Swimming is an effective way to work out the whole body at once, improving muscle strength and cardiovascular health, as well as posture, balance, flexibility, stamina and endurance. At the same time it is safer and gentler than other forms of exercise, allowing individuals with a wider range of circumstances to benefit from it while reducing the danger of exercise-related injury. According to the U.S. Water Fitness Association, swimming is even helpful for recovering from injury and healing muscles.
As Cardiovascular Exercise
The more you practice swimming the lower your resting heart rate and respiratory rate become, which in turn increases the efficiency of blood flow to your lungs and heart. This allows you to maximize your body's use of oxygen without overworking your cardiovascular system. Studies have even shown that swimming can lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart attack and stroke.
For Conditioning
Swimming exercises nearly all of the major muscle groups, working out your upper and lower body at the same time. This helps create an evenly toned and conditioned physique. Breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle swimming are the most beneficial strokes for overall conditioning. Swimming is particularly helpful in building strength in the limbs, abdomen and lower back.
For Chronic Illness
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the overall risk of death from health-related causes in people who swim regularly is about half that of inactive individuals. Research has found swimming to help with a number of chronic illnesses, such as studies reported in Arthritis Care and Research and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews that found swimming to alleviate pain from osteoarthritis and improve joint use in people with arthritis without exacerbating symptoms.
As Mental Exercise
Studies like the one published in 1992 in Perceptual Motor Skills have found swimming effective in improving mental health. Other studies have found swimming effective in decreasing depression and improving mental health in pregnant women and patients with fibromyalgia, as well as creating greater family bonding connections between children with developmental disabilities and their parents.
For Weight Loss
Swimming is an effective form of exercise for losing weight, with an hour of steady swimming burning as many calories as running 6 miles in that same hour. According to 24 Hour Fitness, swimming burns approximately three calories per mile per pound of body weight.
As Low Impact Exercise
As a non-weight bearing form of exercise, swimming is gentle on the bones, joints and connective tissues. Swimming therefore poses a lower risk of injury than other forms of exercise. By naturally dispersing heat and cooling the body, swimming also produces lower risk of overheating than other forms of exercise.
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