In the article “Benefits of swimming” we will talk about the benefits to the body from regular exercise swimming, as well as answer the question: “Can I swim every day?”
Swimming was practiced by ancient people who were able to overcome their fear of water. Swimming is the oldest sport and has been part of the Olympic movement since the end of the 19th century. What can I say, if you and I were born in water, we are composed of 60% water. That’s why swimming can be practiced from early childhood, not to mention the modern methods of health restoration in infants.
Once in the natural environment, namely water, a person feels 90% lighter. It is in the water we can develop absolutely all muscle groups, restore cardiovascular system, burn calories, reduce stress, and much, much more. And we’ll talk about this in more detail.
Let’s begin by answering the question, “Can I swim every day?” The answer is, you can’t, but you should. Of course, there are a number of conditions. The first condition is that there are no medical contraindications, and the second one is that the training must not be exhausting, but relaxing, toning.
In general, for optimal health, according to scientists, a person should do light exercise every 8 hours. This can be walking, brisk walking, running. The main thing is to do it regularly 2-3 times a day. Why not swim every day then? The answer is obvious.
Did you know what?
The first to issue a decree on compulsory navigation training was Emperor Peter the Great. In addition to the fact that sailors could not swim, a lot of defenders of the fatherland were killed when forcing rivers and reservoirs.
So what benefits can I get from swimming? Each person has his own reasons why he decided to take up this or that sport. It can be to improve health, to raise self-esteem, to improve mood, to recover after an illness or just to get a beautiful body. Let’s list the reasons why you should take up swimming.
Benefits of swimming:
- Working all body muscles
Swimming affects absolutely all kinds of muscle groups in the body. The uniqueness of swimming lies in the fact that all classes take place in a horizontal position and in a dense environment, which is 12 times higher than the density of air. By varying the different styles of swimming, you can work more specific muscle groups. For example, swimming on your back has a greater impact on your back muscles.
- Restoration of the cardiovascular system
Scientists confirm that swimming reduces cardiovascular disease by 41% and the risk of premature death from all types of disease by 27%. This is why swimming is included in the compulsory school curriculum in Japan. You can read more about the scientists’ research in our article “The healthiest sport“.
- Improved posture
Proper swimming technique engages the smallest stabilizer muscles, which will improve your posture. In addition, swimming is a relaxation of the spine, working the deep muscles of the back. For example, swimming butterfly style.
- Losing weight
Swimming is a sport that can help you burn extra calories. In just one workout you can get rid of 300 to 1,000 kcal/hour, where 300 kcal is just lying on the water. If you want to be slim and trim, then this sport is for you!
- Lung development
It is no secret that all swimmers can hold their breath much longer than people who do not swim. Scientists believe that lung volume increases by a factor of 1.5 for those who swim, and by a factor of 2 for those who do the sport professionally. Lung volume affects the amount of oxygen consumed (saturated), which has a positive effect on the formation of new cells, improves mental performance, and retreats insomnia.
- Slows down aging
Swimming stimulates the increase of hemoglobin, white blood cells and red blood cells in the blood. Already after 1.5 hours of training the blood composition is normalized. Hemoglobin is a protein that, in addition to transporting oxygen, also transports iron, maintains acid-base balance and removes carbon dioxide. 30% of Russian population has elevated hemoglobin, which causes a number of diseases such as heart attack, blood clots, strokes, cancer, etc.
- Stress relief
It’s no secret that water is soothing. Those who regularly go to the pool are more resistant to stressful situations, and moreover, when we go to the pool we increase the level of endorphins (pleasure hormone) in our blood.
- Growth increase
If you measure a person’s height before and after swimming, it turns out that he grew by as much as 1.5 cm.
We have listed above the arguments why it is worth doing swimming. And this is not the whole list of positive effects, because swimming is a sport that is recommended by doctors, scientists and can be practiced from the age of 3.
