Benefits Swimming Strokes

If you are looking for an exercise that is complete then look no further than swimming that can help in your mental well-being, improving bone strength, and increasing flexibility of joints.

Exercising is a necessity for your overall well-being but you don’t need to go to a gym if you don’t like traditional gym exercises. There is a cool way to exercise and that is swimming. Jumping in a pool of deep blue water is both exciting and entertaining.

Let’s start the discussion with the advantages of swimming

1. Aids Weight Loss

With swimming, you can burn more calories than with any other activity. Also, it is a fun way to aid your weight loss efforts.

2. Strong Bones

Aging can deplete your bones of necessary mass leading to weak joints that could pain as age advances. But you can keep your bones strong and joints movable with swimming.

3. Improve Cardio Health

Leading a sedentary lifestyle could make your heart prone to problems but there is little need to punish your body and mind in a gym if you don’t like gym exercises. You can head to the pool for some cool aquatic aerobic exercises that are good for your health.

4. Improve Flexibility

Swimming is the only exercise that allows the free movement of joints and muscles. It works for the whole body without making you tired or exhausted.

5. Improve Coordination

While swimming, you have to make good coordination between your body and mind. You have to use all your body to keep floating. Your neck, spine, arms, and legs work in coordination during swimming.

6. Improve Breathing

While swimming, you make the best use of your lungs leading to improved breathing and lesser chances of developing asthma. And if you are already suffering from asthma, swimming can help with the asthmatic condition.

7. Improved Sleep Quality

Swimming works for the whole body. When you swim, you exhaust your mind as well as body. Within a short time, you start feeling tired and want to take a rest. You will have a good sleep after taking a refreshing swim in pool water.

8. Improve Mental Well-Being

Anxiety is a major mental issue that can dip your mood and make you feel discouraged and disillusioned all the time. While stress can be managed with medicines, but there is little need to rely on meds when you can control the stress with swimming.

9. Anti-Aging

Yes, swimming can reduce the impact of aging on your body and mind. It will keep your mind free from stress and joints mobile. It will improve your bone mass and muscular power. It will improve your breathing and mental condition.

10. Improvement In Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is more a neurological problem than a physical one. Children suffering from cerebral palsy need to do exercises to improve their motor skills. Swimming can help kids with cerebral palsy in improving their motor skills, overall condition, and quality of life.

11. Lower Triglyceride

Even a little increase in triglyceride level could make you more prone to heart diseases. It is especially true about middle-aged women. But swimming can playfully lower triglyceride levels.

12. Tones Muscles

The repeated movements of hands and legs will reduce the fat and tone and strengthen your muscles. And it works for all muscles from your neck to toe.

After going through the benefits of swimming, you should know how to swim. Swimming can be done in six different ways and each method has its benefits.

1. Freestyle

• Keep your face down and hands extended above your head

• Bring your hand under the water to push the water back and then do it with your left hand

• Push the water back using both the hands alternatively to move forwards and increase the speed

2. Backstroke

• Float on your back with your hands by your side

• Move your right hand in a clockwise motion to push the water and then do it with the left hand

• Try increasing the speed once you start moving backward

3. Breaststroke

• Float with your body flat, face down, and hands extended over your head

• Here you need to pull water from over your head to your chest but avoid taking your arms beyond the chest level

• Fold your arms and bring them to the first position as soon as they reach the chest level

• Extended your arms and kick the water back with both of your hands to move forward with breaststrokes

4. Butterfly

• Facedown in the water with your hands extended and palms facing down

• Start moving both of your hands in a semicircular motion to kick the water backward so you move forwards

• Take your hands out of water in a sweeping motion for second butterfly stroke and keep increasing the power of the kick

5. Dog Paddle

• Float on your stomach with your head up

• Paddle water with your right hand and left leg and left hand with the right leg to kick the water back and move forward

6. Sidestroke

• Float to your side preferably right with your right arm extended towards the water and left hand resting on the side

• Your head should be above the water but in line with your spine, hips, and legs

• Pull the water back with the right arm and use the left arm to pull the water downwards to move forward

• At the same time, move your legs like a scissor to produce the thrust needed to push your body in a forward motion

Beginners should start with Freestyle swimming exercise as it is easier to practice and perform. Since you are a beginner, you should focus on doing the exercise in the right manner.

Precautions to be taken with swimming

• Never jump into the water without doing a warmup exercise. Give your body some time to get ready for the aquatic aerobics instead of jumping directly to the water.

• Post-swimming, remember to cool down your body by doing some lightweight stretching exercises.

• Follow a general program to improve your functional health to prevent getting injured while swimming.

Swimming is a great exercise for many reasons. It is a recreational activity that works for the whole body. Another advantage of swimming is it is easier to practice. Here you don’t need any weight or any other accessory to swim.

Disclaimer: Swimming requires intense training under the guidance and supervision of a personal trainer. It could be dangerous to swim without proper training.