There’s a lot of debate about the best way to get your exercise fix. Investing in a gym membership and putting in the miles on the treadmill is ever-popular; cycling has seen a massive surge in popularity in recent years.
But could it be that the best all-around form of exercise is actually something you’ve been doing simply for enjoyment since you were a child?
Swimming has a huge number of health benefits, but in case you’re still wondering whether to take the leap into the pool, here’s The Edge Sports low down on whether swimming is really the best exercise – and if so, why?
What benefits are we looking for in an exercise activity?
When we’re assessing whether an activity provides good exercise, we’re looking at whether that activity can provide the full benefits of a workout. These are benefits such as:
- Getting healthier. If you exercise regularly, it can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.
- Increasing your mental well-being. It’s well known that physical activity is good for the mind as well as the body.
- Boosting your self-esteem. Exercise can help raise your confidence levels.
- Sleeping better. A good workout can really help you get a good night’s sleep.
- Fighting stress and depression. Exercise helps you to release feel-good hormones which can help you relax and feel good.
So what counts as ‘good’ exercise?
In order to reap the benefits of exercise, we need to be engaging in an activity that raises our heart rate, makes us breathe faster and get warmer. The exercise needs to engage our bodies to a moderately intense level, where we could still chat a little but wouldn’t be able to sing! If we can do exercise that raises the level of intensity to vigorous, where we wouldn’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath, our health could benefit even more.
Examples of exercise that could be classed as ‘good’ include:
Brisk walking
Running
Cycling
Dancing
Tennis
Hiking
…and, of course, swimming.
How much do we need to exercise?
Health advice states that adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week.
What are the benefits of swimming?
Swimming is a great form of exercise. It would usually be classed as a moderate–vigorous–intensity activity, meaning you’ll be reaping fantastic health benefits as well as having a good time. Here are the reasons we think swimming is one of the very best forms of exercise:
Full-body cardio workout
As opposed to many other forms of exercise, which focus on working out a single muscle group or area of your body, swimming provides exercise benefits to your whole body. Its holistic nature is one of the reasons it could be thought of as the best form of exercise.
Little impact on your joints
Many people find themselves excluded from sports such as running because their knees can’t withstand the impact, or similarly from tennis because of injuries to their arms or shoulders. But swimming is gentle, with no high impact on any area of your body.
So it’s great for maintaining your overall health and carries a lower risk of injury than many other activities. Plus it’s particularly valuable for those recovering from injuries sustained from other sports, those who aren’t used to exercising, and those who are overweight and need to be careful not to overload their bodies.
Uses all the major muscle groups
Although it is thought of as a cardio form of exercise, you’ll be giving all your major muscle groups a good workout. So it’s also an effective way to tone yourself up.
Excellent aerobic exercise
Swimming benefits the heart and helps to keep blood pressure normalized, helping to lower the risk of heart attack.
Improves your flexibility
Swimming is one of the best exercises for improving your flexibility. Rather than making muscles bulk up, it lengthens and stretches them, helping you feel sleek and bendy!
Strengthens your lungs
Studies have shown that swimming is particularly good at strengthening the lungs. A good breathing technique is an important part of swimming, and it’s good to know you’re giving yourself an internal workout as well!
Burns lots of calories
Have you ever noticed how incredibly hungry you feel after going for a swim? That’s because it’s a sport that burns a huge amount of calories. So if you’re looking for a time-effective way to slim down, swimming could be your best option – it helps to actually increase your metabolism, meaning you burn calories and lose weight more effectively.
Cools you down
There are many people who would like to exercise more, who get really put off at the thought of getting very hot and sweaty. Swimming is a great way around this problem. Especially in the summer, swimming can be hugely refreshing. You could do a workout where you push yourself really hard – but rather than feel embarrassingly sweat-soaked, you’ll feel pumped up and ready for the rest of your day.
It’s an all-ages and abilities sport
Swimming is more inclusive than most sports. Whatever your age or ability, the lack of impact on joints and the gentle support of the water means you can give it a go without worrying about injuring yourself.
It’s relatively accessible to all
While some sports require a huge amount of expensive gear, you can get started with swimming with just a small amount of basic equipment. The Edge Sports stocks a great selection of swimming supplies, most importantly, swimming costumes.
Beyond a swimming costume, you may want a pair of goggles if you are swimming in a chlorinated pool; if you’re going wild swimming you might consider investing in a wetsuit too.
Swim gloves, shoes, and sunglasses can all come in handy depending on the conditions you are swimming in. But there’s no need for an enormous financial outlay in order to get started.
It’s a mindful way to exercise
Many people find that swimming is a great way to tone the mind as well as the body. Swimming means you have to focus on your body in the here and now in order to stay afloat; your breathing plays a huge part in finding your rhythm.
It all adds up to a calm and meditative experience – especially when compared with the potentially loud sensory overload of some other forms of exercise.
Are there any downsides to swimming?
At The Edge Sports, we think swimming is definitely one of the best forms of exercise. As with anything though, there are some downsides.
Takes a little time and effort
Some would-be swimmers are put off by the logistics of swimming. Where a run might fit neatly into your lunch hour, getting into your costume, getting to the pool, and then getting washed, dry, and changed afterwards can all feel like a lot of effort.
Chlorine
If you’d be swimming in a chlorinated pool, you might find that your skin becomes dry or sensitive to exposure to the chemicals. It can also feel unpleasant to breathe it in for some people. However, with the ever-increasing popularity of wild swimming, we’d suggest there are plenty of non-chlorine swimming options out there to explore!
Learning to swim
For those that can’t swim already, learning to swim could feel like a barrier to using swimming as their workout. Rather than simply start running, they will need to invest in proper swimming classes and learn a good technique, in order to get the benefits of swimming.
However, there are lots of classes available, and there’s no time like the present to get learning! It’s a skill for life.
Are you thinking of getting into swimming?
At The Edge Sports, we think the rewards of swimming far outweigh the minor negative considerations! While there are many great forms of exercise, swimming certainly rivals most for the top spot.
If you’re looking to get into swimming, come to The Edge Sports for all your essential swimming supplies. From men’s and women’s swimming costumes to rash vests, wetsuits, and goggles, we’ve got everything you need to look and feel your best when you take the plunge.
