Kim’s Korner: Making a Splash!

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]wimming is a great way to keep fit and active for people of all ages, and living in the Caribbean we have unlimited access to nature’s very own swimming pool. The first man-made pools appeared in 1837. Swimming became an Olympic sport in 1896 but only for men; women swimmers did not appear at the Olympics until 1912.   

  Whether for fun or competitively, swimming is a great low-impact workout, with the buoyancy of the water supporting up to 90% of the body weight, making it perfect for those who are recovering from injury or suffering from joint pain. Swimming also has many other benefits:

•   Improves weight loss: did you know 30 minutes of vigorous swimming can burn up to 25% more calories than 30 minutes of walking, jogging or cycling?

•   Improves cardiovascular fitness: swimming is an aerobic exercise and therefore strengthens your heart as well as your muscles, even if you choose a slow, steady rhythm.  However, the faster you go, the greater the improvements, and, unlike land-based exercises, you won’t sweat; the water keeps your body cool. Cardiovascular exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and many other diseases, and to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

•   Muscle strength: water is 12 times denser than air, so moving yourself through water becomes a resistance exercise, building muscle tone and strength but with the added benefit of less stress on the joints and no heavy equipment.

•   Flexibility: no matter which stroke you choose, you will be stretching your limbs as you push yourself through the water. Swimming also helps maintain the flexibility of the spine as you rotate your head and body as you glide through the water. It may not be as effective as yoga but the motion of swimming allows you to stretch as you lengthen your muscles.

•   Improves lung function: unlike most other sports and activities where you breathe in dry air in shallow intakes with a forceful exhalation, swimming allows you to breathe in moist air and encourages you to breathe in deeply with a slow, steady breath out. This makes it an ideal activity for people who suffer from asthma. And did you know this pattern of breathing is also known to promote calmness?

•   Total body workout: unlike activities such as running and cycling, which mainly use the legs, swimming uses both the upper and lower body at the same time; as your legs kick, your arms pull you through the water.

•   Slows down ageing: Swimming in salt water helps the skin to retain moisture and detoxify, which promotes new cell growth.

•   It’s inexpensive and needs little or no equipment.

Swimming works all the major muscles of the body: the upper limbs, lower limbs and the core, but not all strokes are even. Different strokes target some muscles more than others.

So, what’s your style? There are four main swimming styles: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly stroke.

Freestyle, although not technically a stroke, is the most popular and it is commonly used to describe what most of us know as the front crawl.  The name change occurred due to the popularity of the front crawl in ‘freestyle’ competitions. Front crawl is, of course, the fastest stroke and therefore the preferred choice of many. Along with backstroke, freestyle requires the arms to move in an alternate pattern to pull you through the water, whilst the legs kick behind you. Backstroke works in reverse.  Breaststroke is the most
popular stroke but also the slowest of the four. It tends to be the first stroke that most people learn as the head stays above the water, making breathing easier.  Butterfly stroke is the second fastest stroke but difficult to master. It requires the arms to lift out of the water as both legs kick out like a mermaid.

Swimming is also known to improve brain function and enhance mental health and well-being. So, if you have not already added swimming to your exercise routine, whether in the sea or in a pool, now is the time to consider this all-round, total body workout for a fitter, happier you.