Most people know that swimming is a great form of exercise, and at Sports West, we are the only health club in town that offers you an indoor, saline-system lap pool. If you haven't taken a swim lately, the following article might give you that little shove you need to get you to take the plunge and paddle your way to great fitness!

Is there a fitness subject that you would like to know more about? If so, email me at cpkarkow@sportswestreno.com and let me know! I'll be happy to find out some info and post it here!~Christine

Swim Savvy

from-May/June 2008
American Fitness

According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, aquatic exercise improves "cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, body fat and total cholesterol." Swimming and other forms of aquatic exercise offer sound benefits-from anti-aging and weight loss to cross-training and increased comfort while exercising.

Swimming is a full body workout. The controlled breathing leads to developing lung muscles and overall aerobic fitness. The arm pull helps build your triceps, shoulders, chest and back muscles. Rolling the torso during a swim "helps build all leg muscles."

Master swim coach Paul Hutinger says, "Pushoffs against the pressure and resistance of water is equal to one vertical jump. A 2,000-yard workout could give you 80 horizontal 5-yard jumps." He adds, "the force of your arms sculling and stroking, especially in sprints, is a postitive force on the arms stimulating the body's merchanisms for keeping bones at maximum strength." To reap additional bone-building benefits, Hutinger recommends adding weight (resistance) training to your swim routine.

Swimming offers cross-training benefits. Research at Northwestern Health Sciences University proposes swimming as an effective warm-up. It "gradually increases your heart rate and stimulates your muscle activity. After your workout, swimming a few laps can help you cool down. It moves blood through your muscles to help them recover and helps you relax."

Walking in the shallow end of a pool is a viable alternative for inexperienced swimmers, according to a report by the Mayo Clinic. The report says, "Water walking is as simple as it sounds. In water that's about waist-height, walk across the pool swinging your arms like you do when walking on land. Avoid walking on your tiptoes, and keep your back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles to avoid leaning too far forward or to the side. To increase resistance as your hands and arms move through the water, wear hand webs. Water shoes can help you maintain traction on the bottom of the pool."

In swimming "a person burns calories at a rate of about three calories per mile, per pound of body weight," according to the Northwestern Health Sciences University research, a person who weighs 150 pounds and swims one mile in 30 minutes "will burn about 900 calories in one hour."

Researchers at the University of Utah recently found that women who amble on land, swim or walk in water (four times a week, 40 minutes per session) all lose weight at an equal pace, about 13 pounds in three months. "The results of this study indicate that there are no differences in the effect of aerobic activities in the water versus weight-bearing aerobic exercise on land on body composition components as long as similar intensity, duration and frequency are used."

Aquatic exercise has long been purported as a safe, supportive exercise for pregnant women. A study at the Medical University of South Carolina found that "aquatic exercise during pregnancy may enhance physical functioning, decreasing maternal discomfort, improving maternal body image an improving health-promoting behaviors."

Clients may feel they are working harder during aquatic exercise than land exercise. Women in a study a the Royal United Hospital in the United Kingdom reported a higher level of perceived exertion while walking in water versus walking on land. Fitness expert Karen Voight recommends checking the target heart rate at frequent intervals.

For runners who crave a change of pace, "aquatic treadmill running may be as effective as treadmill running for aerobic conditioning in fit individuals,"a University of Idaho study shows. "Deep water running was perceived as a more strenuous but comfortable exercise mode."

"Water exercise can provide a comfortable activity for those recovering from injuries or illness. Since water provides a cushion, risk of injury while swimming is minimal. "Because the water provides weightlessness, it greatly reduces stress on joints," the Northwestern study said.

In her book, Swimming for Total Fitness (Main Street Books, 1993) Jane Katz, EdD, suggests swimming is a comfortable form of exercise "since the water acts as a natural coolant for the body." For clients who tend toward overheating, aquatic exercise offers a refreshing alternative.

Swimming may be a "fountain of youth," according to Professor Joel Stager's research at Indiana University. Stager followed 200 competitive swimmers who swam three to five times a week--3,50 to 5,000 yards per session. Stager's research suggests that swimming delays aging "not only for years but for decades." Since exercising in water is gentle on the body, diving in can become a lifelong sport.
By Laurie Chance Smith