Researchers believe that swimming can reduce the risk of diabetes and lower blood pressure; however, did you know that swimming also has many benefits for cardiovascular health?
1. Lowers blood pressure
The heart is part of the circulatory system, a complex network of arteries, veins, and blood vessels that distribute oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. If they were laid end to end, they would cover the globe more than twice! Any activity that increases your heart rate and sweat production can be beneficial for cardiovascular health – swimming is particularly effective, as it not only strengthens your heart muscles, but also lowers your blood pressure, while also improving circulation.
Studies have shown that swimming can protect against heart disease and related conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmias. Swimming also lowers bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol. And since no impact is required to take part in aquatic exercise, it’s no wonder that swimmers and Olympic medalists often boast excellent cardiovascular health!
Researchers have recently discovered that regular swimming can significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, both due to its effects on the cardiovascular system and because muscle movements occur differently while diving than on land.
Swimming and other forms of hydrotherapy (such as water yoga ) can be therapeutic for joints. They can provide relief for people suffering from arthritis or joint pain, recovering from knee replacement surgery, or those living with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma.
Swimming can help improve breathing by strengthening the muscles that support it. This can be especially effective for people living with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
2. Improves circulation
The heart is just one component of the circulatory system — a complex network of arteries, veins, and blood vessels that delivers oxygenated blood to every cell in your body. Like any muscle in your body, strengthening your heart through cardiovascular exercise, such as swimming, is a great way to do so without putting undue strain on your joints or back.
Your lungs also get an effective workout from swimming, especially when you use kicking and arm movements to propel yourself through the water. This full-body movement strengthens lung capacity and improves breathing technique, helping to reduce risk factors associated with respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Swimming is an effective, low-impact cardiovascular workout for people with arthritis or joint problems, but anyone can benefit from its buoyancy as a low-impact activity to reduce pressure on muscles and joints while moving through the water. Swimming provides a safe and effective way to develop cardiovascular endurance, as well as improve balance and coordination.
As cardiovascular endurance increases through swimming, resting heart rate may also decrease; this is beneficial because it reduces the risk of heart disease.
When it comes to cardiovascular exercise, swimming may not get as much attention from researchers; however, it can still offer broad benefits for improving heart health. A skilled swimmer could likely achieve similar results to an accomplished runner because of the way swimming strengthens and enlarges the heart’s left ventricle to deliver blood through more powerful pumping movements, helping it become stronger over time.
3. Strengthens muscles
Swimming may seem too easy to count as cardio exercise, but it actually provides an amazing workout. Each stroke engages different muscle groups, and you can target specific ones during your sessions. As an average estimate, 10 minutes of swimming burns about 60 calories, making it one of the best calorie-burning exercises and also an effective way to control weight management.
If you want to increase the intensity of your swim workouts, add kickboards or pool noodles as resistance equipment options. These force your legs and arms to work harder, increasing the benefits of strength training. Additionally, you could split your workout to target both your upper and lower body, doing only upper-body pulling exercises or lower-body kicking exercises, respectively.
Swimming not only strengthens your muscles, but it can also help increase lung capacity by strengthening and expanding your lungs more efficiently to use oxygen. This is achieved through the continuous movement created during swimming – helping to strengthen your lung tissues as you swim, which in turn improves the efficiency of using oxygen effectively.
Swimming can help reduce stress due to the repetitive motion and relaxing atmosphere of the water. If you struggle with stress, incorporating swimming into your weekly routine may be helpful.
Before embarking on any exercise program, it’s wise to consult your doctor first. But for healthy people looking to start an exercise program, swimming can be an excellent cardiovascular and strength workout, suitable for people of all ages, and with less impact on the joints than running. Swimming may even be suitable for people who can’t tolerate the impact on their knees, hips, or ankles due to injuries or arthritis.
4. Helps fight osteoporosis
If you have osteoporosis or are concerned about it, swimming can help. The movement that swimming involves, combined with the resistance of the water, gives your body an effective workout that increases bone strength and, at the same time, helps prevent fractures by improving balance and strength, the main causes of bone fractures. In fact, a recent study showed that swimmers have a lower mortality rate than runners and walkers, even after taking into account factors such as age, health,a nd lifestyle.
In general, swimmers tend to have healthier hearts than non-swimmers, due to the aerobic nature of this form of exercise. Swimming helps the heart and lungs work more efficiently, which leads to reduced blood pressure, cholesterol risk, and overall improved cardiovascular well-being.
While some may consider swimming not to be a true cardio exercise, it provides a fantastic cardiovascular workout that is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels – including seniors with arthritis or other joint conditions who find land-based activities challenging. Plus, its easy-on-the-joint nature makes it ideal for people recovering from back and neck injuries.
If heart health is important to you, consult your doctor before starting a new fitness regimen, especially if you have recently had open-heart surgery or cardiac rehabilitation. Swimming and other aquatic exercises tend to be well-tolerated by those with heart disease because they work multiple muscle groups at once and are low-impact. Swimming can also help those who experience knee, hip, or shoulder discomfort from certain land-based exercises.
5. Helps fight depression
Swimming can be an ideal way to burn calories without putting strain on your joints. An hour of vigorous swimming can burn up to 715 calories for a 350-pound person; with practice, speed and endurance increase, as well as lung capacity, allowing people to exercise for longer without getting tired or having to stop mid-workout.
Additionally, swimming can help relieve depression, anxiety, and stress due to its physical effects on both the body and mind. Additionally, regular exercise can improve sleep quality, leading to more energy throughout the day.
High-intensity swimming causes the brain to release endorphins, helping to convert fight-or-flight hormones into relaxation-inducing endorphins that calm both body and mind. Additionally, it stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis—the process that creates new cells to prevent the degradation caused by chronic stress—inducing positive changes within both organ systems.
Swimming is a low-impact activity that works all major muscle groups. This makes it especially beneficial for people with arthritis or joint pain who might not otherwise be able to exercise at all. If swimming at top speed is too much of a challenge, try walking through the water or using foam weights to add resistance to your pool workout routine.
Swimming is one of the most accessible forms of cardiovascular exercise, suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, with no membership fees or expensive equipment required. Plus, swimming helps relieve depression and anxiety!
