Swimming as a sport is one of the oldest practices known. The Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures included the teaching of this discipline as part of their education. At the same time, the Greeks considered swimming a form of training, not only physical but also spiritual.
More and more people are currently interested in swimming, although traditionally this activity was relegated to learning the basics when you are a child and not continuing with it. Let’s analyze in depth the benefits of swimming. We may find that little push that drives us to its realization, not only because it is a healthy sports practice but also one of the best physical disciplines with numerous positive effects on a physical and mental level.
Benefits of swimming in bodybuilding
One of the most significant benefits of swimming is that it can thoroughly train your muscles. Although many sports stand out for the performance of only some specific muscle groups, swimming is shown as an activity in which the whole body is involved.
In addition, the type of exercise involved in swimming involves almost all physical qualities, such as strength, speed, and endurance, while doing cardio and bodybuilding work in the same activity. Among the main benefits of swimming for bodybuilding include:
Whole-body toning
By globally using the muscles, we favor its strengthening without causing decompensation. An imbalance is a significant difference in strength between muscle groups. A clear example is found in people who play paddle tennis or tennis since the musculature of the dominant arm (with which they use the racket) is much more developed than that of the non-dominant arm. The danger of suffering imbalances in our bodies increases the risk of injury. That is why we must always integrally work our muscles, as happens when we swim.
Improved useful force
Another advantage of swimming lies in the resistance to progress offered by the water. This refers to the fact that it is necessary to displace the water that occupies that place to advance in it or move a body segment. That is why moving, for example, an arm in the water, is more expensive than doing it out of it. The main consequence derived from this characteristic is that this resistance strengthens our muscles, just as weights do in the terrestrial environment. That is, we can train our strength while swimming.
Health benefits of swimming
The health benefits of swimming are also remarkable, optimizing energy consumption, improving blood circulation, and increasing lung capacity. Undoubtedly, this sport is one of the most recommended for sedentary people who want to start because it adapts to each swimmer’s needs. It is difficult to suffer injuries since the muscle and joint impact is minimal.
Improved utilization of the different metabolic pathways
There are many different tests in swimming, from the shortest and most explosive (50 meters) to the most extended. That is why the planning of training allows us to improve the different metabolic routes of our body to obtain energy. It all depends on how the factors of intensity, volume, and recovery are distributed. We should not only think about these benefits for the competitive purpose of high performance but also for our health. Aerobic training favors the growth of our mitochondrial density, capillary increase, strengthening of the heart, or increased oxygen consumption, among others.
Changes in breathing and lung capacity
Human beings do not have structures developed to carry out breathing underwater. For this reason, the breathing technique in the aquatic environment is different from the one carried out in the terrestrial environment. While out of the water, we inhale through the nose and exhale either through the nose or through the mouth. The inspiration is done through the mouth and the expiration through the nasal passages to practice swimming.
Practice swimming for injury rehabilitation
Those sedentary people or those who do not practice physical exercise regularly have the highest risk of injury. One of the most common mistakes sedentary people make when they begin to practice physical activity is to exceed their possibilities or perform exercises for which they are not yet physically conditioned. That is why they must work progressively and through non-injurious tasks to avoid injuries, as with swimming.
On the other hand, the rehabilitation of injuries aims to strengthen the affected structures. To this end, they must achieve the most appropriate conditions to carry out in a safe and controlled manner. In this sense, the aquatic environment has a particularity. Which differs notably from the terrestrial environment, which is to modify the gravity we live with daily. Since there is hardly any gravity, it allows you to work in a more pleasant environment.
You may also like to read: Six Basic Judo Techniques
Conclusion
Our daily posture and the effect of gravity cause the spine to compress. That is, the vertebrae put more pressure on the intervertebral discs. Making a considerable effort with poor posture, a decisive blow, or constant minor injuries can lead to a back injury. The best form of rehabilitation for this type of injury is always by strengthening all the structures that make it up.
After knowing the multiple benefits of swimming, it can be concluded that these characteristics inherent to its practice make it ideal for any person. Especially ideal for those beginning to engage in physical activity. So, what are you waiting for to practice it?