Swimming Workouts Suggestions

Swimming is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise. Anyone who wishes to get or stay fit should consider including swimming workouts in their exercise routine. Swimming workouts use more of the body’s major muscle groups than almost any other exercise. A 125 lb person can burn about 453 calories in one hour of moderate intensity swimming, which can be compared to a one hourbike ride or running the mile is twelve minutes.

The upper body gets more work when you swim, although both upper and lower parts of the body are used in a swimming workout. Because of this, for a balanced workout, fitness experts recommend you include other forms of exercise such as running or walking at least twice a week.

One unique advantage of swimming workouts is the water’s buoyancy, which makes the body float. This results in less impact on the joints when you do swimming workouts. This makes swimming very suitable for overweight people or those with physical limitations. Swimming is in fact the exercise of choice for most people undergoing physical therapy. It is also a safe and enjoyable way for older people to stay active.

For those just starting with their swimming workouts, do not over exert yourself. A 12 to 20 minute swim is ideal Exercise at a pace that is comfortable to you and measure your heart rate from time to time. As you continue with your swimming workouts each week, you will be able to improve your endurance and you can swim longer, farther and faster. Soon you can swim for 30 minutes or even an hour just like an advanced swimmer.

The strokes you use in your swimming workouts also have an effect on how strenuous your session would be. The front crawl is the most tiring so you may want to mix it with other strokes such as breaststroke or backstroke. Alternate laps of each stroke to work a greater range of your muscles.

If you add in some simple water exercises, in addition to swimming laps, this will also help tone your muscles. Exercise your legs, stomach and back by doing leg lifts in the water. Hold onto the side of the pool, lift each leg ten times to your front, back, and side. Running in the water is also a very good alternative to swimming. You can mix in a variety of water aerobic exercises to make your swimming workouts more fun and interesting. A great variety of swim strokes and acquatic exercises can be included in your swimming workouts making it easy to get fit and not get bored.

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