The Health Benefits of Swimming vs Other Types of Exercise
Date: 09/30/2023
Some people like to swim for pleasure, others do it as a pursuit of excellence in Olympic events.
Regardless of why you do it, there are always health benefits to swimming, especially if you’re not keen on other forms of exercise.
This month, let’s take a look at why swimming is so good for your health and compare it with other exercises.
The Health Benefits of Swimming
Wondering if a pool in your backyard could help you shift those pounds or increase your stamina?
Here are six benefits of swimming for your health:
It Moves Your Whole Body
Because swimming requires leg and arm movements all at the same time to achieve momentum, you’re giving your entire body a workout.
Switch up your strokes to get the most out of all areas of your body.
You’ll Have a Stronger Heart
Getting more cardio exercise means your heart gets stronger along with your lungs.
Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise can help prolong your life because of how good it is for your insides.
It’s Low-Impact for Joints
Whether you’ve got injuries or find other forms of exercise stressful for your joints, swimming is the best alternative.
Being in water means there is a much lower stress impact on your joints – particularly the knees.
It’s a Calorie Burner
If your aim is to burn calories, then swimming is ideal. Someone weighing 160 pounds can expect to burn roughly 423 calories, while someone at 200 pounds could burn 520 to 890 calories. There are very few calming exercises that burn as many calories as swimming.
There’s Less Sweat
Often, many people are put off exercise because of the sweat and discomfort, but with cool water all around you, you’ll never feel sticky or have to worry about body odor.
It’s Safe During Pregnancy
Many forms of exercise might be too strenuous for those with a baby on board, but swimming, due to the low impact, is a light, easy way to exercise (and stay cool).
In 2010, a study determined there were no adverse effects of chlorinated pool water on pregnancies.
Let’s look at how swimming stacks up against other forms of exercise, but before we do, it’s important to note that when comparing to forms of exercise, the intensity with which you work out will impact how much you get out of it.
Swimming vs Cycling
Cycling isn’t nearly as effective as swimming for burning calories, but it is a better option if you’re trying to build up muscle in your leg muscles as you can crunch those higher gears.
Swimming can be a great toner for the upper-body but even that takes a monumental effort, so it’s better deployed for shifting those excess pounds.
Swimming vs Running
Again, intensity plays a big part in how effective each of these is, with a vigorous swim better than a leisurely jog.
Those running at a pace of roughly a mile every 8 minutes will burn more calories than an intense swim.
One unique benefit running has over swimming is the ability to increase bone density due to working against gravity.
However, as mentioned earlier, this is the reason why swimming is better for your joints since there is less impact from landing your foot on concrete under gravity over and over.
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With over 46 years of experience building a wide range of pool designs including freeform pools, geometric pools, plunge pools, exercise lap pools, inground pools, spas and infinity pools.
Whether you’re thinking about a pool for those late evenings spent with your family in the setting sun or you’re eager to increase your fitness, at Master Pools of Wilmington we’re a Master Pools Guild member and can help you create your dream backyard.
Get started today and contact our team to discuss which pool type is right for you.