While you may not be as out of breath after a few laps as you would if you were running, swimming is still a full-body workout with many benefits. It keeps your heart pumping and works out muscles all over your body, including your arms, legs, and core. You will feel the burn all over after your swimming workout. 

Swimming can help improve cardiovascular health, and here are some of the top benefits. 

Top Swimming Heart Health Benefits 

Swimming can feel like a lower-impact workout, which is great for those who struggle with achy muscle and joint pain. It can also significantly impact your heart health. Here’s how. 

1. Increase Your Lung Capacity 

You don’t get out of breath as quickly when you’re in shape. You can complete more activities for longer and keep up with others. If you have ever taken up running, you may only be able to run a block before you get too winded and need to take a break. Over time, your endurance will improve with continued practice.

The same is true when it comes to swimming. Increased lung capacity can improve your endurance and lengthen your workout time. You’ll be pumping more oxygen to your brain and muscles and improving your blood’s oxygenation. Together, this can help improve muscle function and prevent strain and injury. 

2. Reduce Blood Pressure 

Those struggling with high blood pressure may also consider swimming an ideal workout. Swimming can help strengthen your heart muscles, allowing you to pump more blood with less effort. This lessens the stress on your blood vessels, lowering your blood pressure.

Additionally, swimming can help stimulate a physiological reaction known as the mammalian diving reflex that occurs when the body is submerged in cold water. The heart rate will slow down.  Blood flow can be restricted to nonessential muscles and redirected to vital organs. As a result, activating your mammalian diving reflex may even help reduce anxiety. 

The immediate effects are temporary, but continued practice can reduce blood pressure in the long term. 

3. Increase Good Cholesterol 

There are two types of cholesterol: good and bad. Bad cholesterol, or LDL, can build up in your arteries. It causes plaque, which makes it harder for blood to reach your heart. The more buildup you have, the more likely it is that you can develop heart disease. 

On the other hand, good cholesterol, or HDL, keeps the bad cholesterol moving. It helps guide it away from the heart to the liver, which can help it break down and process within your body. You want more good HDL than bad LDL. Swimming can increase HDL because it helps strengthen the heart. Your arteries become more flexible, allowing cholesterol to move without building up. 

4. Reduces Overall Risk of Heart Disease

All of these heart benefits culminate in a lower risk of heart disease. Your heart is pumping stronger and more efficiently. It doesn’t have to work as hard to perform its natural functions. You experience increased circulation, and your body is getting more nutrients faster. It’s a win-win for all your body functions.

How to Bring the Benefits of Swimming to Your Home

Swimming can be the best workout, providing many health benefits without causing as much stress on the body. Those who are serious about integrating swimming into their daily routine may want to consider building a pool at home.

A personal pool can help make swimming more convenient, and you can design a pool that meets your individual needs. For example, someone in Indiana may need more features to control the temperature, especially during the cooler months. Florida residents may have the opposite needs, especially as the temperatures remain warm all year.

The best way to understand what pool will work for your lifestyle and environmental needs is to consult a pool contractor. Go to Google and type “pool contractor near me” to start the process. It will populate with local contractors who understand what you’ll need based on where you live, including in Florida.  

Remember to explain that you want to use the pool to swim and exercise, in addition to any other requirements. This will significantly impact the designs your pool contractor will share. 

Wrapping Up 

If you want to improve your heart health with low-impact exercise, then you may want to consider swimming. You can reduce your risk of developing heart disease, improve your good cholesterol, reduce your blood pressure, and increase your lung capacity. 

Swimming is a full-body workout with many health benefits, including reducing joint pain, improving mental health, and contributing to weight loss. You will see many benefits if you integrate swimming into your daily routine, and a personal swimming pool can make it more convenient. 

Image by Tatiana S. from Pixabay

The post Exploring the Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Swimming  appeared first on Wellbeing Magazine.

1. Immune boost 

A commonly talked about advantage of swimming in cold water is how it boosts the immune  system. Immersion in cold water encourages the creation of white blood cells, crucial for  battling diseases. Consistent contact with cold water can enhance your body’s ability to resist  infections like the cold and flu. Studies indicate that individuals who engage in cold water  swimming often have more robust immune systems and heal faster from illnesses. 

2. Reduces inflammation 

Sports people have traditionally relied on ice baths for healing after rigorous training  sessions, and swimming in chilly water provides comparable advantages. Lower temperatures  assist in diminishing inflammation and discomfort in the muscles following exercise. This is  particularly advantageous for athletes who participate in long-distance events or those who  perform intense workouts. 

3. Improves mental health  

Endorphins can elevate your mood, diminish stress, and even mitigate the symptoms of  anxiety and depression. Cold water swimming also aids in regulating the body’s stress  response, simplifying the management of daily life’s pressures. As your body acclimatizes to  the cold water, you become more resilient to stressors, and numerous swimmers experience a  heightened sense of calm and mental clarity following a swim. 

