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Enjoy These Everyday Health and Wellness Benefits of Swimming and Aquatic Exercise

We have all heard that swimming and aquatic exercise is good for us. Just how good it is for our health and well-being, however, may surprise you.

The first benefit, which most of us are aware of, is how well a good swim can work our entire body. From a front stroke and a backstroke to butterfly and freestyle, swimming works more muscle groups from head to toe than almost any other type of exercise. It’s an ideal way to tone your muscles, build strength and endurance, and increase your heart rate without adding stress to the rest of your body.

Exercising in the pool also allows you to take advantage of water’s natural resistance. Because this forces your body to work harder, 30 minutes of exercising in the pool is the equivalent to 45 minutes of performing the same type of activity on land.

Then there are the many other benefits that come with exercising in the pool.

An Ideal Form of Exercise for Those with Special Conditions

If you suffer from a health condition, then you may have several restrictions on what types of activities you can perform. Swimming and aquatic exercise, unlike many other forms of exercise, are safe for people with a variety of injuries and conditions including:

• Asthma
• Arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Pregnancy

There are several reasons why swimming is so beneficial to anyone with special conditions. One is that water can support up to 90 percent of a person’s body weight. So if you have sprained your knee or have arthritis, being in the water is a fantastic way to stay active and in shape.

Breathing exercises associated with swimming are also thought to help those with asthma. Evidence suggests that swimming can expand an asthmatic person’s lung capacity as well as help them gain greater control over their breathing.

Those who are pregnant, injured or who suffer from MS can particularly benefit from the buoyancy of water. In one study, those with MS had a significant reduction of pain after partaking in a 20-week swimming program.

A Good Way to Keep Our Internal Organs In Shape

Swimming will get your heart pumping and your lungs working. Swimmers tend to have stronger hearts and lungs, and research has even shown that swimming can cut your risk of death in half.

Exercising in the water has proven to have other positive effects on our internal bodies. One study found that swimming can reduce our blood pressure, while another discovered that swimming can help us control our blood sugar.

A Fun Way to Lose Weight

Swimming and other aquatic aerobics are calorie torchers. Swimming laps at the pool at even a moderate pace can burn over 400 calories for a 160-pound person, and swimming at a faster pace can burn 700 calories or more.

A Way to Improve Your Mood

Exercise of any form has been shown to boost our moods. This may be because it helps us better manage our stress (something which swimming is particularly well known for) and because swimming can help us enjoy a deeper and better night’s sleep. It can help anyone have a brighter and more positive outlook on life.