Swimming is an activity which people tend to enjoy a lot. Be it the thrill of pushing against the water in natural lakes and rivers or just feeling it wash away all of your worries down at the local pool, it is a pretty fun thing to do. Most people learn to swim when they are young but if you do not yet know how to do that, it is never too late to learn after all. It does not matter if you have just started swimming, done it for a long time or even participated in various competitions of it, the love for this activity is ever present.
All of this is for good reason. Swimmers would know that indulging in this activity even for a couple of minutes can provide a host of health benefits. If you do not swim or are completely unaware about these benefits, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will be discussing some great health benefits of swimming, which make it a unique, fun and healthy activity to do on a regular basis. Read on further to know all about these benefits which will make you want to put on your bathing suit and jump into a pool right away!
- Provides A Good Workout:
Needless to say, swimming is one of the best workouts out there for your body. This is because it not only puts a certain part of the body to use, but instead exercises the entirety of it. Few workouts can boast of such an effectiveness as swimming can. It not only helps in toning your muscles, but is also a great way to get your heartbeat up. Consistently working all of the muscles of your body on a regular basis also makes you much stronger and more capable of taking on heavy physical tasks on a day to day basis. But if you are just starting out, it is common to feel a strain in your muscles, especially if you do not already workout. But you can always use a hot and cool pack on them to treat any pains and aches fast.
- Helps To Build Stronger Lungs:
Since swimming requires holding your breath periodically for certain amounts of time, it also aids in making your lungs stronger and keeping them healthy for much longer. As you become more proficient at this activity, your ability to control your breathing also increases. If you are a parent, it is a good idea to get your child to start swimming at an early age. This will make sure that the child grows up with strong and efficient lungs. If you suffer from certain respiratory issues and have to use a nebulizer regularly, you may want to consult your doctor before diving in.
- Does More In Less Time:
Like we have mentioned before in this article, swimming is one of the best ways out there to help put your entire body to work simultaneously. To this end, you can try doing different kinds of strokes while you are in the water to periodically put pressure on some muscles and then on others. Swimming can be considered as a better way to exercise as it can be more tiring. This is because you tend to burn more calories in a lesser amount of time as compared to other workouts. This can also help you to sleep better at night due to the extra tiredness.
- Is A Proven Stress Reliever:
Many people vouch for the fact that it is almost impossible to feel stressed or anxious whilst you are in the water. One of the reasons why this can be so is that swimming can initially require some effort. When you put that effort into a certain activity, there is not much room to think about anything else in that time frame usually. Many research studies have also proven over time that people who tend to swim on a regular basis are much happier than those who do not.
- Almost Anyone Can Do It:
You do not need to be at a specific fitness level to start swimming, and that is the best part about it. Almost anyone, from the oldest of people to the youngest of children can engage in this activity safely. You can also swim with a group of people or completely alone, whichever scenario you prefer. This makes it a truly unique workout in all spheres. In a communal swimming pool, one can see people from all age groups and genders swimming together to their heart’s content. That is something which cannot be said about all workout activities.
- Is Highly Customisable:
Another great thing about swimming is that it can be customised according to your tastes and preferences. For example, if you are a newbie and are still not confident enough to get into a deep pool just yet, you can always opt to swim in a shallow one instead. Or if you want stronger arms, you can practice the butterfly stroke, and if you want a strong upper body, you can practice the breast stroke instead. You can also control the time limit of doing this. The more time you do this for is directly proportional to how hard the activity is going to be for you.
- You Do Not Need A Lot To Start:
Most other workouts require some sort of specialised equipment. But that is not the case with swimming. All you need to swim is a pool and a bathing suit. Nowadays, it has become so easy to find communal pools in building areas or clubs so it is really not a big challenge to start this activity. There are enough instructors available to help you learn how to swim, if you do not already know how to do it.
If you have made it till here, we are pretty sure that we would have convinced you to at least give swimming a try. If that is the case, do let us know how it pans out for you and if you are able to experience all of its benefits on your own or not. You can also comment and tell us if we missed out on any other benefit of this activity.