Swimming is a Terrific Total Body Exercise!
I love the fact that we Ontarians live so close to a wide variety of amazing lakes. Nothing compares to using our Canadian Great Lakes for swimming for exercise or for just standing in the water to cool off on a hot summer day! I used to be a lifeguard, so I’ve always loved being around water.
Here are some of the key physical benefits that swimming offers us:
It may still be a little chilly to be swimming in the Great Lakes. If this is the case, checkout the closest community pool to your home instead.
Try These Tips for a Safer and Proper Swimming Technique
- Never swim alone, always have a buddy. The lake undercurrents can be very powerful; even strong swimmers can find themselves in dangerous situations quite quickly. You want someone there with you to test the waters and to keep an eye on you while you’re swimming.
- Always warm-up first. Since swimming exercises your whole body, it’s important to warm-up all of your muscles up before hitting the lake or pool.
Here are a few warm-up ideas:
- Watch your breathing. Holding your breath, especially in face down strokes, is a common problem. The key to fixing this is try exhaling slowly and evenly underwater. Use the time you have with your face out of the water, for inhaling.
- Buy proper equipment.
- I’ve always had a problem finding the right goggles, but they’re important. They keep pool chemicals (chlorine burns!), any debris in the lakes and your hair out of our eyes. They should fit comfortably over your eyes without being too tight. Try testing them in a sink of water before buying them if you can.
- A swim cap keeps hair partially dry and protected, and keeps hair out of your face and mouth when swimming.
- Recreational swimsuits aren’t the best for doing laps. They’re often uncomfortable, and can come off when you push off from the wall.
To sum it up…
Swimming is an effective and fun exercise that works out your whole body. It is great for cardio and strength training. Please connect with me if you would like more tips to enjoy this amazing sport. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been comfortable around water my whole life.