Swimming is a great way to increase your cardiovascular fitness, burn calories and improve your upper body strength. As it is low impact, swimming is a fantastic option for those who are injured and provides a great cardio workout for those who have a large amount of weight to lose, and want to avoid the strain on joints, ligaments and tendons experienced during higher impact exercise; such as running.
A person weighing 60kg will burn between 350 and 700 calories an hour when swimming, depending on the intensity and the swimming stroke. This is comparable to the calorie expenditure achieved during jogging/running, with a lower chance of over use injuries and strains.
Swimming can also be a good opportunity to relax and unwind, or to grab a group of friends and socialise while working out. It’s a refreshing way to shed kilos over Summer while others pound the pavement, pouring sweat, and in Winter there’s always the option of a heated pool.
That said, i might head down to Dawn Fraser Baths for a few laps now!
Felicity.
It is important to remember that (although swimming is excellent exercise) it is non-weight bearing, and because of this it does not increase bone density. To improve bone density, some form of weight bearing exercise should be included in your training routine.
