If you can’t imagine even finding the time to get the recommended two and a half hours a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity for good health, why not use your swimming pool to help?
The Benefits of Swimming for Fitness
Swimming is one of the best ways to exercise for lots of reasons.
1. Full Body Workout
Think about it, you use parts of muscle groups all over your body no matter what swimming stroke you use.
2. Low Stress on Your Joints
Many people can’t jog because of the pounding it puts on their knees and other joints. But that’s not a problem in the pool.
3. Variety in Your Workout
Any workout program emphasizes the importance of different activities to work out different muscle groups. When you combine different strokes and activities while swimming in the pool, you can stretch almost every muscle in your body in many different ways.
4. Strength Training and Aerobic Exercise Combined
Swimming also combines muscle- and bone-building strength training with heart-healthy aerobic exercise.
Tips for Using the Swimming Pool to Workout
Instead of just ‘jumping in’, it helps to take a more deliberate approach to use your pool to get more exercise. Doing so will help reduce your chances of injury and increase your chances of sticking with it for a longer time.
We recommend that you consult your doctor before starting any activity program.
1. Start Small
Even just 10 minutes in the pool can make a difference. You can be setting the bar too high to suddenly start a program of 30 or 60-minute workouts in the pool. Start small and work up to more activity as your comfort and fitness levels adjust.
2. Stretch/Warm-Up Before You Start
Whether you do so before you get into the pool or after, acclimatize yourself and get your muscles moving before you start your workout.
3. Stop If You Feel Pain or Discomfort
You shouldn’t try to work through any aches, pains or twinges.
4. Set Goals
Again, it’s important to start small. If you haven’t exercised recently, start with a 10-minute session a few times a week. When that feels comfortable, then maybe you can move up to 15-minute sessions.
5. Remember Variety
Sometimes we like to challenge ourselves to see how many lengths we can swim. That’s fine but think about changing your stroke for each length or at some other interval. Try the freestyle stroke, breaststroke, backstroke, and sidestroke.
6. Put Swimming Toys to Work
You can add variety and break up your routine by using toys like a kickboard or air mattress to focus on your legs or arms.
7. Try to Get Into a Routine
By setting a regular schedule, you’ll make it easier to stick with your program.
That’s it for now. Hopefully, these tips help you use your swimming pool towards better health and fitness.
