Taking a dip is a great way to cool off and relax. However, swimming is also a core exercise that builds both strength and endurance while promoting cardiovascular health. Knowing how to incorporate swimming into a healthy lifestyle--as well as how to stay safe while swimming--is essential to reaping the rewards of an aquatic workout.
Step 1
Find a location where you will be free to stick to a swimming routine of at least two and a half hours a week, broken up into 30 minutes five days a week. Public swimming pools are an option; however, pools at gyms often are devoted to swimming for fitness and are less likely to be crowded with people taking a casual dip who may interfere with your workout.
Step 2
Get the gear you need. Goggles and a pair of swim trunks will enable you to swim for fitness and health while being able to see clearly and move freely through the water. Also, pick up a small notebook in which to record the duration of your swimming sessions, as well as which days in the week you swim.
Step 3
Vary your style of swimming throughout each session in the pool. Swimming works nearly every major muscle group, but mixing up your strokes helps target areas of your body that you'd like to tone up. For instance, the breaststroke works your front shoulder and chest muscles particularly well, while--true to its name--the backstroke isolates the rear shoulders and lateral muscles of the back. The long muscles of your legs will be thoroughly worked as you use them to help propel your body through the water.
Step 4
Eat a healthy, protein-rich snack or small meal after, not before, you swim. Eating within an hour before getting into the water can cause your stomach to cramp, while eating after your aquatic workout will help your muscles regenerate tissue through protein synthesis. Remember to drink plenty of fluids after your swim as well. Even though your exertions take place in the water, your body still perspires and needs fluid replenishment after swimming, as with any type of aerobic and resistance training workout.
Step 5
Swim with a buddy or with a lifeguard on duty. Not only is having someone else present vital to your well-being--in the event that a cramp or other adverse event should cause you to have difficulty staying above water--but another person can help motivate you to swim that fat-burning, muscle-building extra lap. Together with your buddy, you can watch the progress in your notebooks as you swim your way toward looking good and feeling good.
Tips and Warnings
- Eat a healthy diet of whole grains, raw vegetables and lean sources of protein to maximize your healthy lifestyle gains through swimming.
- Use caution when swimming in lakes or in the ocean. Never attempt a fitness swimming routine alone in these types of waters. Talk to your doctor about any health problems you may have before you choose swimming as your personal exercise option.
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