Getting in Shape Using Water

What do the majority of apartment complexes in Gainesville have in common? In case you have not guessed, they have a swimming pool. When you think of a swimming pool, you might think of lounging by the pool with a few friends or taking a cool dip in the water. But did you know that a swimming pool is a great place to exercise and get in shape. Read onto find out more about the benefits of swimming.
Swimming can help you by keeping your heart and lungs in good shape. It does this by building up your endurance and cardio-vascular fitness. This can be a great way to start or end another type of non water workout. For example, if you swim before running it can help to get your heart rate up. But if you swim after you run, then it will help you to cool down. This can also help your muscles to relax.
Calorie burning is another benefit of swimming. Swimming can burn 3 calories a mile per pound of body weight. About.com gives a good example to help us understand this concept. If a person weighs 150 lbs, and it take 30 minutes to swim one mile, then you will burn 900 calories per hour. But this also varies with the type of swimming that a person engages in like a breast stroke or back stroke. For estimates on this type of information or to customize your fitness program to your weight, visit www.dietandfitnesstoday.com.
Swimming also can be a fun social activity. You can encourage your friends to go swimming with you so they can also enjoy the same health benefits. This will enable you to get together with them while sharing a common activity and get in shape at the same time.
Unfortunately, swimming is not the best exercise for significant weight loss. According to the on-line Merck Manual, swimming has a cooling effect so you may burn a lot of calories while in the pool but this calorie burning process stops as soon as you get out of the water. This is why land exercises such as walking or running are better for a large amount of weight loss.
Are you ready to jump in the water? Well, check out about.com for more information on swimming! Don’t forget to bring a towel so you can dry off!