Fitness

Aerobic exercise is an important element of any program. The changes in the heart and lungs allow more work to be done by the muscles, and more calories can be burned. Strength and flexibility training bring beneficial changes in the body’s ability to do work and exercise injury free, and are likewise a fundamental part of any exercise program. With this in mind, it can be difficult to design a program that incorporates all of these necessary elements. Sometimes, it is just a matter of picking the correct exercise. Swimming is a mode of exercise that develops all of these elements of fitness. Whatever your skill level, swimming can be an effective mode of building total body fitness.

Swimming is a low impact form of exercise. This is importance for weight loss because there is a reduced risk of injuries from a low impact exercise such as swimming, as opposed to a higher impact one like running. This reduced risk allows one to exercise longer and harder without the risk of injuries sometimes brought on by hard training. The whole body is used when swimming. The resistance provided by the water allows muscles throughout the body to be used and developed. Abdominals stabilize the body, while the legs push off of the wall and kick to provide the high body position needed for effective swimming. The upper body propels the body forward through the water. Since the whole body is being used, the heart has to work harder to pump blood and oxygen to those muscles. Swimming is the sort of aerobic exercise that providesmany benefits with few drawbacks, making it an ideal choice for an exercise program.

Swimming is a specialized physical skill not all people can perform. Even if stroke technique isn’t ideal, the body still has to work hard to move through the water. Nonetheless, some skill is necessary to swim properly. Underwater breathing where air is inhaled as the head is lifted, and then exhaled underwater is the main skill beginning swimmers need to learn. All of the other elements of swimming including body position and proper timing hinge upon this one skill. Coaching and swim lessons are a good investment for those who hope to improve their skills. It can help those with a fear of the water confront it within a supportive setting, while allowing beginning swimmers to further develop their other skills. Lessons also allow skilled swimmers to properly learn and perform the four competitive strokes. This breaks up monotonous workouts while giving balanced muscle work and development. Swimmers who perform only one stroke are at a greater risk of overtraining.

Swimming lends itself to all intensities and forms of aerobic fitness training. Either intervals of hard work and rest or steady, long swims are useful in building aerobic and muscular fitness. Many competitive swimmers work off of a pace clock, where set distances and strokes are performed and repeated over a specific time interval.This can be a challenging form of training, and should be attempted only once stroke proficiency is developed. Stroke drills are another important component of swim training. They help to develop swim stroke proficiency while also developing conditioning and strength. An example of a stroke drill is the fingertip drag drill. Here the swimmer drags the fingertips atop the water after the underwater follow through. This helps to develop high elbows and proper body positioning needed for proper front crawl (freestyle) swimming technique. Kicking drills where only the legs are used are also important for developing leg strength and proper body positioning in the water.

With a basic level of skill and conditioning, swimming makes a great addition to any exercise program. Those who are able to swim can use this mode of exercise to develop overall fitness. Aerobic capacity, muscular strength and flexibility can all be further developed through a well designed swimming program. Whether with a coach or on your own, swimming is a skill that can be developed throughout one’s life.