Benefits Gained From Swimming

Swimming is a popular sport and recreational activity that dates back to prehistoric times. It is believed that cave paintings from the Stone Age show people using swimming as part of a ritual. In the Middle Ages swimming was one of the seven agilities of knights, which included swimming in armor. Different civilizations held swimming contests throughout history leading up to the first Olympic Games held in 1896 which had six scheduled swimming events. It would appear that our ancestors understood the value of swimming to improve strength and stamina, however it is unclear if they fully comprehended the additional health benefits associated with swimming.

The following health benefits make swimming an excellent exercise option for people of all ages and fitness levels.

• Reduced risk of injury- When you are in water your body weight is 1/10 of what it would be on land. This reduces the stress on your bones, connective tissues and joints making it possible to gain the health benefits of exercise without the risk of injury associated with exercise outside of water.

• Swimming is a whole body workout- One of the reasons swimming is considered a good exercise is the fact that you use almost all of your major muscle groups when you swim. Water resistance is greater than air resistance which means your muscles have to work harder resulting in toned upper arms, shoulders and legs.

• Increases cardiovascular fitness- Your heart rate decreases 10 beats per minute when you are in water. This may be due to a lower body temperature or less gravitational pull, but the result is an exercise that improves circulation without overworking your heart.

• Low impact exercise- Swimming and water aerobics can help many people who otherwise would not be able to reap the benefits of regular exercise. Individuals recovering from certain injuries, pregnant women, overweight or elderly individuals benefit from this low impact activity.