From weight loss to better sleep.
WRITTEN BY LYDIA HOUSE, MORGAN FARG AND BRIDIE WILKINS
The benefits of swimming are vast, but chances are it's probably not as regular a part of your workout routine as, say, strength training, reformer Pilates, or weightlifting. As we always say, the workout you enjoy is the one you should do, so if it's not for you then don't force it, but if swimming is something you like but often put off (no swimsuit, CBB to shave - you know the drill), then you should probably read this.
Health benefits of swimming
Regular pool attendance could make you smarter, improve your mental health and enhance your lung capacity, and that's not all. According to the NHS, adding a weekly swim workout to your training plan can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and strokes.
You can also expect full-body toning and improved stamina, which translates nicely into improved overall fitness levels and capabilities. Cross-training (exercising in different ways) is a fantastic way to improve your overall fitness.
We spoke to Emily Morrissey, a Swimming Instructor for Swimming Nature, for her expert know-how on the benefits of swimming.
12 benefits of swimming
1. It improves your mental health
Swimming is one of the few sports that demand you leave the outside world, outside. You physically can’t look at Instagram in the pool, so one of the biggest benefits of swimming is that it’s great for giving the mind time to power down from constant digital stimulation.
Morrissey says, 'many people say that by simply being in the water they feel more relaxed and less stressed. Regular exercise helps reduce anxiety and depression, as it releases "feel good" hormones and keeps our brains working in a healthy way.'
Plus, she suggests if you embrace open water swimming and not just in your local pool you can reap more rewards: 'Learning to swim can allow you the opportunity to swim in beautiful places outdoors which many people find to be memories they cherish.'
Research has found that hitting the pool was comparable to Yoga in terms of reducing anxiety and stress over a 12-week period.
3. It's lower impact than other forms of cardio
Sore knees and ankles a common complaint of yours? Well, know you're not alone. High-intensity workouts can exacerbate already aching joints (think running or super challenging cardio home workouts) but swapping a few sessions for some pool laps could do you the world of good.
'A runner will exert anything from 5-10 times their body weight through their hips, ankles and knees,' Morrissey says. 'As water naturally holds you up, it can reduce your moving body weight by up to 90%, this reduces the stresses and impact on your joints, muscles and bones by the same 90%. Which is huge!'
'Yes, running or cycling will usually burn more calories than swimming,' she continues. 'But a benefit of swimming is that it keeps your heart rate up without stressing your body.' This type of exercise is known as steady-state training (LISS) and helps to build stamina.
Indeed, one study on people with osteoarthritis showed that swimming could cause significant reductions in joint pain and stiffness.
4. Swimming could help you drift off more quickly
Aerobic exercise (e.g. any cardio activity) has been linked to better sleep quality and improved sleep duration, making for another benefit of swimming. Music to our sleepy ears. According to one study, getting sweaty is the passport to a good night's kip – something we absolutely love to hear.
The results indicated that when embracing regular exercise, plus good sleep hygiene, you can improve sleep quality, mood and quality of life.
5. It's generally a pregnancy-safe exercise
Firstly, all pregnancies are different – checking with your GP about what's what before you start any exercise regime is crucial.
That said, generally speaking, one of the major benefits of swimming is that it's a pregnancy-safe form of exercise. The water supports you and bump and can help to reduce swelling in the ankles and feet.
And that's not all. Research has found that pregnant women who swim during their early to mid-pregnancy can have a lower risk of preterm labour and congenital defects, while another study showed no adverse effects of swimming in chlorinated pools while pregnant. In fact, pregnant women who swam during their early to mid-pregnancy had a lower risk of preterm labor and congenital defects.
6. There's more than one way to do it
Unlike other forms of exercise where perhaps, there's little variety, there are various strokes you can use to keep your swimming workout fresh, including:
- breaststroke
- backstroke
- sidestroke
- front crawl
- butterfly
Changing up your stroke will often change the muscles worked, plus, certain strokes such as front crawl lend themselves to faster cardio workouts, while breaststroke can be done as a LISS (low-intensity steady state) workout.
TIP: If you find that doing certain strokes makes your sessions shorter (e.g. front crawl), you could be doing them wrong, says Morrissey. 'People with poor technique are often stuck to short bursts where they have to completely stop to recover. Swimming with good technique allows us to swim more effortlessly and with variable pace.' That includes faster and slower.
8. Learning new strokes and seeing improvement is majorly satisfying
Not only will it keep things interesting but mixing up your strokes will also give muscles and joints a break from continuous actions if you’re swimming for a long time.
Morrissey explains, 'All strokes complement each other well, in that getting better at backstroke will help your front crawl or breaststroke.'
To improve your technique, Morrissey suggests to 'break down' strokes and then put them back together again.
'This is so you’re really focusing and perfecting that skill. Try doing lengths of a certain stroke with just the kick and without using your arms, then follow it with the full technique and bring the arms back in.
'You can also do a few lengths just focussing on your arms, so just letting the legs float behind you.'
Paying attention to particular areas will help you get a better overall stroke and workout.
A lot of us take the gift of free movement for granted. However, at one point or another in life you might suffer from a niggly injury or reduced mobility and at these times, make a splash.
Morrissey explains, 'due to the reduction in body weight and stress it puts on your joints, swimming can offer the opportunity to move in ways that you can't on land owing to the support provided by the water.'
As the majority of your body is in constant use when in the pool you can build cardio and muscle strength without adding extra stress or impact to existing problems. That said, do check in with an expert if you have an injury.
