taking a dip in our refreshing pool!
Swimming is not only a fun and enjoyable activity, but it also offers many health benefits that can positively impact our overall wellbeing. Let's dive deeper into why swimming is splash-tastic for wellbeing and why you should make it a regular part of your fitness routine.
1. It’s a Total Body Workout
Swimming is one of the best workouts out there because it uses all of your major muscle groups. The resistance of the water is guaranteed to get your muscles working and your heart pumping, without putting excessive strain on your joints.
Going for a swim is also a great way to switch up your routine as an alternative to your gym or home workouts. Plus, exercising in water makes your body work harder - 30 minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of a land-based activity. With the bonus being that you’ll never feel sweaty, no matter how hard you work out!
2. Great for Weight Management
Swimming is an excellent way to burn calories and assist in weight management. Whether it's breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly or backstroke, swimming is one of the best exercises for improving circulation, muscle tone and weight loss.
Butterfly Stroke is the best of the four strokes for burning calories. Average calorie burn is around 450 calories for 30 minutes swimming. Front Crawl is the fastest stroke in swimming, which makes this stroke one of the best for calorie burning. Average calorie burn is around 300 calories for 30 minutes swimming. Backstroke burns round 250 calories for 30 minutes swimming, while Breaststroke is the least beneficial for burning calories, with an average calorie burn of around 200 calories for 30 minutes swimming.
Combined with a balanced diet, regular swimming sessions can help you reach your weight loss goals and improve your overall body composition.
3. Fantastic for Cardiovascular Health
Leading on from the first point, swimming is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that can help improve your heart health. By increasing your heart rate and improving circulation, swimming can lower your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and decrease the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Regular swimming sessions can also improve your lung capacity and overall endurance.
4. Helps Reduce Anxiety and Promotes Relaxation
The rhythmic and repetitive nature of swimming has a calming effect on the mind and can help reduce stress and anxiety. This combined with the sensation of weightlessness in the water makes swimming a meditative experience, allowing you to focus on your breathing and clear your thoughts.
The sight and sound of water is also therapeutic and calming. The phrase 'blue mind' was first coined by Marine biologist, Wallace J Nichols and quite simply put, means water makes us happy. Studies show that being in or near water really does calm us, improves mood, and encourages mindfulness.
5. Joint-Friendly Exercise
Exercising in the pool, whether that’s going for a swim or an aqua class, is ideal for people of all ages, fitness levels, and those with conditions such as joint pain or arthritis. Water activities provide enough gentle resistance for a vigorous workout but without the heavy impact that could be detrimental to those with joint conditions.
Swimming helps to improve flexibility and range of motion, making it a gentle yet effective option for those who struggle to exercise on land.
Come along and have a swim
Whether you're looking to improve your fitness, manage stress, or enjoy a low-impact workout, taking a dip in the pool really is a fantastic way to keep fit. So, grab your swimsuit, head to the pool and experience the fantastic advantages that swimming has to offer for your health and wellbeing.
Check out our swimming Timetables for details on the types of swimming sessions we offer and session times.