Benefits of Swimming for Exercise

One of the most crucial components of physical fitness is sustainability. Finding activities you enjoy makes it easier to fit workouts into your schedule and health goals. Maintaining variety in your exercise routine is important—different workout styles can help you change it up and boost your momentum. Swimming is a full-body, low-impact exercise, which is excellent for all body shapes and sizes. Swimming for exercise will help you reduce stress, improve muscle strength, and support your heart health.

Benefits of Swimming for Exercise

Swimming is a low-impact exercise, making it suitable for anyone with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, or joint conditions. In addition, the soft resistance water provides makes it a safe workout. A 2016 study found that swimming regularly helped people with osteoarthritis. Participants swam 45 minutes a day three times a week for three months. As a result, they saw an improvement in physical limitations and muscle strength. They even experienced a significant reduction in joint pain and stiffness with swimming exercises.

Swimming is Accessible for Every Body

Swimming for exercise is excellent for any body type, fitness level, and those with medical conditions. If you have a disability or injury, swimming exercises can help ease the pain you’re experiencing while providing a good workout. Swimming is safe during pregnancy because you have a reduced risk of injuries. In addition, you can swim or aqua exercises. Other cardio exercises that are high impact, such as running, actually can add up to four to five times your body weight on your hips and knees, when swimming elevates those issues.

Swimming Exercises are a Full-Body Workout

Swimming is an excellent option for a full-body workout. Swimming uses about every muscle group in your body. Your arms, shoulders, and chest muscles are used to pull you through the water, as is your core. Your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves are all activated when you kick.

Swimming Exercises Support Heart Health

Like other forms of cardio exercise, swimming supports heart health. A 2012 study focused on 43 people, with an average age of 60, with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. After swimming for 12 weeks, their average systolic blood pressure plunged substantially. They also experienced improved cardiovascular health.

Swimming May Help With Weight Loss

If your health goals include losing weight, swimming for exercise may help due to the activity’s ability to burn calories. For example, a 185-pound person swimming laps for 30 minutes can burn 420 calories. That provides a significant calorie deficit for the day.

Swimming Exercises Relieve Stress

One study researched the effects of swimming on depression and stress. Researchers gave 101 people questionnaires before and after swimming exercises. Forty-four of those people felt stressed and were mildly depressed before swimming. After swimming, that number dropped to just eight people.

3 Swim Workouts for Beginners

Grab your pull buoy and kick board to help with these swimming exercises. These are great for breaking up regular lap swims. It is best to come to the pool with a plan, whether it is how many laps you are going to do or how long you plan to swim. If you are new to swimming, you may find that even swimming one length of the pool is challenging. Try to add one length without stopping each time you come to the pool.

Laps With Kick Board and Buoy

Swim one lap (from one end of the pool to the other end)
Use a kick board for the second lap, relying on just your legs to push you forward
Use a pull buoy for the third lap, relying on just your arms to pull you forward
Repeat for 15 to 20 minutes for a great full-body workout

5-Minute Repeats

Swim laps for five minutes, taking breaks at either end of the pool for 15 to 30 seconds
Use the kick board for five minutes
Repeat three times for a full body, cardio workout