Fit in water

Swimming is a wonderful way to get fit while protecting your joints. And there are many more benefits. In this article, we'll introduce them to you.

What is water training?

There are many ways to use water for a workout. About Aqua Fitness. Here you can build up your muscles and use the resistance of the water. Because it is easy on the joints, Aqua Fitness is also suitable for people who are overweight and for older people.

Many sports that you know from the club can also be played in water. This includes running, boxing, dancing, and step aerobics. The movement tones the body, strengthens the muscles and consumes a lot of calories. In winter, aqua fitness is also a good way to stay active when it's too cold or rainy for training outside.

Swim again!

Gymnastics in water is great, but swimming is also fun and good endurance training. Here you use the buoyancy and “fight” against the resistance of the water. By the way, the movement becomes a gentle but effective massage, which tones the body.

What makes swimming so healthy?

It strengthens the cardiovascular system and trains the heart muscle: The blood vessels on the surface of the skin constrict due to the pressure of the water and the heart therefore has to work harder. This makes it more efficient in the long term.

It trains the entire body. Different swimming styles strengthen different muscle areas. Breaststroke strengthens the muscles on the arms, legs, chest and shoulders, backstroke is good for the muscles on the trunk and back, and crawling strengthens arms, shoulders and trunk. It is therefore worthwhile to train in a varied way.

It helps you lose weight. The body must use additional energy to compensate for the temperature difference between it and the water. That consumes a lot of calories. The faster you swim, the more you swim. Because the joints are barely strained in water, it is also suitable for people who are overweight and new to sports.

It helps against joint and back pain. The water relieves intervertebral discs and joints and with movement (especially backstroke), you effectively train your back and core muscles.

It trains the muscles of the respiratory tract. This is because the water pressure makes it a bit harder to inhale and the muscles have to work more. That doesn't apply to exhaling. Another advantage: The lungs are well supplied with blood during swimming. This is why this sport is also recommended for asthmatics — but if you are affected, you should talk to your doctor beforehand.

Important: If you have rarely swum so far, you should start with a small amount of effort and gradually increase your body to get used to the sport. Also make sure to take short breaks between sessions. Basically, even if the water is warm, you should warm up well outside the pool before training. A water temperature of around 21 to 23 degrees is ideal.

How often should I work out?

Three times a week for around half an hour is a good starting point. Later, you can increase from 30 to 60 minutes. Incorporate as many different swimming techniques as possible into your training. Note, however, that crawling puts a lot of strain on your arms — if you are untrained, you should use this swimming technique sparingly at first and gradually increase it.

Tips to swim better and faster can be found here.

Swimming is a good way to train your muscles. It will be even more effective to supplement the movement with strength training. In the Holmes Place Gym Floors, you will find rowing machines and pull ropes, with which you can also train your upper body. Bench presses, dips, squats, push-ups, planks, and deadlifts are also effective. Get advice from the coaches in the clubs!

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