Swimming - a full body exercise

Water and life		Types of exercises in water
Swimming, a full body exercise		Swimming strokes
Swimming Benefits		How to learn swimming

 

Water and life

Life comes from water and our body is 70 % water. It can't exist life without this amazing thing called WATER.

Imagine how it would be this world without seas, oceans, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and of course swimming pools...Imagine your summer vacation with no seaside...it wouldn't look good at all, don't you think?

Personally, I hope we will never lose this special friend and we will always enjoy its presence in our life. But this it depends on us, to be responsible for our actions and to REALLY protect the one that gives us life.

So, swimming means life, good health and a lot of fun. It doesn't matter your age, your weight, color, race. Swimming is for everybody.

Swimming - a full body exercise

Swimming is a full-body exercise that utilizes, strengthens and tones major muscle groups within a woman's body.

Swimming is considered to be a healthy and relaxing activity. It tones the body and provides an excellent cardiovascular workout as well. Moreover, it also strengthens your heart muscles and improves the delivery of oxygen to the different parts of the body.

Experts and trainers opine that this sport can be of extremely great help to your health and if included in the daily regimen, it is bound to yield marvelous results.

Swimming benefits

• Improved strength and flexibility
• Better muscular endurance and balance (Many professional and amateur athletes cross-train in the water)
• A stronger heart
• Enhanced physique or figure
• Improved circulation
• Rehabilitation therapy for used or healing muscles and recovery from accidents and injuries
• Weight control Swimming is a great calorie burner
• Relief from stress and tension
• Increased energy

 

 

• Pregnant women benefit the most from swimming. It makes their abdominal muscles strong, which are most essential when carrying a baby. In addition, it strengthens the back and the muscles that help post-mastectomy women carry their weight more easily.
• Swimming is great for recovering after surgery
• Controlled breathing, which leads to developing your lung muscles and overall aerobic fitness.
• Arm pull action which will build your triceps, shoulders, chest and back muscles, rolling torso that is vital in building the abdominal muscles.
• Building all leg muscles.

 

Types of exercises in water

There are different types of exercises that can be done in water.

• Water Walking and Jogging - Walking and jogging in water have similar benefits to walking and jogging on land but with lesser injuries. Walking and jogging in water can be done when you are waist or chest deep in water. Water provides resistance when you walk and jog making it all the more effective.
• Water Aerobics - As mentioned earlier, this provides cardio-vascular movements. Aerobics normally involves rhythmic movement. The same can be done in water for about 20 minutes or so. The resistance by the water makes the workout more strenuous thereby more effective.

 

 

• Water Yoga and Relaxation - Gentle and easy flowing movements are part of water yoga. The water proves to be a relaxing medium.
• Flexibility Training - Full body movements and stretches are done for flexibility training.
• Water Toning and Strengthening - Movement of the upper body and lower body. Sometimes equipment is used, though water resistance suffices. It aids in strengthening, firming and sculpting the muscles.
• Deep water jogging and running - Here the feet do not touch the bottom of the pool. Jogging and running is done in deep water. Flotation belts and devices are used with various drills, methods and running styles.
• Wall Exercises - The pool wall is used for support and separate parts of the body are exercised.
• Stretching - Slow movements are done and held for a period of time after warm up and after each workout. This helps stretch the muscles that have been worked out and also helps in avoiding soreness.
• Lap Swimming - This is a common form of swimming exercise. Lap swimming can be done using different strokes and is an option for fitness exercise. You can start off with one or two laps so that you can complete without straining. Gradually the number of laps can be increased.

 

Swimming Strokes

A swimming stroke involves the movement of arms and legs, which in turn propels the swimmer forward. When swimming a stroke, the movement should be smooth and not jerky. Heavy splashes should be avoided when swimming using a particular stroke.

Some of the most popular swimming strokes are:

Free Style: This style does not limit itself to any particular technique. It is commonly called front crawl. Only 15 meters can be swum underwater

BreastStroke: This style has a particular technique that must be strictly followed. The shoulders must be kept in line with the water; arm and leg movements must be pushed forward together and brought back under the surface of the water. It involves frog-kicking alternates with a simultaneous movement of the arms from a point in front of the head to shoulder level.

Butterfly: This stroke evolved from experiments with breaststroke. The stroke involves the dolphin kick with a windmill-like movement of both arms in unison. When swimming the butterfly stroke, the swimmers must keep their shoulders in line with the surface of the water, and make arm and leg movements together.

Backstroke or crawl: Swimmers remain on their back and this stroke involves alternate over-the-head arm strokes and a flutter kick in a supine position. These are the four main strokes. There are others like trudgen, sidestroke and crawl.

 

Have fun !!!!