Swimming can also lead to a greater range of motion through the torso, hips and around the shoulder joints. This translates to improved performance elsewhere. As every part of the body is used to propel a person through the water, it trains the muscles to work harmoniously. Many athletes utilize swimming as cross training because it can improve balance, core stability and body coordination. Swimming can help because it combines muscle endurance training with muscle strengthening. Having total body endurance and a refined strength-to-bodyweight ratio is vital for figure skaters, gymnasts and skiers. However, it’s not just leg or arm muscles that develop, but every major muscle group in the body. With every kick of the leg or stroke of the arms, swimmers are working muscles and gaining strength. It places great value on full body strength and endurance. Swimming is not a purely cardio-based sport, as some may think. As a result, recovering after exertion is easier. Improving lung capacity also means there is more oxygen to circulate and minister to the needs of the body during performance. This means an athlete can play longer before becoming winded. The same control is necessary for cross-country cycling or skiing, among other sports.Īn athlete’s lung capacity can increase little by little through swimming. If they’re out of breath, the body lacks the oxygen to make those muscles work and the point could be easily lost. Imagine the degree of breathing control that tennis players need to successfully return a serve after sprinting. If land-based athletes choose to get cardio in the pool, they can enhance cardiovascular endurance while challenging their bodies in a different way.īreathing coordination and control is fundamental for athletes. Other cardio-intense sports - such as cycling, dancing and running - can involve high-impact movements that create joint stress. What’s more, as a low-impact aerobic exercise, swimming can strengthen the heart with less demand on the joints. Such stamina is essential for lacrosse, hockey and basketball players who must make their way from one end of the field, ice or court as quick as they can. Although generalized fitness training can improve cardiovascular endurance, swimming can see results more rapidly because it is a total-body workout requiring exceptional breath control.Īs athletes utilize swim training to build cardiovascular stamina, their hearts are able to pump blood and oxygen through the body for longer stretches of time. This is pivotal when performing demanding athletic feats. Swimming can be an effective way to support all these endeavors, and it can benefit athletes in important areas such as:Ī healthy cardiovascular system provides oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Whether they’re kicking a soccer ball down field or racing to the finish line in track, they must rely on their ability to perform in order to succeed. While swimming has been found to promote heart health and reduce stress in swimmers of all ages, few realize just how beneficial it can be for athletes specifically.Īthletes need honed skills, proper training and physical fitness to get the most out of their bodies. That’s why we should encourage our children to take the plunge and enjoy the various health benefits - and fun - found in the water. Swimming is an essential life skill we all should learn.
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