Why swimming is the best exercise for your body

Swimming is a full-body workout that provides both short and long-term health benefits for people of all ages. It’s also a low-impact exercise that you can still do even if you have many pre-existing health conditions or injuries. The resistance of the water doesn’t place a huge amount of stress on your joints like jogging does.

The health benefits of swimming

Swimming is great for both your physical and mental health. The primary health benefits of swimming include:

Improving your cardiovascular fitness and endurance

Swimming increases your heart rate, making it stronger and boosting your overall fitness and endurance capabilities. This in turn can lower your resting heart rate. 

You can also more regularly swim at a high intensity without placing too great a strain on your body, because the water tends to help your body to recover more quickly. 

Toning all your muscles and building strength

You use nearly all your body’s muscles while you’re swimming, unlike many other forms of exercise. While your legs are kicking and your arms are pulling, your core also tightens as you reach to stroke and as you rotate your body to breathe. 

If you’ve ever noticed the physiques of elite swimmers, you’ll see what swimming can do for your body! 

Swimming is one of the few exercises that counts as both cardio and strength training, so it gives you the best of both worlds.

Weight loss and maintenance

You burn calories while you’re swimming, just like you do with any form of moderate or intense exercise. In fact, swimming burns a similar amount of calories to running, without putting a lot of pressure on your bones and joints. The water provides a natural, gentle resistance for your body, unlike a hard land surface.

Different strokes will burn different amounts of calories, with butterfly typically burning the most. 

Reducing your blood pressure to alleviate stress

The water can reduce your blood pressure because it is a relaxing and calm environment. The rhythmic breathing that you need to do when your swimming can also help you to relax. It encourages a calm and meditative mindset.

Lowering your cholesterol level

Regular swimming can lower your cholesterol level and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Improving your flexibility and coordination

Swimming requires you to coordinate your arms and legs in a non weight-bearing manner. You need to reach, stretch, pull and twist your way through the water, which is also great for improving your flexibility. 

Increasing your lung capacity

Swimming requires you to hold your breath for certain periods, which can increase your lung capacity. This can be especially beneficial for people with lung conditions like asthma. Indoor pools can also help asthmatics because the humidity levels are higher than you’ll find in outdoor pools. This moist air can help with breathing.

Reducing pain

Swimming has been shown to be therapeutic for people with painful conditions like arthritis or multiple sclerosis. It can help to reduce inflammation.

Boosting your mood

Studies have shown that regular swimming can boost your mental health by improving your mood. Like most forms of exercise, swimming encourages the release of endorphins (which are also known as ‘happy hormones’).

When you’re swimming, you increase the blood flow to your brain, providing it with oxygen, glucose and nutrients. This can also help to improve your memory and other brain functions.

Improving your sleep

Like most forms of exercise, swimming can help to improve your sleep by making you physically tired. However, because swimming places less stress on the body than other forms of exercise, it’s an appropriate form of exercise for many older people who suffer from insomnia.

Maintaining your fitness while pregnant or recovering from an injury

Because it’s a non-weight bearing form of exercise, swimming can help you to maintain your fitness while you’re recovering from some injuries, as well as when your pregnant. You can control the pace and intensity of every swimming session that you do to cater for your physical condition.  

How we can help

Our world-class pool facilities at HBF Stadium in Mount Claremont include both indoor and outdoor 50-metre pools. They are available for casual lap swimming and competition training, as well as for both child and adult swimming lessons.

Swimming at HBF Stadium is free for members and we also welcome casual users. Each of our pools are heated to 27ºC, so you can swim all-year round.

Contact us today to enjoy all the benefits of swimming!