SWIMMING -calorie burning activity

Swimming is an activity that burns lots of calories, is easy on the joints, supports your weight, builds muscular strength and endurance, improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you during the hot season, and one that you can do safely into old age. Here are some benefits of swimming that should get you motivated..

• Improving your capacity: swimming allows you to use your arms, legs and lungs all at the same time. This increases your acrobatic capacity as you are using all of your body parts at the same time.

• Strengthening your heart: swimming helps you to build your heart muscle which in return allows it to pump blood at a much faster rate. This increases your blood circulation which is good for a person's health.

• Strength against disease: research has proved that people who have a sedentary life seem to develop heart problems, joint problem and obesity when compared to those who swim regularly. Swimming helps in strengthening your body muscles and provides you with more endurance which helps you to fight against the above diseases.

• Building muscle: as it is known that water creates more resistance than air so you need to try much hard when it comes to swimming. You have to try 12 times harder when compared to working on land. This makes your major body parts like hips, shoulders, arms and back to exert 12 times more power. As a result of this you develop stronger muscles.

• Safe exercise: another benefit of swimming is that it is one of safest and cushioned form of physical exercise a person can find. If a person suffers from joint pains then swimming is a good form of exercises for him. He won't feel any pain while swimming as compared to working out on land. Professional athletes use water for rehabilitation purpose when they suffer injury.

• Swimming burns lots of calories, anywhere from 500-650 per hour depending on how efficiently you swim (you burn more flopping around than swimming cleanly!). Research showed that swimming, regardless of the stroke, burned about 89% of the calories burned during running and 97% of the calories burned during cycling for the same time period. In other words, swimming burns about 11% fewer calories than running but only 3% fewer calories than biking. 

Most people get bored of performing a single exercise but swimming is one of those exercises that won't let you get bored. Also, for people who do not like to sweat and still want to exercise, swimming is a great way to do just that. I think it's time for me to face my phobia and sign up for swimming classes! How about you?

If you know any swimming classes/instructors in your area and would like to share, Please post the information below in the comment box. 

Source: Medicinenet