When talking about the most popular cardio workouts, many people think of swimming. This is because swimming is low-impact exercise and causes less stress than other activities. Moreover, swimming doesn’t make you sweat so you don’t feel sticky like other cardio exercises. So, you think of swimming, we have useful information to share with you.
What are the benefits of swimming?
Swimming is a form of exercise that uses all parts of the body, including the head, torso, arms, legs and feet. We have to move them all in the water which supports our body so there’s no impact on our joints. Besides reducing impact, swimming has other benefits such as:
• Increases heart rate, makes the heart work well, and improves the circulatory system
• Burns fat and helps lose weight (if you swim regularly for 15-20 minutes or more at least 3 times a week)
• Helps the lungs get stronger
• Strengthens every muscle – swimming pretty much uses them all
• Exercises and stretches muscles and increases body flexibility
• Exercises joints and treats or prevents joint stiffness
• Helps you fall asleep easily as you feel relaxed after exercising all your organs
• Relieves stress and heat
• Improves concentration
• Helps smooth out personality ruffles and makes the body move better
How much energy does swimming burn?
This is something many people will probably want to know, especially those with a weight loss goal. Swimming burns more calories than other cardio exercises as water has 10 times more resistance than air. The amount of calories burned depends on several factors, including swimming posture, intensity of exertion, body weight and swimming proficiency. One hour of swimming will burn about 400 calories. However, an athlete who has more muscle than the average person will burn up to 700 calories in the same time.
Problems that may arise after swimming
Swimming is a type of exercise that involves sharing the pool area. This can potentially cause problems so we have compiled a list of what to watch out for and, if the worst comes to the worst, seek medical attention and treat promptly:
• Diarrhea – The pool may have germs that accumulate if it is not cleaned regularly. Germs that may accumulate in swimming pools include Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, Norovirus, and even E. Coli.
• Otitis externa – This condition is more common in those who swim regularly. This is because water containing bacteria enters the ear causing inflammation which leads to itching, pain and swelling inside the ear canal.
• Respiratory problems – This problem is caused by germs contaminated in swimming pools that cause unconscious respiratory diseases such as Legionnaires' Disease causing coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, chills, and muscle pain. The disease is very dangerous for the elderly and those with lung or immune problems.
• Injuries – This may be caused by swimming too strenuously for the body.
Who is swimming not suitable for?
Although swimming is an exercise that all ages can do, there are certain groups of people who may need to be more careful, including:
• Pregnant women should avoid very hot or cold water. They should also avoid breaststroke swimming as it involves kicking the legs backwards which affects the pelvis.
• Those with severe joint injuries or who have recently undergone joint replacement surgery should not swim as it can cause increased joint injury or pain. Therefore, they should consult a doctor before swimming.
Swimming is an easy activity and yet it has many benefits in terms of health and beauty. For those looking for a relaxing cardio workout with great results, swimming is a very interesting option.
Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers who are interested in healthcare can check out other health articles at https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-advisories.
References
• Paolo Hospital
https://bit.ly/3Rko8Le
• Pobpad website
https://bit.ly/3BU3fRw
• WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/swimming-for-fitness