4. Get better sleep 

Dipping into cold water can do amazing things for getting a good night’s rest. Being in cold  water relaxes your nerves, aiding in relaxation and making it easier to relax after a tiring day.  It also stimulates the production of melatonin, the chemical that controls your sleep patterns.  Frequent swimmers usually find it easier to fall asleep and experience more profound, more  rejuvenating sleep. 

5. Increases physical and mental strength 

Swimming in cold water isn’t solely about physical endurance—it’s also a test of your mental  strength. It demands confronting discomfort directly, which can foster mental fortitude and 

resilience. Consistently engaging in cold water swimming hones your ability to remain  composed and concentrated during tense moments, abilities that can be applied to various  aspects of life. 

Conclusion 

There are so many benefits from cold water swimming for both the body and mind. It can  help fortify your immune system and improve mental focus, leading to a significant  enhancement in your general well-being. Although the initial plunge might be challenging,  the enduring benefits of cold-water swimming make it a highly beneficial practice. Investing  in the right clothing from Freedom to Explore ensures you can enjoy cold water environments  comfortably and safely, maximizing your experience. Whether your goal is to increase your  physical strength, aid your mental well-being, or reestablish a connection with the natural  world, diving into cold water might be the solution to living a healthier, more harmonious  life. 

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Sun City Duathlon — 15^th March 2020, Sunderland

If you don’t want to waste any time, then make the Sun City Duathlon your first event of the year and resolve to complete this five kilometre run, 20 kilometre cycle, five kilometre run route, passing through the delightful coastal area of Seaburn. Make Sure your training regime is set in stone if you do fancy giving this one a go, as it is demanding for even the fittest of athletes — especially if the indulgence of the festive season lingers on into January. It’s a great event to try out though, passing down the picturesque promenade and along the coast road. The route is bound to be packed with spectators cheering you on as well, providing that essential encouragement you’ll need to make it safely over the finish line. If this is the challenge you’re looking for, then sign up and hit the ground running (and cycling!) in 2020. If you’re looking for a post-exercise refuel in the form of a Sunday lunch, Seaham has some tasty options you can head to for a calorific feast!

Richmond Aquathlon — 10^th May 2020, Richmond

There’s no real age limit for committing to a New Years’ resolution. So, get your little ones active and set them the goal of completing the 2020 Richmond Aquathlon at Richmond Swimming Pool. Suitable for ages 8-15 upwards, this event is a pool-based swim followed by a run along the River Swale footpath. There are prizes to be awarded on the day, and this could spark some excitement among youngsters. Why not let them push their own limits and use this event as a 2020 resolution? Richmond Triathlon Club runs the event, so if your child enjoys the Aquathlon they can pursue fitness further with the facilities provided — new year, new hobby to keep them busy! Find out more about the event and get your kids signed up, but don’t forget your children’s raincoat and a windproof umbrella!

Colour Obstacle Rush — 20^th June 2020, Newcastle

You’re bound to get an Instagram shot to remember once you’ve completed this one, covered head to toe in every colour of the rainbow. Taking place at Newcastle Racecourse, anyone aged 12 and over can take part in this quirky event, but it’s also a great one to get your office colleagues involved with. You’ll also take on a range of obstacles along the way, and there’s music on to create a real festival feel, providing fuel for you to take on the five kilometre course. Register for your place online now, and make sure you share the event with your friends, too!

Simply Health Great North Run — 13^th September 2020, Newcastle

Take on this super tour of the North East, the Great North Run has become an unmissable event in the past few years, and the number of participants is only increasing. It’s a 10 kilometre event, passing through a handful of some of the areas biggest landmarks — from the Tyne Bridge to the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Sage. It’s undeniably one of the biggest half marathon events in the country. Those aged 17 onwards are able to take part, and it’s a great opportunity to raise money for a worthwhile cause with many supporting the work of organisations such as Diabetes UK, Cancer Research, Alzheimer’s Society, and the Bobby Moore Fund, along with countless others. This is a fantastic event to have as your resolution to complete in 2020, and you could be whizzing past the likes of Mo Farah with a bit of luck (and a lot of training!). Sign up and make 2020 a memorable year by completing this landmark event!

Many of us are quick to come up with excuses regarding our New Years’ resolution attempts, but by committing to an event in advance you can use this as that additional bit of encouragement to kick start your new habits!

Sources:

https://suncitytri.co.uk/our-events/

http://www.richmondtriathlonclub.co.uk/

https://www.greatrun.org/great-north-run

https://colorobstaclerush.co.uk/

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According to ironmate.co.uk, almost twice as many people have scaled the heights of Mt. Everest than have swum the English Channel, and the charity Aspire help to make achieving this life goal more achievable through its fundraising event, the Aspire Channel Swim.

The Aspire Channel Swim is a great challenge for anyone who wants to stay fit, achieve a life goal and give something back at the same time.

With up to the minute leaderboards on www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk, you can pit yourself against your friends and all the other participants worldwide.

