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Fitness: The health benefits of swimming

Fitness
 Swimming comes with health benefits you might not know about (Photo: Courtesy)

Can you remember the last time you went for swimming? Do you prefer to wait until you’re on holiday to take a dip in the ocean or is it something you love to do regularly?

Well, swimming for the most part is loved because it’s a great way to relax on a hot day. But besides that, it’s an activity that comes with many amazing benefits that you might not have thought about before.

If you aren’t a fan or you haven’t taken much interest in swimming, maybe these five benefits will convince you to spend more time in the pool even if it’s just for an hour:

It’s effective for weight loss

A big number of people are struggling with being overweight. For some, this problem has escalated into morbid obesity which is a huge health risk that could put your life in danger.

While there many methods you can use to shed some extra weight like hitting the gym, going for jogging and eating healthy, a new, more fun activity you can add to the list is swimming.

Multiple studies have shown that regular swimming helps to burn calories which makes it a great way to have fun while losing weight.

You can schedule regular swimming sessions where you do moderate or even high intensity training.

It helps in toning

Similarly, if you have already reached your weight goal, you can still embrace swimming as a way of maintaining a healthy weight and toning up.

The motions strengthen and tone the muscles which makes it the perfect full body workout.

As you maintain a healthy diet and do your regular gym or home workouts, why not add an interesting twist by swimming more often?

 Swimming helps you reduce stress and relax (Photo: Courtesy)
It’s great for cardiovascular health

A healthy heart is at the center of our overall health. We have always been advised to eat the right foods and exercise regularly to keep our hearts in top shape.

And this is where swimming comes in because it has proven benefits when it comes to cardiovascular health.

It helps to keep heart diseases away and is an effective blood pressure regulator along with other great benefits.

It helps you to de-stress

A big reason why people of all ages still love to swim is because of its therapeutic properties. When you’re drifting in the water as it carries you, you get this wave of relaxation.

We talk about different strategies of coping with mental health struggles and regular swimming could be something you need to try.

As you find other healthy coping mechanisms, you should consider swimming to experience all the therapeutic benefits that come with it.

It’s an effective recovery treatment

The good thing about swimming is that it’s also suitable for people with different medical conditions. If you’re recovering from an injury or are dealing with conditions that prevent you from doing strenuous workouts, you have the option of swimming.

It’s gentle on the body and an effective pain treatment if you have arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other limiting conditions.

There is even the added benefit of improved lung capacity and enhanced breathing for asthma patients especially when done in heated indoor pools.

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