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SWIMMING, A GREAT EXERCISE WITH FUN
Swimming, get ready.
 Swimming
is not only a method to get rid of scorching hot weather. It is also a
great and exercise with added fun. Swimming is a healthy activity that
can be continued for a lifetime - and the health benefits swimming offers
for a lifetime are worth the effort it takes to get to the pool.
Have you ever watched the Olympics and found yourself in awe of the professional
swimmers’ physiques? Their long, lean and toned muscular bodies seem to
glide through the water effortlessly.
Swimmers are in fantastic shape and those who swim regularly know that
they not only look great on the outside but feel just as great on the
inside. The health benefits of swimming are almost unmatched by most any
other sport.
Why is Swimming So Good?
Swimming works your whole body, improving cardiovascular conditioning,
muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time.
Your cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves
your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart.
As you become fitter and are able to swim longer, your resting heart rate
and respiratory rate will be reduced, making blood flow to the heart and
lungs more efficient. If you’re looking to lose weight, swimming is just
the ticket.
On average, a swimmer can burn as many calories in an hour as a runner
who runs six miles in one hour. Simply put, some call swimming the perfect
form of exercise. 
Why do you swim?
For the health benefits to your heart and lungs? For the chance to be
with some of your friends at the pool? Or is it something else? If you
are looking for a break from the heat of the summer, then a dip in the
water is exactly what you need; swimming is a way for you to cool off.
It fills a wonderful recreational need for individuals and families, from
beach and pool fun to water parks. Kicking workouts, water aerobics, pool
running, or a regular swimming workout can all give you a great exercise
session without the weight of your body pounding you with each move.
Regular swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular
fitness. It can serve as a cross-training element to your regular workouts.
Before a land workout, you can use the pool for a warm-up session. Swimming
with increasing effort to gradually increase your heart rate and stimulate
your muscle activity is easily accomplished in the water. After a land
workout, swimming a few laps can help you cool-down, move blood through
your muscles to help them recover, and help you relax as you glide through
the water.
Swimming does burn calories at a rate of about 3 calories a mile per pound
of bodyweight. If you weigh 150 lbs. and it takes you 30 minutes to swim
one mile (1,760 yards or 1,600 meters), then you will be using about 900
calories in one hour. However, many swimmers do not swim that quickly,
and many cannot swim for that distance or duration.
There are other psychological benefit to swimming, if you allow it to
occur. Relax and swim with a very low effort. Let your mind wander, focusing
on nothing but the rhythm of your stroke. This form of meditation can
help you gain a feeling of well-being, leaving your water session refreshed
and ready to go on with the rest of your day. Many swimmers find an in-direct
benefit form swimming. They develop life skills such as sportsmanship,
time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense
of self-worth through their participation in the sport. Swimmers seem
to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group
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