The health benefits of swimming

Swimming is one of the most recommended sports, both for young people and adults, due to its easy learning and the benefits it brings to health with Lifeguard Certification. It is important to swim correctly

As a sport, swimming is advisable at any age as long as you have a " minimum of acquired aquatic skills ," director of the National School of Swimming Trainers  and former swimmer, who emphasizes that it is essential to control the aquatic environment and know swim well; You're not improving just because you swim, "because you may be doing it wrong," he says.

The same is that before swimming for free, it is done under the supervision of a monitor or trainer who gives the correct guidelines on how to swim. Thus, the movement is executed well and specific exercises adapted to the characteristics and needs of each person are marked.

It is important that the professional who directs a session "is trained and qualified " for the problem or pathology being worked on. In this way, swimming will bring health benefits, since otherwise, it will bring inconveniences by not performing the exercises well.

It should be noted that " swimming does not cure , but it does improve or lessen certain ailments,"

Swimming benefits

1. Work muscle mass

When we swim, the whole body is trained, especially the torso, arms and legs. Sports swimming allows you to work all muscle groups, in addition to being an aerobic exercise , which allows you to burn fat and calories.

2. Very helpful for most ailments

Swimming is recommended for the vast majority of problems related to " metabolic ,  post- traumatic or rehabilitation -type ailments, " according to Moises Gospel. Within the recommendations, it is necessary to differentiate which exercises are best for each person. It is not the same to swim “for someone who has suffered a heart attack , than for someone who has low back pain ”.

3. Benefits for the cardio respiratory system

"The cardio respiratory system is the basis of work in swimming," says this expert. Therefore, it is a beneficial sport for those who want to increase their respiratory capacity or their cardiovascular resistance. The former swimmer warns that, to improve these skills, you must first learn to adapt the respiratory process to the water.

4. Recommended for the musculoskeletal system

The conditions offered by the aquatic environment are not the same as those on land, so by working in a horizontal position, and not vertically, "you release the usual pressures" and help release tension . Older people are the ones who get the most benefits, since thanks to the water they can perform "movements or gestures that they cannot on land", declares the coach.

therapeutic swimming

The term therapeutic swimming covers a very wide field because it does not work in the same way with all people or with all pathologist , problems or ailments . A specific work program must be established depending on the person's aquatic skills and conditions.

The main difference between therapeutic swimming and sports swimming is that the former does not aim to improve physical performance, but rather specific objectives in the field of health that are worked on.

"The four swimming styles (front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly) can be good or bad," states Moises Gospel. There are times when you don't have to swim any style, but in a specific way in which the ailment you suffer from is worked on.

3 swimming goals

Swimming, more than an entertainment sport for anyone, is responsible for pursuing different objectives depending on what you want to achieve.

The goals of swimming are:

Utilitarian . Many people are usually afraid of swimming and decide to avoid any topic related to it, but there are situations where it is necessary to learn to swim, rather than to spend some fun time with friends or family, swimming is responsible for covering one of the needs basic of each person that is to conserve life.

You can learn to swim at any age, but learning is easier when you are young, which is why all parents should consider enrolling their children in swimming lessons.

Educational . Swimming can be included as part of the program of a school year, as a class within a school or as an extracurricular activity, in any way, learning to swim in both forms provides a complete training for everyone.

If the school has a swimming team, the classes taught may be focused on developing skills for future competitions, depending on their level.

One of the first things to learn is proper breathing. In our entry How to learn to breathe to swim? We present the breathing technique that you must follow to have greater safety and confidence when swimming.

Health . Practicing a sport like swimming helps to develop or improve the general physical condition of everyone, while swimming all the muscles of your body are exercised.

Swimming , a sport to keep fit , allows you to control your weight and achieve a healthy and balanced lifestyle. You can practice this sport for at least half an hour to burn calories.