On a hot summer's day, nothing beats a cool dip in the outdoor pool. How great that we can not only relax and splash around in the pool, but also get some exercise. Swimming is the ideal sport for everyone, as it trains both fitness and muscles. We'll tell you why swimming is so healthy and why you should definitely swim a few laps on your next visit to the outdoor pool. What are you waiting for? On your marks - get set - go!
Off into the cool water! Why swimming is so healthy
Swimming strengthens the cardiovascular system
Swimming promotes heart health and trains the cardiovascular system. This is because endurance exercise strengthens the heart muscle and stimulates blood circulation. This expands the heart volume over time, which in turn lowers the heart rate and makes the body more efficient. Apart from strengthening the heart muscle, swimming also ensures good circulation in the legs and veins. Well, if that's not a good reason to swim your laps!
Swimming trains the back muscles
Swimming is the ideal sport to strengthen the back muscles and counteract back pain. This is especially true for the crawl and backstroke, as these two techniques are gentle on the spine due to the horizontal position you assume in the water. When crawling (backstroke), it is important to make sure that you also tense your abdominal muscles to avoid a hollow back.
Swimming challenges the entire body musculature
As you probably know, swimmers are not exactly known for their slender physique - they have very pronounced muscles on their back, chest, arms, shoulders and legs. This doesn't come from nowhere, because swimming uses the whole body. When swimming, not only do you need stable core muscles to keep you in the water, but the buttocks and thighs are also important for powerful leg movements.
Swimming helps to reduce stress
When you jump into the cool water on a hot summer's day, many people feel deeply relaxed. However, the relaxation only really begins when you start swimming your laps. Swimming releases happiness hormones, regardless of whether you are concentrating on your training programme, counting the tiles in the pool or enjoying the silence under water. When you swim your laps, you switch off and leave the stresses of everyday life behind you. Your successful swim training is followed by a feeling of refreshment and pleasant exhaustion. After your evening swim training session, you are guaranteed to sleep like a baby - that's a promise!
Swimming promotes lung capacity
Hardly any other sport is as good for the lungs as swimming. This is because you inhale less frequently but more deeply when swimming, increasing your lung volume over time. The water pressure also makes inhaling more difficult, which means that the breathing muscles between the diaphragm and the ribs are trained.
As you can see, swimming has a positive effect on your health. Swimming harmonises body and mind and allows you to fully unwind. If that's not a reason to pack your swimming costume and head to the outdoor pool! We hope you enjoy swimming and have lots of fun in the cool water!