Swimming To Tone & Strengthen Our Bodies
One of the greatest and most fun exercises that there is when it comes to shaping our bodies and whipping ourselves into shape and keeping ourselves in shape is swimming. Forget about low impact – swimming is no impact and the closest thing to naturally experiencing weightlessness here on earth.
Stresses on our joints simply do not exist when we are immersed in water. Besides being an excellent form of exercise, swimming is used to a great extent for rehabilitation and physical therapy purposes. So let’s discuss ways that we can make swimming a healthy part of our lives and take the plunge.
Initially, we must first learn how to swim through the taking of swimming lessons if we do not already know how to swim. Many fitness clubs that have swimming pools also offer swimming lessons. It’s important to go at our own pace when it comes to learning the basics of flotation and swimming strokes.
There is no rush. But once we have completed our swimming course and can say, “Yes, I know how to swim” then we take advantage of the the natural pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans that have beckoned humanity throughout history.
If swimming in the great outdoors is our thing, we can consider fresh water vs saltwater. This writer has swam in the Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Great Lakes. Saltwater oceans tend to have larger waves and more expansive sandy beaches, but the salt that is naturally part of these bodies of water can cause some eye discomfort if one stays in the water for extended periods of time.
This makes all the more reason for swimming then lying on the beach, then swimming then lying on the beach again a nice cycle to go through during our swim outing.
Fresh water lakes on the other hand tend to have smaller waves and of course do not have salt. So eye irritation after extended periods of time being in the water does not occur. This is a major plus.
And if we don’t live near a large, natural body of water then we can always hit the pool at the nearest fitness club. These pool are typically long, Olympic style pools which are conducive for swimming laps. What we notice almost instantly are the benefits to our chest and arms. These muscles react extremely well to the repetitive motions of swimming and resistance of the water.
Swimming also benefits our back, legs, glutes and cardiovascular system. And did we mention – it’s no impact? So what are you waiting for? Now is a good time to make swimming part of our physical fitness routine.
