When it comes to exercise, swimming is one of the most beneficial for a wide variety of reasons. It can be an enjoyable sport for your children as well as help keep everyone in the household healthier. After all, what good is a proper diet if you don’t have the benefit of physical activity to strengthen the body? What kinds of health benefits can you expect from owning, and using, your swimming pool?
1. Low Impact – Swimming provides an activity that doesn’t jar your skeleton system or otherwise impact your body like other regimens. As the water compensates by supporting your weight, you can provide a greater workout while sacrificing less of your stamina while supporting your own body. This allows you do to more activity while consuming less energy.
2. Muscle Tone – Not everyone wants to look like a body builder in order to call themselves fit. Swimming allows your body to strengthen and tone the muscles instead of adding bulk. The resistance of the water itself is key when comparing activities. It takes more effort to move a body through water than it does by simply jogging around the block.
3. Ageless – Even the activity of treading water can strengthen the muscles while burning calories. This is an excellent way for older individuals to receive a workout without putting stress on joints such as those suffering from arthritis. On the other side of the bracket, children can quickly burn away excess energy and calories in the same fashion.
4. Cardiovascular Improvements – Aerobic exercise proves to strengthen the heart as it pumps blood and oxygen throughout your body. As swimming is one of the most active aerobic exercises you can commit to, this is greatly beneficial to improve your cardiovascular system. According to the American Heart Association, three and a half hours of swimming each week can decrease coronary heart disease within women by up to 40-percent.
5. Calorie Burning – The sheer nature of swimming allows individuals to burn more calories than many other workouts. This is partly due to the fact that you’re using a wider range of muscles in order to push yourself through a resistant medium. An average 30 minutes in the pool can burn approximately 300 calories – depending on your activity while in the water.
6. Safe for Asthmatics – Swimming is a much easier exercise for those that suffer from asthma. As the moist air is gentler on the lungs of those afflicted with the condition, the event of an asthma attack is greatly reduced while in the pool, especially chlorine free pools. As many children are affected by this condition, swimming is a much safe alternative to other activities such as jogging around the block.
7. Endorphins and Stress Relief – Swimming helps the body produce endorphins that naturally make an individual feel good. This is true with any physical activity, but can provide a profound difference while in the pool. This can help relieve stress allowing the body to function normally.
When purchasing a pool, view the expense as more of a method to help keep your family fit. The cost of the pool is less than you would spend on gym memberships and diet programs for everyone in the household. In an age where digital diversions such as console gaming and smartphones are abundant, investing in the pool could provide your family with the physical activity he or she may be neglecting.
Ken Myers is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. He has combined his passion for helping families find in-home care with his experience to build a business. Learn more about him by visiting @KenneyMyers on Twitter.
A pool is absolutely a great way to get exercise, lose weight and stay in shape! The great thing about a pool and using it for exercise is that it knows no age limit, and is one of the ways a senior citizen can get their workout without straining or putting so much shock into their knees and joints. It’s even better when used for exercise while children swim for fun, bringing families together to the same area even with different intentions for each member.