Swim, Don’t Sweat
how to make swimming part of your fitness routinecanada
(Jan.19.12)
Staying fit doesn’t have to mean slogging away on the treadmill or sweating it out in a cardio class. As you know, some of us are partial to hitting the pool as a way to burn calories and get our fitness fix. But just what does working out in the water have to offer? Quite a bit, as it turns out.
Celebrity trainer and fitness expert Jay Cardiello shares his insights into the many benefits of water workouts and tips for making the most of your swim sessions.
Body benefits
Aside from making us feel great, swimming has many benefits that make us want to don our favourite suit and dive in — and Cardiello shared seven on the most significant:
- Increased muscle tone and conditioning
- Increased cardiovascular endurance and conditioning
- Increased flexibility and joint range of motion
- Increased caloric burn and expenditure
- It can actually decrease cholesterol
- It heightens emotional balance and stability
- Helps decrease muscle stiffness and joint pain
The perfect water workout
Start with a slow swim anywhere from 200 to 400 metres to warm up – a must if you want to get an effective water workout. Next, pick a stroke you like (front crawl, breast stroke) and implement a fun interval training workout that will keep intensity high, while avoiding a burnout. Try alternating between a faster stroke for two minutes and a slower pace for 45 to 60 seconds, for a total of 45 minutes. Perform a cool down by swimming a few laps at a leisurely pace and finish with some static stretching after you exit the pool.
Supplement your swimming
When you’re swimming for fitness it’s important to add other exercises that will be help you in the water.
Core: Get your midsection in shape (especially the lower lumbar and lower abdominal region) to support and maintain position throughout the stroke. Add planks, side planks and lower back exertions to your routine.
Posterior development: Build up your back region and posterior chain (gluteus and hamstrings) with lat pull downs, seated and dumbbell rows, dead lifts and weighted step-ups.
Shoulders: Enhance shoulder strength (and swim speed) with presses, reverse flyes and internal and external shoulder rotations.
Proprioception work: Improve coordination, agility and strength with balance boards and wobble boards.
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