The challenge, which runs from September over a 12-week period, allows swimmers to cover the 22 miles of the English Channel in their local pool, working individually or as part of a group to achieve this goal. So if your New Years resolution was to swim the English Channel in 2016, it may not be too late to put it into practice this year as the challenge runs until the 7th December…
so let’s get swimming!

Olympic swimmer and World Championship medalist Chris Cook, shares his tips on improving your front crawl

“You want to make your stroke as efficient as possible so think about keeping yourself long and flat so you can be streamlined in the water,” says Chris. “Aim to create as little resistance in the water as you can so you can glide through. It’s also not about how many strokes you can do, better to think how few!”

Chris’ ten top tips:

1. Make yourself as stretched out as possible.
2. Keep your body position as flat as you can with a slight slope down to the hips to keep the leg kick underwater
3. Look slightly ahead and down
4. Reach out as far as you can with the pulling arm as it enters the water
5. Pull back in an S shape so your arm comes back to your leg.
6. Keep your legs close together and ankles floppy in a continuous motion
7. Kick from your hips, not your knees
8. Make small fast kicks, not large down and up beats
9. Keep one side of your face in the water as you turn to breathe
10. Don’t lift your head out of the water, the more your head raises the more your feet will drop. (Keep that long line so your neck is in line with your spine)

Chris Cook is supporting the Aspire Channel Swim 2015, a charity swimming event designed to raise money for people with Spinal Cord Injury. www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk

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It is a great way to get back into exercising following surgery, injury, heart attack or if you have a disability which impacts upon your movement and ability to exercise, as the water supports the body.

Swimming in a horizontal position places less exertion on your body because the heart isn’t working against gravity: therefore, it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood around your body, according to Professor Brent Rusthall, Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego University.

A Harvard University study of 160 male and female swimmers in their 40s and 60s found a positive relationship between physical exercise and sexual intercourse. The swimmers in their 60s reported having sex lives similar to that of people aged 40+ in the general population (Krucoff and Krucoff 2000). Bortz and Wallace (1999) found that the fitter an older person was, the better their sexual activity and satisfaction. People who look after their bodies and exercise tend to be more aware of their sexual health, enjoying increased sexual pleasure.

According to swimming coach and pilates expert Agneta Lindberg, it’s the best exercise to tone your pelvic floor muscles leading to more powerful orgasms and heightening the sexual experience of your partner. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can also help alleviate health problems such as urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse.

WHAT STROKES ARE BEST?

The best stroke for your pelvic floor is the breast stroke as the simple action of bringing your legs together causes your thigh and pelvic floor muscles to contract, thus strengthening them. All swimming strokes help to tone your waist and pelvic muscles to some degree because you constantly have to engage these muscles in order to keep your balance as you swim.

Studies have found that the heart rate of a swimmer is 12 beats per minute less on average than that of a runner, enabling you to keep up intensity for longer, thus increasing the benefits of your workout. This in turn improves stamina and energy levels, both of which are beneficial to enjoying sexual intercourse.

The temperature of the water prevents you from becoming as overheated as someone working out on land, which enables you to work out at the same intensity for a longer period of time, thus building stamina.

LONG TERM BENEFITS

Like all exercise, swimming boosts your endorphins, feel good hormones, which can help to increase your libido by reducing your stress levels – a major contributory factor in low libido.

Swimming can improve brain function through a process known as hippocampal neurogenesis, whereby the brain replaces cells destroyed as a result of the effects of stress upon the body.

It can also improve your circulation, increasing blood flow around the body and especially to the genital area, boosting sexual function.

Exercising in general has psychological benefits to health by reducing stress, raising self-esteem, improving your mood and increasing self-confidence, all of which can contribute to a more enriched sex life.

Having a swimmer’s body is also seen as a desirable image. When researchers at Cambridge University showed 700 women 30 different male body types, they found that the most attractive image was that of a swimmer: broad shoulders, nipped-in waist and small hips. Having a swimmer’s physique is also beneficial for women: you can balance out a pear-shaped figure by developing your upper body using breaststroke to tone chest muscles, which increases support to the breasts making them look firmer and uplifted, and tone thighs, making them look thinner.

Swimming is a low impact activity putting less strain on joints and limbs and keeps you looking young. Jogging has been found to increase the risk of wrinkles as the upwards and downwards motion of running cause the elastic fibres in our face to stretch. People who run or jog often have a gaunt, thin face that can look older.

Swimmers do not burn as much fat as runners but generally develop an all over body muscle tone, rather than just their legs. This is why swimmers tend to have bodies which look more balanced and in proportion because of the large number of muscles they use and the range of movements involved in swimming strokes.

Although Summer is an excellent time to go swimming if you continue to swim long after you have returned from your summer holiday, you can boost your sex life all year long!

Samantha Evans sexpert and co owner of online sex toy retailer www.jodivine.com

Swimsuit & Bikini Collection

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