Swimming is so healthy
Whether children or seniors – swimming is good at any age. Read about how swimming affects your body and mind, which swimming style is particularly healthy, and how many calories you burn each way.
Swimming is a sport that is considered very healthy and suitable for all people – from young to old. Whether you swim in the sea, a lake or a swimming pool, exercise in the water not only has a positive effect on the body and muscles, it also stimulates the immune system. Swimming is also a sensual experience. The cool water refreshes. Invigorates the circulation. In addition, the buoyancy of the water gives most swimmers a feeling of lightness and weightlessness. Many therefore feel enormously comfortable in the water. And when temperatures are hot in summer, cooling off in the pool is a special pleasure anyway.
Swimming is good for body, mind and soul 1,2
Swimming is one of the endurance sports – like jogging, cycling or walking. It has many positive effects on the body, but also on the psyche:
gentle on the joints: Swimming is considered a gentle sport that is easy on joints, tendons and ligaments. Because the water carries the body. He does not have to lift his own weight. A person is about seven times lighter in the water than on land. 1 Jogging, for example, is different: Here, the entire musculoskeletal system has to perform well and withstand higher loads, especially the knees. Sports physicians therefore also recommend swimming for people who are overweight, obese (adipositas) and for pregnant women.
Good muscle training: Swimming works out nearly all of your muscles, but especially the muscle groups in your arms, legs, torso and back. Professional swimmers with their well-defined bodies are a good example of how swimming strengthens the figure. – It stimulates the Blood circulation and Strengthens the cardiovascular system: Such heart or cardio training is not only suitable for healthy people, but is also recommended for many diseases. – Swimming trains the respiratory muscles and increases the volume of the lungs, Strengthens lung function and leads to a more regular breathing rhythm – It strengthens your Immune system And you are better armed against bacteria, viruses and other germs. – Swimming improves condition, fitness and performance. – The Metabolism becomes more active, when you jump from the (usually) warmer environment into the cool water. – Swimming is strenuous and you need more strength than you may realize while swimming. If you plow through the water, burns some calories. Because you have to "work" with your whole body against the water resistance. Moreover, the body must regulate its temperature in the cool water. This process also uses energy. The colder the water, the more calories you burn. – Swimming relieves stress and provides relaxation. – This sport is very low-injury. The same cannot be said for jogging, playing soccer or tennis. Here joints, tendons and ligaments are constantly exposed to the risk of injury. By the way, cycling or (Nordic) walking are also considered low-injury sports that are easy on the joints.
Which swimming technique is healthiest? 3,4
Breaststroke, backstroke, crawl or the more difficult dolphin style: you can swim in many positions. But the different swimming styles are each differently difficult to learn and execute. You need a little practice until you master the swimming techniques correctly and the movements become second nature to you. Some swimming techniques are healthier than others.
Breaststroke is a style probably preferred by most people. you the neck muscles. Cervical spine. back and neck pain can be the result. It is better to dive into the water with your face at every stroke and exhale there. To relax the muscles in the neck. Also, when surfacing, do not lift your head far out of the water, otherwise you will overstretch it. Take it out of the water only so far that you can catch your breath well. One hour of breaststroke consumes up to800 kilocalories. Back. The spine. Both remain straight and the head and neck are in the horizontal position. One hour of backstroke burns about 500 kilocalories. 4 Crawl is best for your fitness. It trains many muscle groups, challenges the cardiovascular system and the entire musculoskeletal system. In addition, you advance the fastest. When you crawl you consume 900. More kilocalories per hour. Challenge. You need a lot of strength. Have to coordinate all movements well. You need a lot of strength. Must coordinate all movements well. This swimming technique is usually only suitable for swimming professionals. The consumption of kilocalories: ca. 900 per hour. 4
Swimming is healthy even when you're sick 1
Swimming increases fitness, strengthens the immune system and can prevent some diseases. It also helps people who suffer from diseases. Some examples:
– Joint diseases, z.B. Rheumatism (rheumatoid arthritis) or joint wear and tear (osteoarthritis) – the gentle movement in the water protects the joints and they can recover. – Overweight and obese: swimming burns calories, helps you lose weight and tones your figure.
You can swim at any age. And: it can be learned at any age. there are courses in indoor swimming pools or swimming clubs also for beginners, where you take your first steps in the water. If you have not swum for a long time, it is sometimes worthwhile to brush up on the technique again. And if you're already a semi-professional swimmer, you can still tweak and improve your swimming technique.