Every type
of exercise has its selling points. But swimming is unlike any other aerobic
workout in a few important ways.
First, the
fact that you’re submerged in water means your bones and muscles are somewhat
unshackled from the constraints of gravity, says Hirofumi Tanaka, a professor
of kinesiology and director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Lab at the
University of Texas.
This makes
swimming the ideal exercise for people with osteoarthritis, for whom
weight-bearing exercise can be excruciatingly painful. According to
Tanaka's research of people with the condition, swimming decreases
arterial stiffness, a risk factor for heart trouble. More of his research has
linked swim training with lower blood pressure among people with
hypertension. The coolness and buoyancy of water are also appealing to people
who are overweight or obese, for whom load-bearing aerobic exercises like
running may be too hot or uncomfortable, Tanaka says.
But don't be
fooled; your body is working hard when you’re in the pool. Water is denser than
air, so moving through H2O puts more external pressure on your limbs than
out-of-water training, studies have shown. Even better, that pressure
is uniformly distributed. It doesn’t collect in your knees, hips or the other
places that bear most of the burden when you exercise with gravity sitting on
your shoulders.
How you
breathe during a swimming workout is another big differentiator, says David
Tanner, a research associate at Indiana University and co-editor of
an educational handbook on the science of swimming. During a run or
bike ride, your breath tends to be shallow and your exhales forceful. “It’s the
other way around with swimming,” says Tanner. “You breathe in quickly and
deeply, and then let the air trickle out.” Because your head is under water
when you swim, these breathing adjustments are vital, and they may improve the
strength of your respiratory muscles, Tanner says. “This kind of breathing
keeps the lung alveoli”—the millions of little balloon-like structures that
inflate and deflate as your breathe—“from collapsing and sticking
together."
Plus, who
wouldn't want a swimmer's body? Swimming fires up more of your body’s major
muscle groups than other forms of cardio exercise. “If you think about running
or biking, you’re mostly using your lower body,” Tanner says. Swimming not only
engages your legs, but also recruits your upper body and core—especially your
lats, the muscles of your middle back, and triceps, the backs of your upper
arms. “You look at pictures of swimmers, and you see how the upper body
development is really tremendous," he says.
Finally,
your back benefits. Working out in a horizontal pose—as opposed to the upright
position your body assumes during other forms of aerobic exercise—may be an
ideal way to counteract all the time you spend hunched over a desk or steering
wheel. “There’s no hard impact on your back like there is with running, and
instead of being bent forward like you would be on a bike, your back tends to
be arched slightly in the opposite direction,” Tanner says. That may help
improve your posture and prevent the back injuries and pain that stem from long
stretches of sedentary time.
The exercise
is also linked to many of the same life-extending,
heart-saving, mood-lifting benefits associated with other forms of
aerobic exercise. And it's fun, which matters. “People tend to enjoy swimming
more than running or bike-riding,” Tanaka says. While about half of people who
try a new exercise program give up within a few months, people who take up
swimming are more likely to stick with it, he says.
If you’re
sold on swimming, Tanner recommends starting slowly. “Don’t try to do too much
too early, and focus on proper technique,” he says. Consider enlisting the help
of an instructor if you didn’t have any formal coaching as a kid. “If you’re
not used to swimming, it can be hard to relax in the water,” he says. Being
nervous and tight may limit the sport’s benefits.
Start off
with 30-minute sessions three times a week, and don't forget to take frequent
breaks. “You want to ease into it and build up," he says, "just like
a running program."
Source:time.com/4688623/swimming-pool-health-benefits/
Posts
