Why swimming is the best exercise for anyone and everyone
by Christie Belfiore
Swimming is a form of aerobic exercise that is stimulating, refreshing, and suitable for anyone. Whether you are trying to lose weight, be active, or just want something to do, swimming provides a perfect workout and leaves behind the stress and agony of sore muscles and bodily strains and pains. Not only that, but the Danforth area can provide the pool for you, such as the Main Square Community Recreational Centre (Danforth and Main), so grab your bathing suit and goggles and take a dip. Swimming can be anyone’s key to implementing a healthy lifestyle this season.
Physical Benefits
Besides the fact that swimming increases muscle tone and works to strengthen the body, it also stretches every limb to their greatest lengths, thus loosening any tight muscles and ligaments while increasing flexibility. Through the four most common strokes, including front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke, swimmers endure a broad range of motion as they work every muscle simultaneously. Although it may not feel as though this is occurring because water is twelve times denser than air, it is one of the great things about swimming, This means that activities such as running or skipping don’t require as much force because air doesn’t provide as much resistance as water does. Another great benefit of swimming is that it makes the heart stronger without straining it, therefore allowing for better blood flow and, in turn, a healthier individual.
photo by PLRANG images for design, January 2009.
