Healthy, Low-cost and Low-impact activity --- Swimming

SWIMMING ~

Swimming is one of the most popular sports in Australia. Swimming is a healthy, low-cost activity that you can continue throughout your life, as it is a low-impact activity. Swimming has multiple physical and mental health benefits. It is a great way to workout as swimming requires the whole body to move against the resistance of the water. 
Health Benefits of Swimming 


Increase muscle tone & strength -
A swimmer has to propel themselves through water, a substance roughly 12 times as dense as air. This means that every kick and every arm stroke becomes a resistance exercise & as we know, resistance exercises are the most effective way of building muscle tone and strength

Weight Control -
Swimming is one of the most efficient forms of calorie burning. Swimming is also great for weight control. The amount of calories burnt whilst swimming depends on the individuals physiology and intensity to which you train. To boost the calorie-burning component of swimming, incorporate intervals into your training. Intervals will work your body hard for short bursts, then allow it to recover during short breaks. Then repeat. 

Improved Flexibility -
Unlike exercise machines in a gym which tend to isolate singular body parts at a time, swimming requires the entire body to move. Swimming puts the body through a broad range of motion, which helps joints and ligaments stay loose and flexible.
The Arms -- move in wide arcs
The Hips -- are engaged as the legs kick through the water
The Head & Spine -- twist from side to side and up and down
Additionally, with every stroke, as you reach forward, the body is lengthening not only making it more efficient in the water but also providing the body with a good stretch from head to toe

A Healthier Heart -
As swimming is an aerobic exercise, it strengthens the heart. Swimming helps the heart become larger and also makes it more efficient in pumping; leading to better blood flow throughout the entire body



Swimming sessions can be done at your local aquatic centre or if you want to mix things up a bit, why not use the rock pools down at the beach! 

Sample Swim Session

• 200m freestyle
• 4 x 50m
  • Freestyle up, Backstroke back
• 4 x 50m
  • Freestyle sprint up, Breastroke back
• 2 x 100m
  • IM (individual medley = butterfly, backstroke, breastroke, freestyle)
• 3 x 50m
  • freestyle sprint up, freestyle slow back
• 200m freestyle, warm down

Happy swimming people,
Georgia