08 Jan What makes swimming such a great option?

Even if swimming isn’t your first or even second choice for fitness or recreation, it’s a great cross-training exercise. It’s also a fitness regimen you can enjoy while you rehab injury and wait to return to your main athletic pursuits. What makes swimming such a great option?

• The body’s natural buoyancy in the water – You’ll feel great taking weight off sore muscles and joints. Even if you’re not trying to break any world records, you can burn calories without the wear and tear experienced on land.
• You can burn up to 500 calories an hour – Depending on the type of swim stroke or aquatic exercise you choose, you can expect to get a real cardio workout.
• Swimming uses all major muscles – that’s right, all of ’em! There is no wasted effort in the water.
• It’s good for mental health – Current data shows a clear benefit between getting some pool time and improvement in mood.
• Aqua-jogging – Sure, many runners have a love/hate relationship with this form of cross-training, since you usually only find runners aqua-jogging after injury. Say what you like, but you can’t argue with any form of exercise that maintains a good percentage of fitness while recuperating.
• Indoor pools are great for those who can’t work out in the cold – the warm, humid air is perfect for lungs that don’t like cold, dry winter air.
• Longer life? – Some studies claim regular swimmers are more fit and live longer than other active individuals.
• Almost anyone can enjoy it – Even if you can’t swim, almost every indoor public pool has an available shallow end or shallow-er swim lanes in which you can walk or aqua-jog. (We also recommend swim lessons since it’s a great life skill.)
• Group classes – Many pools offer a variety of group aquatic cardio classes for various age groups. Get fit and have fun while you do it!
• Part of rehab – Depending on what ails you, the pool can even be part of your recovery!

If you haven’t tried swimming as an addition to your fitness regimen, why not visit your local gym or public indoor pool this winter? Maybe you’re nursing an injury and wondering how to get back into the swing of things – we can help. Our mission is to help our clients live their healthiest life; our team of expertly-trained therapists and more can help you, too. Call and talk with a member of our team and schedule your free injury assessment today.