Swimming Benefits For Extra Motivation Around The Pool
We all enjoy lying by the pool to get a great summer tan. But what about swimming? Do you know what are the most important swimming benefits? Let’s find out!
Summer is here, almost gone in fact, and we are starting to think that we’ve got a little bit of time left to squeeze in a lot of fun activities that cannot be done in any other season.
And one of the best things about summer is that it offers us the possibility to swim pretty much anywhere, from lakes to pools and oceans.
So, while we still have the weather on our side, let’s have a look at some of the swimming benefits. Consider them as an extra motivation next time you’re doing laps around the pool!
Swimming Benefits
Here’s why you should start going for a swim on a regular basis (if you’re not doing it already):
1. It’s A Great Cardio Exercise
Swimming is great if you want to switch up your routine every now and then… it’s actually highly recommended!
But did you know that swimming is an all-body exercise, and that it can sometimes be more effective than running or cycling?
The first who feel this intensely are those training for a triathlon. Even if you are confident in your endurance because of miles and miles of fast pedaling or stomping the ground with your running shoes over and over, swimming can be a humbling experience.
It works your heart and lungs like never before, and it improves your circulatory system.
2. It Can Be Done Anywhere
If you are a beginner, or if you haven’t swum in a few years, I honestly recommend starting with some laps around the pool.
This will help you get a rhythm of your own. And if you have a friend who can watch or even a coach, you could get some pieces of advice on your stroke and whether you are moving correctly or not.
It’s great when you do it for fun and it doesn’t matter all that much how you move your arms and legs. But if you want to try swimming as a fitness experience, it will show in the long run whether you are good at it or not.
After you get accustomed to water, you can swim in natural waters.
Lakes are great and they usually give you an extra sense of wonder because of the surrounding landscape. Oceans and seas can be amazing as well.
You will see it is a completely different challenge to advance in water that move with you, than it is to do so in a pool with still water.
3. It Burns Calories Without Feeling Like A Chore
A person weighing around 150 pounds will burn between 400-430 calories during a 60-minute moderate-intensity swimming workout. And will burn about 660-680 calories with a vigorous workout.
A person weighing 200 pounds, however, will burn about 552 calories during a 60-minute moderate-intensity workout. And about 888 calories during a vigorous hour-long session.
So as with most exercises it also depends on your weight.
But you know why this does not feel like a 600 calorie burning exercise?
First of all, because it engages pretty much all muscles. This means you don’t get tired legs, or tired arms, or tired chest muscles. Since they work together they help one another, and tiredness comes later.
Apart from this, the fact that you are in water helps because you avoid that hot-and-sweaty feeling you get when doing cardio in the gym.
If you love swimming, tell us about your swimming benefits in a comment below.
