Swimming is a modality that brings several benefits to the physical and mental health of its practitioners.
And it is not even necessary to practice as a sport, as just swimming, as a way of moving the body, is beneficial.
Know more about the activity!
Contents
What are the advantages of swimming?
Swimming is the practice of body movements that allows locomotion within the water.
There is not much rule, but in general this sport can be practiced between 90 and 180 minutes, which can be changed 3 to 5 times a week.
The time varies depending on physical conditions and other factors such as the practice of other physical activities.
But maintaining class attendance or swimming is ideal for a number of benefits, such as:
Strengthens joints and bones
The joints are strengthened during swimming, as they suffer less impact during practice.
As a result, the risk of injury or injury is less. Thus, the activity is also indicated for the elderly or people with degenerative joint problems.
Therefore, people with problems in the ankles, knees, elbows and wrist should give preference to swimming when exercising.
In addition, swimming also promotes joint lubrication, which helps to relieve pain from diseases such as arthritis and osteoarthritis .
Bone tissue is strengthened and improved. Elderly people who do water activities are less likely to fracture bones if they fall.
Read more: Joint pain: just 1 hour of exercise helps prevent
Strengthens muscles
The muscles will be work and will naturally be more resistant when practicing this Olympic sport.
As this sport requires effort from the arms and leg, all parts of the body end up being moved during the swim.
Therefore, people who need to strengthen their muscles can practice swimming and work biceps, torso, glutes and legs in a single sport.
Reduces back pain
Reducing back pain is among the health benefits of swimming. In addition to improving body posture, swimming also relieves pressure on the spine.
Cervical and lumbar pain can be reduced with frequent swimming practice, without causing impacts or excess pressure to the joints.
Read more: Exercising body and mind can prevent diseases in aging
Prevents disease
Obesity , diabetes , cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, arthritis and osteoporosis are just a few examples of diseases that can be more easily treated with swimming.
Even if you don’t have any of these complications, this sport can help prevent them.
If swimming is combined with a healthy diet and a good quality of sleep, the chances of such diseases are reduced.
Works flexibility and coordination
Swimming requires you to move your upper and lower limbs at the same time. Over time, the practitioner acquires coordination of these movements and synchrony to execute them.
Flexibility is also worked on in this sport and helps the swimmer to take advantage of his strength and speed.
After a few weeks of training, the muscles of the shoulders, hips and legs may be more flexible and resilient.
Controls weight
An adult person weighing 80kG loses, on average, 500 to 600 calories in an hour of swimming.
This number is an estimate and varies depending on the style of swimming and the intensity of the training.
But swimming is seen as one of the sports that uses the most energy and, therefore, helps in controlling body weight since it is combined with a balanced diet.
This sport is even recommended for people who are overweight or obese, since it helps to lose weight in a healthy way and without causing many impacts to the joints.
Read more: Maintaining weight: exercise can be more efficient than diet
Reduces stress and increases well-being
Within minutes in the water, the body releases endorphins. This chemical substance is responsible for the feeling of well-being and happiness.
As with other activities, swimming is very important for those undergoing psychological treatment, as it helps to reduce symptoms and stabilize the condition.
In addition, swimming can also increase self-esteem and make the person more confident.
Helps in longevity
Research at the University of South Carolina showed that people who practice swimming reduce the mortality rate by up to 50% when compared to sedentary ones.
There were almost 3 decades of studies and analysis of reports of swimmers who were between 20 and 80 years old.
What are the benefits of child swimming?
The main benefits of swimming for children are: strengthening the muscles, developing motor skills and the cardiovascular system, improving sleep, stimulating the learning process, in addition to providing a moment of fun leaving the child more cheerful and relaxed.
Swimming encourages the proper development of muscles, bones and joints. This modality favors children, who are growing up.
The coordination and synchronization movements are also worked on in children’s swimming, along with skills required and improved in classes, such as agility and notion of space.
The hours of sleep will have more quality because swimming is an intense sport, which uses a lot of energy, being necessary that the child replenishes them while sleeping.
The activity, in addition to being a sport, is also a moment of leisure and relaxation, capable of causing well-being and increasing the child’s self-esteem, which, over time, will become more confident and peaceful.
When to start?
Babies over the year can already practice the sport without submersion (with their heads out of the water) and accompanied by sports professionals.
As for swimming with submersion , the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the child be at least 4 years old.
Taking classes with someone close to you (mother, father, grandparents) can help the child to strengthen emotional ties with that person, but should always be guided by a physical education teacher.
What are the effects of the swimming class?
Swimming is a sport that can be recommended for all age groups.
However, people who have skin or breathing problems (such as asthma or bronchitis ) should avoid this sport.
The practice, after a certain time, brings physical and psychological benefits to the practitioners, such as:
On body
Swimming has benefits for both the male and female bodies.
This sport collaborates with the burning of fats, facilitating weight loss and allowing the muscles to be more defined.
But swimming alone is not enough to completely define body aesthetics.
In order to have the most developed musculature (hypertrophy), swimming needs to be combined with some factors such as food and other physical activities, for example, weight training .
At first, as you learn the techniques, your body gets used to holding and controlling your breath.
The synchronization of the legs and arms is also beginning to be noticed.
After a few weeks, your body will be more flexible and muscle strength will be greater. The resistance generated by the physical movements will also allow you to swim longer, without becoming so breathless.
The musculature will be stronger and more defined. The legs and arms can be more turned and the pectoralis bigger.
The aesthetic effects can also vary according to the swimming modality.
The breaststroke, for example, will work on the lower limbs, while the butterfly strengthens the arms and chest.
The crawl and back modalities aesthetically improve the legs and arms.
In the mind
Research, done at the University of Western Australia , showed that during swimming, the brain receives more oxygen and blood releasing several neurotransmitters.
Among them is dopamine. It improves memory, sleep and learning, in addition to causing a feeling of well-being and satisfaction.
Because of this, people who have depression or suffer from disorders such as anxiety are encouraged to practice some physical exercise that brings movement, such as dancing or swimming.
Swimming also improves cognitive function by benefiting language, reasoning and problem solving.
This sport also stimulates the brain’s ability to adapt to new activities (neuroplasticity) and the formation of new neurons (neurogenesis).
Both can help prevent diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
In health
The release of endorphins generated by sports also brings benefits to the body, such as pain relief and an improvement in the immune system.
It is important to note that swimming also produces sweat. Although the athlete does not realize that he is sweating, it is essential to drink water during swimming training.
Swimming is a very beneficial sport for health and can be practiced in all age groups.
But in addition to being a positive sport for the body, it is also beneficial for mental health .
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