Toned and firm muscles can be developed in the pool for both males and females. While swimming targets the same muscles in both sexes, as a female your body will develop differently than a male's in the pool. Swimming builds lean muscle in the legs, trimming your inner thighs, and reducing saddle bags, which men do not often have. You can even tighten your tummy with swimming workouts.
Kicking Your Thighs Slim
Kicking is a major element of swimming which can help tone the muscles of your thighs. Your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps are actively engaged each time you kick during a freestyle stroke. You can also target train your lower body by using a kick-board for lap swimming. During a breast style stroke you are able to specifically target your abductors, inner thighs and adductors, or outer thighs. These can often be a problem area because as a woman you may have a higher amount of fat accumulation in your thighs.
Flabby Arms Gone
If you're self-conscious about flabby arms or back fat, swimming can help you reduce the fat in those areas. During a freestyle stroke your biceps, triceps, back and chest muscles are actively engaged. Your biceps work as you lift your arms above the water and the triceps work to pull the water down to propel your body forward.
Lean Core
Swimming actively involves your core in order to move your legs and arms. During a freestyle swim you must keep your torso straight which lengthens the core. When swimming, draw the belly button into your spine which helps keep the abdominals engaged. As a female you may carry extra weight in your lower abdominals and training in the pool can tighten this problem area. As you stretch your body and kick your legs you are forced to use lower abdominal strength.
Flexibility
The American Council on Exercise explains that because the effects of gravity are lessened in the water, you can move your joints through a wider range of motion to increase your flexibility. Lengthening and stretching your muscles in the water will also create a tone and sleek body.
Melt Fat
The more muscle you have the more effectively you are able to burn calories. Resistance training creates an after-burn because muscle is metabolically active, allowing you to continue to burn calories during the rest of your day. The Health Status website suggests that swimming for an hour burns more than 666 calories for a 150-lb. female. Training in the pool increases your lean muscles and as a female you can develop more sculpted shoulders, quadriceps and glutes.
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