Swimming for Fun and Fitness

Written by Branda Polk

July is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and to cool off near water. The pool, the lake, or the beach provides great ways to have fun and stay fit through the summer. Next time you’re near water, try these suggestions to burn some extra calories:

 

1. Swim. It seems really obvious, but some people forget about this option.  Swimming is a great cardiorespiratory (heart and lungs) activity. Swimming strengthens the upper body through the resistance that is naturally provided in the water and uses both arms and legs for a total body workout. Swimming is easy on the joints because there is no jarring movements and no impact. 

2. Walk or jog in the water. If swimming is really not a preference for you, try staying in more shallow water and walking. The deeper the water that you stand in, the more resistance you will feel as you move through the water.  Keep the movement slow and controlled. Use your abdominal muscles to stabilize your body.  Use long walking strides to strengthen and tone the legs.

3. Run in deeper water. This activity requires some kind of flotation device to hold you up in deeper water and is safest done in a swimming pool. Plastic gallon containers like milk or bleach come in make easy and inexpensive floatation devises. Empty bottles held close to the body allow you to float in deeper water and work the legs using a running motion. This is a great exercise for people with knee or hip pain.  If you are unsure of your swimming ability, use caution with this exercise or stay close to the edge of the pool.

4. Make up your own exercises. Many water toys, like swim rings, beach balls, water “noodles,” and swim fins, and kick boards can add resistance and allow you to work many muscle groups in your body. An example: stand in chest deep water with a beech ball in front of you. Press the ball down and hold it under the water with your arms extended. Then, slowly bend your elbows and let the ball raise without coming out of the water. The resistance of the water and the ball creates a strength training exercise for the upper body.

While the water can be fun and can help improve your fitness, remember to be safe. First, always use sunscreen when outdoors to prevent burning and sun damage to your skin. Second, never swim alone. And, third, use caution when exercising in the water that you don’t exhaust your strength so you cannot return to safe ground.

Regular, consistent exercise is a vital part of living a wellness lifestyle. Try a variety of new things to keep you moving, fit and strong. 

Branda Polk, B.S. Exercise Science, is a certified personal trainer, wellness coach, conference speaker and health writer in Lebanon, Tennessee. Sign up for Branda's newsletter, Wellness Connection, to receive encouragement and coaching in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and stress relief. Follow Branda on Twitter.

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