Playing sports has an effect on the entire body, both inside and out. And while most people appreciate the health benefits of running, cycling, lifting weights or even walking, fewer understand the benefits of a good swim session, including toning and strengthening. muscle strengthening, reducing inflammation and improving heart, lung and mental health.
It turns out that boosting body mass through water activates numerous systems throughout the body and makes the low-impact, high-result nature of this sport second to none. It also explains why Americans engage in more than 300 million recreational swimming activities each year, making swimming the fourth most popular recreational activity in the country, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC, for its acronym in English).
“Swimming provides a number of specific benefits, such as improved cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, increased muscle strength and endurance, improved lean body mass, reduced risk of traumatic injuries, such as those that occur during high-speed activities. impact, and improved mental health and well-being,” says Mitch Lomax, a pulmonologist and exercise physiologist at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom.
“Swimming is an activity that can be practiced across the entire spectrum of ages and abilities that exists in other sports,” says Lori Sherlock, professor of exercise physiology, Ironman hopeful and coordinator of aquatic therapy at the University’s School of Medicine. from West Virginia (USA)
Arguably the most important benefit of swimming is that it supports heart health. Research shows that this practice also improves circulation and cardiovascular efficiency, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack and ictus.
“Swimming is a rhythmic and dynamic whole-body activity that raises heart rate and effectively lowers blood pressure,” said Hirofumi Tanaka, co-author of multiple swimming-related studies and director of the University’s Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory. from Texas, USA. Research shows that it lowers blood pressure, in part, by reducing the hardening or stiffness of blood vessels and by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation levels throughout the body.
Swimming also influences the relationship between the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as the lungs work harder to meet the demands of an increasing heart rate.
“The hydrostatic pressure of swimming in water, coupled with the increase in central blood volume, taxes the respiratory system and makes inhaling more difficult than breathing on land,” explains Sherlock.
Swimming also has a tremendous impact on the musculoskeletal system, as the viscosity and density of water offers resistance in each stroke, which requires the use and strengthening of muscles.
“To propel yourself forward, swimming requires the use of many of the body’s major muscle groups,” says Heather Massey, senior lecturer and sports exercise scientist at the University of Portsmouth, UK.
These include the muscles of the trunk, the hip flexors, the muscles of the neck, those of the arms, hands and shoulders, those of the chest and back, as well as the glutes and those of the legs and feet. “You can probably assume that if you can name a muscle, it’s probably used at some point during swimming,” Lomax says.
This unique form of water resistance has the added benefit of strengthening and toning muscles, “without the wear and tear associated with lifting weights,” says Whyte. Also often seen as an advantage is being able to tone your muscles more without having to deal with the discomfort of sweat on your clothes and face, “which deters some people from exercising more often,” says Christopher Travers, exercise physiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States.
“Swimming facilitates the absorption and utilization of glucose through insulin-independent mechanisms and improves insulin sensitivity,” explains Massey.
Research shows that this sport is also good for increasing metabolism and that the repetition of strokes and movements can burn a lot of calories. According to a public health analysis, a 70-kilogram person burns 281 calories per hour swimming at a moderate pace, but can burn up to 704 calories per hour swimming freestyle at an intense pace. Butterfly style burns up to 774 calories per hour. In this way, swimming can “help achieve weight control goals,” says Matthew Anastasi, a doctor and sports medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States.
One caveat is that swimming in cold water is known to cool the blood circulating through the hypothalamus, which controls appetite, so swimmers are more likely to snack after exercise than people who play other sports.
In addition to the effect that cold water has on the hypothalamus, the body must also work harder to maintain its core temperature in cold water, “which leads to increased hunger,” Whyte says. He says this tendency is something you can be aware of and resist if you’re swimming to lose unwanted weight.
“Swimming has also been shown to reduce stress levels, improve negative emotional states and even decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, thanks to the meditative nature of rhythmic breathing and the calming effect of water,” says Whyte. The practice also helps some people sleep better, likely due to its stress-relieving benefits and physical exertion requirements.
Swimming is not only good for your mental health, but it’s also a great way to connect and engage with other people in the community, Anastasi says. It can also help strengthen closer relationships. Tanaka points to a study he co-authored that looked at nearly 200 swimmers and showed that people who swim tend to have more active and satisfying sex lives, and fewer performance-related problems, such as erectile dysfunction and dyspareunia.
The best thing, exercise scientists say, is that the cardiovascular, neurological and musculoskeletal benefits derived from swimming are not limited to just young athletes.
“Swimming is a physical activity that can be done across the age spectrum,” says Sherlock. One reason is that the buoyancy of water reduces stress on joints and muscle tissue, making exercise accessible to many people. “Swimming transcends physical limitations, so even people with neurological, orthopedic, cardiovascular, respiratory or musculoskeletal disorders or diseases can benefit from it,” he explains.
The density of the water also provides support and reduces the risk of falls that most commonly exists in activities such as running or active land sports.
“Because swimming occurs in a hypogravity environment and is a low-impact activity, it reduces the risk of traumatic fractures compared to high-impact activities,” Lomax says. This is one of the reasons why swimming and hydrotherapy are used to help people heal from injury or certain medical conditions, Travers explains.
He says the support of water also makes swimming a more accessible exercise solution for people who are overweight or obese, a condition that affects about 4 in 10 Americans.
As accessible as swimming is, this sport has a learning curve, as you have to practice the proper strokes and techniques. If you don’t know how to swim, “a good starting point is to follow a swimming program at your YMCA, health club, or community pool,” Anastasi says. Most of these centers offer swimming lessons for beginners, and some also offer programs for advanced or competitive swimmers. It is also advisable to hire a swimming coach if you want more personalized help.
Many community facilities also offer stand-alone water aerobics classes that do not require you to know how to swim, but provide the support and many of the benefits of exercising in the water. Some experts recommend a combination of swimming and other water exercises to start. “Performing one or two laps of swimming followed by walking or jogging in the water and repeating this sequence may seem more approachable for beginners,” says Sherlock.
Because of how physically exhausting swimming can be, Lomax recommends incorporating rest days into your exercise program once you get going to give your muscles time to rest and recover. “Once you get in shape and get used to the demands of swimming, back-to-back sessions will be much less of a problem,” he says.
Above all, as with any form of exercise, making the experience enjoyable is key to ensuring it is sustained long-term. “Swimming is not just exercise, but an enjoyable and refreshing experience that can improve physical health, mental well-being and quality of life,” says Whyte; “jump in and let the transformative journey begin.”