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Swimming is a fabulous form of exercise for many reasons. However, you don’t sweat underwater — so how do you know if it’s enough?
You might not feel as exhausted without perspiration dripping into your eyes, but you can work every muscle in the pool. Swimming is enough exercise, and here are eight ways to get an incredible workout.
Swimming offers a ton of benefits, including a toned, sleek physique. If you hit the online dating apps, you might see some folks describe themselves as having a “swimmer’s body” — toned without being overly muscular.
For people who have chronic pain conditions like arthritis, the water eases stress on your joints, making movement less painful. You might not enjoy jumping around in a land-based HIIT class, but an aquatic one may suit you to a T.
Finally, if you live in a hot climate, land-based workouts can prove dangerous when temperatures soar. You don’t run much risk of heat exhaustion or stroke when in the water.
You’ve decided you can get enough exercise from swimming, but you don’t want to get bored with your routine. Here are eight ways to move it in the pool.
This suggestion may seem obvious, but swimming laps incorporates your whole body, making it an ideal workout. If you don’t know how, you can take lessons, which counts as your daily workout.
Once you master the basic crawl, add more styles to your repertoire. The breast, back and butterfly strokes all work different muscle groups for a total fitness blast.
You can use weights in the pool — of course, they differ from the metallic land version. Most are made of foam similar to the stuff found in noodles.
Another idea? Use rubber resistance bands. The water adds to the intensity of weight workouts. You can build strength more effectively due to pushing against the liquid as well as the equipment.
That resistance doesn’t only come in handy in weight workouts. It makes your walks more challenging as well.
Get in the pool and stroll instead of swimming. You won’t be able to go fast. If you like, pump your arms while holding aquatic dumbbells to blast both your upper and lower body.
Have you ever tried to run in the water? It could make your land-based jogs speedier.
Experiment by replacing one run on land with an aquatic one each week. At the end of six weeks, see if your 500-meter dash time improves.
Do jumping jacks on land hurt your knees? Why not do them in the water? You’ll blast your outer thighs with the added resistance.
If you have extra money, take a water aerobics class to learn new moves and meet friends. Make sure you select a certified teacher to protect your safety.
Barre classes are all the rage right now. And guess what? Your average 3-foot pool depth lets you use the edge to perform similar moves.
You’ll blast your quads the whole way through. Plus, the water slows your movements, making each one look instantly more graceful.
If you want to combine dance and swimming, consider taking a water ballet class. You might have seen some of the stunning performances at the Olympics.
You will need a bit of equipment for this exercise style. A set of nose plugs makes it far more comfortable to dive beneath the waves.
If you think it’s challenging to balance in tree pose on land, wait until you try it on a paddleboard! The glorious part? You get wet when you fall.
All that balance work blasts your core. You’ll get a rock-hard six-pack without doing a single crunch.
As you can see, swimming is more than enough exercise. Get a killer aquatic workout with the eight tips above!
