Most anyone has heard by now the benefits that swimming can have as an exercise. If you haven't then it is about time that you did:
- Swimming is known to reduce wear and tear on joints. Even according to his book YOU: THE OWNERS MANUAL, Dr. Oz states that, "swimming won’t unconditionally save you from joint pain but it may help delay the onset." Right so don’t think just because you are swimming that you won't have joint pain, but, there is less pressure on joints while swimming and so even arthritic joints can find some relief with the exercise. LIVESTRONG.COM corroborates by saying, "The [swimming] exercise combines with the water's support provides an aerobic workout without putting extra stress on "our aching joints."
- Swimming is a whole body workout!!! Yep arms and legs work in some sort of synchronicity to be able to move you through the water; not only that but your core has to be somewhat with it and your postural muscles and your neck and lungs and ribs and heart! It really can work you good! Plus according to SPORTEOLOGY.COM swimming is the second most difficult sport in the world next to gymnastics... I disagree somewhat, but we might be biased.
- Swimming has been tauted as a really great Aerobic workout. Many have wondered why this might be the case. Well, you shouldn’t breathe underwater; so, your body really has to work hard at using and distributing the oxygen that it does have. If efficiency is not accomplished your desire for air becomes more prevalent whilst swimming. Just be aware that continuous swimming in increments of 45 minutes or more is how you can engage aerobic systems in the water at peak efficiency.
- Despite its ability to enhance aerobic abilities, it does an amazing job with the anaerobic systems too. Again because you can’t always "catch a breath" any ol' time you want your body become very efficient at producing ways to use the non-oxygen systems in your body to make you function and adapt even better for future exercises.
- Swimming aids healing. Yeah... how cool is that? When you swim your tissues actually relax and expand just a touch due to the decreased gravitational element on your body. This allows for proper flow of nerve, blood and fluid exchange allowing for better repair and healing in the whole body.
- Swimming is great for your heart! Yeah, for the same reasons as above the natural tissue dilation decreases the exertion of the heart. That's right; the heart can work less hard to push the blood around the body, this decrease obviously puts less stress on the heart allowing it to work more efficiently, for longer in life. Did you know that the average heart rate is 13 beats lower in the water? Huh... cool.
- You live longer. Harvard University put out a 13 year study in 2005 where only 2% of swimming men studied died while deaths for other activities were 8% of runners, 9% of walkers and 11% of nonexercisers. I love swimming.
We are sure there are way more benefits that just this little list of seven and we didn’t even get very technical on these points but rest assured, swimming benefits you no matter what level of exertion you put into it. Just get in and enjoy!
Dr. Kyle Durieux, Chiropractic Physician