In the modern era of fitness and nutrition, many of us are guilty of jumping onto the next fad. Watch as your local gym introduces a high-intensity class on a trampoline or an event goes viral where people must carry their grandmothers over mountains in order to get fit. The creativity is endless and frankly a little tiring. For those who want to keep fit without the bells and whistles what should they do? There are many sports that have been around for years but they are often criticized for causing as many injuries as benefits. Running, for example, is great for your health but terrible for your knees. One exercise that has been present for some time, has many health benefits, very few bad points and will last the test of time, is swimming. For those of you trying to look beyond the latest fad, look to swimming.
Swimming is good for your heart and health
Swimming has been proven to improve blood flow in the body and to strengthen the heart and has actually been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes. If you swim in your local pool you could combine it with a session in the sauna after to get further benefits.
Swimming is a total body workout
30 minutes of swimming will burn around 200 calories. It works muscles all over the body, builds endurance, stamina, and strength. Basically, it ticks every box in a workout.
It is fun for the whole family
If you have young children, the pool is a great place for them to learn a new skill in a relaxed environment. It is something for the young and old and everyone in-between.
It is low impact
If recovering from an injury then swimming can be a great exercise as it is not just a low impact exercise, it is a no-impact exercise.
It is a mood enhancer
Swimming releases endorphins in the body. After a swim, you will be happier, more relaxed and thinking clearer. If you are struggling with work give yourself some time out at the pool and maybe your problems will disappear or at least become easier to solve.
It can cool the body down
Some people can find exercising particularly tough as it causes the body to overheat too much. Swimming can solve this as it cools you down while you exercise. This often lets you leave the pool feeling like you have had a great workout but still feeling fresh.
It is great for everyone
Pregnant? You can swim. Asthma? You can swim. Arthritis? Swim. For so many stages of life, medical conditions, age groups, etc., swimming is proven to be beneficial. For those who are pregnant swimming puts no strain on the baby, can strengthen the body and can relieve joint pain often experienced by pregnant women.
There you have it. Swimming is the newest fad that isn’t new or a fad. Give it a go if you are tired of the latest thing and want something that just works.
