What's Good About Swimming

Swimming is good exercise (that's obvious). Swimming is a lifetime sport that benefits the body and the whole person! But what is it that makes swimming good, specifically? That depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

1. Swimming is a healthy activity that can be continued for a lifetime - and the health benefits swimming offers for a lifetime are worth the effort it takes to get to the pool.

2. Why do you swim? For the health benefits to your heart and lungs? For the chance to be with some of your friends at the pool? Because, in your case, running everyday hurts? Because you like the feeling of floating and sliding through the water? Or is it something else?If you are looking for a break from the heat of the summer, then a dip in the water is exactly what you need; swimming is a way for you to cool off. It fills a wonderful recreational need for individuals and families, from beach and pool fun to water parks.

3. Maybe you are a runner, training on a regular basis, and want to find an activity that keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off of your body. Perhaps you have been doing some other form of land exercise, and now an injury prevents you from putting weight on a knee or ankle. Swimming can help you. Kicking workouts, water aerobics, pool running, or a regular swimming workout can all give you a great exercise session without the weight of your body pounding you with each move.

4. Regular swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular fitness. It can serve as a cross-training element to your regular workouts. Before a land workout, you can use the pool for a warm-up session. Swimming with increasing effort to gradually increase your heart rate and stimulate your muscle activity is easily accomplished in the water. After a land workout, swimming a few laps can help you cool-down, move blood through your muscles to help them recover, and help you relax as you glide through the water.

5. Swimming does burn calories at a rate of about 3 calories a mile per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim one mile (1,760 yards or 1,609 meters), then you will be using about 900 calories in one hour. However, many swimmers do not swim that quickly, and many cannot swim for that distance or duration.

6. Spending time in a group workout, whether water aerobics or a master's swim practice, is a great social outlet. Exchanging stories, challenging each other, and sharing in the hard work make swimming with others a rewarding experience.

7. There are other psychological benefit to swimming, if you allow it to occur. Relax and swim with a very low effort. Let your mind wander, focusing on nothing but the rhythm of your stroke. This form of meditation can help you gain a feeling of well-being, leaving your water session refreshed and ready to go on with the rest of your day. Many swimmers find an in-direct benefit form swimming. They develop life skills such as sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense of self-worth through their participation in the sport. Swimmers seem to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group.

10 Top Exercises to Lose Weight

1. Step Aerobics …Calories Burnt: 800 cal/hr
This mainly targets your legs, hips and bum, which are often the areas that women most want to tone. Doing an hour a day, split into two half an hour sessions, will ensure that you see results within 2 weeks.

2. Bicycling …Calories Burnt: 500 – 1000 cal/hr
Depending on how fast you go, this can be a real calorie burner. Riding outside is always enjoyable, but if you’re a little more time restricted, invest in a good quality exercise bike.
This is my favorite calorie burner, because it’s so easy to do. How about riding while watching the TV? I find that cycling through Eastenders keeps me distracted, but working hard.
In case you prefer to ride outside, make sure you take a look at this post called How to Not Get Hit by Cars When Bicycling. Just in case…

3. Swimming …Calories Burnt: 800 cals/hr
Doing lengths up and down the pool for an hour will burn off 800 calories, and also tone almost all of your body. Stay motivated by giving yourself half an hour extra to make use of the Jacuzzi when you’ve finished!

4. Racquetball …Calories Burnt: 800 cals/hr
The side to side running involved in this is a great cardio workout, and will also help to tone your thighs and legs. I also find this to be much more sociable, which keeps me working out for longer and stops me skiving my gym sessions!

5. Elliptical Burner …Calories Burnt: 600 cals/hr
This is brilliant cardio, and also helps to build strong muscles, as well as toning the stomach. I personally find Elliptical Burner really boring, so I split my session into ten minute bursts and do them throughout the day, and I find that listening to some upbeat music really helps as well.

6. Rowing …Calories Burnt: 500 – 600 cals/hr
Rowing is a brilliant way to tone your arms, and is also very good fun. Get involved with the local rowing club and you’ll get to try it for free, or simply use the rowing machine at the gym. As well as building arm muscle, you’ll also burn calories and get an incredible workout.

7. Walking …Calories Burnt: 360 cals/hr
The easiest exercise, brisk walking is a great cardio workout and will also help to tone legs, stomach and hips. Sprinting, walking across hills or walking uphill will add to the amount of calories burnt, and walking tends to be very easy to fit into daily life. Just walking to the train station has made me so much fitter, and it really wakes me up going for a brisk walk in the morning.
Check out Hate Running? Get Fit Walking! for the detailed walking workout!

8. Dancing …Calories Burnt: 600/800 cal/hr
This targets all over your body, and is an excellent work out. I frequently put a music channel on and dance around, as well as burning calories I also find that it’s a great stress reliever! Just make sure you stay active, and try and keep going for at least an hour!
If you want to learn some new sexy moves while you are at it, you might want to check out Dancing DVDs reviewed in this post: Do Your Dance Moves Need A Makeover?

9. Exercise DVDs …Calories Burnt: 300/500 cals/hr
While these come under a lot of different headings, some exercise DVDs do actually help you to lose weight and tone up. Find a high energy one, and try and do it once a day. As well as burning calories and toning up, you’ll also feel much fitter. My personal favourite is “Pump It Up”, because the music keeps me motivated!

10. Horse Riding …Calories Burnt: 200-600 cal/hr
This one may be slightly harder to arrange, but going horse riding once a week is one of the best ways to stay fit, healthy and enjoy nature. The view from up there is so amazing, you won’t notice that your toning your bum, abs and thighs, and burning calories while your at it! You’d be surprised at how cheap it can be to arrange a session once a weekend, and if your feeling extra fit you could even cycle to the stables!