You don’t need to be Michael Phelps to excel with swimming
One of the considerations for any type of fitness routine is the cardiovascular workout you will do and there many options out there. It may be that you use a combination of different exercises and what you choose is usually based on what you enjoy. The benefits of a cardio workout are numerous such as improving the health of your heart and an increase in your energy levels. When you’re trying to get your blood circulating, there are various indoor and outdoor activities that can be beneficial. One form of cardiovascular workout that you may have overlooked is swimming and we will now look at how you can start swimming and what the benefits are.
Swimming has sometimes been viewed as the ideal all-around exercise since you get to work all of your body with the least amount of stress as you are supported in the water. You might want to try running as a form of cardiovascular workout but you have to exercise caution, even with proper footwear, that you don’t put too much strain on your joints. As with many other types of cardio workout, there’s always the possibility that you can severely injure yourself. If you swim, you will not have this problem and this is why sports men and women oftentimes take to the pool when recovering from injury.
Starting a swimming workout program requires little in when it comes to preparation or planning. The type of swimwear required is different if you want to swim seriously and you will need a good pair of goggles and perhaps a swim cap also. Also, you need to locate a pool, whether it’s a private membership or public access, that will give you the chance to swim lengths uninterrupted. However, once you are ready, try going two or three times each week and the progress you make will depend on your current ability.
The type of swimming you do in the pool can be varied in order for you to stay interested and to work your body in different ways. At times, try swimming as many lengths as you can in a set amount of time and on other occasions try to alternate between fast swimming and short distance sprints. Also, you can change the strokes you use and as you become stronger, there are other swimming aids you can invest in to improve certain aspects of your technique.
If you are using swimming as part of a cross training fitness regimen, structure some of your gym exercises to help you with the way you swim. By concentrating on specific muscles and flexibility, this will help you the next time you swim and as your stroke gets better, your motivation to continue will be greater. A real benefit you will also get is what is referred to as a swimmer’s body which means you will look great and feel fantastic.
No doubt, swimming is a great cardiovascular workout that can offer you the assurance that you look your best. And don’t be fooled – looks to count. No matter if you are a man or a woman, the opposite sex will always appreciate you make over.
Swimming is not the only way to get fit. Check out the Stamina training unit to learn about true stamina. The author also recommends this article about Delay pads to impress your partner.