Are you feeling a bit drained about your cardio program? Swimming is a great option. Swimming is a low-impact activity that can bring new life to your exercise routine. There are many other benefits that swimming can offer, which might be reason enough to add it as an option for cardio.

Before you jump in the pool and don your swimsuit, here are some tips to help you get started with swimming for fitness. Three experts were consulted to provide advice on the proper technique and gear as well as how to start a safe and effective swimming program. To make it even easier for you to add swimming time to your daily routine, we also included 10 amazing mental and physical benefits. For all the details, read on.

Swimming is a type of exercise?

Swimming is considered cardiovascular exercise. Because it involves large muscle groups working simultaneously and continuously, your heart must work hard to pump oxygen throughout your body. You feel more tired and faster. Swimming requires endurance training, as you must be able to swim lap after lap.

Swimming can be used as power building and strength training in certain situations, such as a fast-paced workout. Swimming is a cardio workout most of the time.

How do beginners start swimming?

Swimming with the correct stroke technique is important. This will help you get through the water faster and decrease your chances of getting hurt. If you don’t have any experience in swimming, it’s a smart idea to seek out qualified coaches before you attempt your first solo swim.

SELF recommends that you look for someone who is certified to teach water safety, Tracy Doherty (NSCA-certified personal trainer, USA Swim Coach level 1) tells SELF. It’s even more beneficial if they have experience in competitive swimming and a background studying anatomy and physiology. Both USA Swimming as well as the Red Cross have databases that allow you to find qualified instructors. Ask your local pool if they have a swim coach Roger Montenegro.

Doherty says that if you don’t have the money or are unable to afford a coach, you may be able to find online resources that will help you improve your stroke technique. Check out Doherty’s recommendations here and hier.

What type of swimming gear do I need?

A swimsuit is a necessary piece of gear. You want it to feel secure and comfortable so that you don’t have any worries about it falling while you swim. Two-piece suits can be more difficult to use and are less comfortable than one-piece suits. It’s okay to have more than one suit for different purposes.

Experts also recommend swimming caps to people who wish to keep their hair away from the water while swimming. The silicone swim caps are more comfortable than latex, and they work better than cloth caps in keeping water out and reducing drag. Montenegro suggests that you purchase a pair of fins to help with your kicks. Doherty recommends short fins, not the longer fins used by scuba divers. He recommends fins from Finis and TYR. To prevent athlete’s foot, you should bring flip-flops or shower shoes.

How often should you go swimming for fitness?

Start slowly, then ease into a routine. Doherty says swimming is difficult and can be frustrating for even the most fit athletes. Doherty suggests that you start with 20-to 30-minute sessions and then work your way up to one length.

You can gradually increase your distance and duration, and you should be consistent with your routines.

Andrew Stasinos, NSCA-certified personal coach, ASCA Level 2, certified swim coach and USAT Level 2 triathlon coach tells SELF, “Frequency is probably the most important thing to you get better.” Even if you only swim for 10 minutes per day, this is a significant improvement. Doherty says that if you can swim consistently three times per week, you will see significant improvements in six weeks.

The final tip: After you have mastered your swimming routine, don’t be afraid of changing up your workouts. Doherty says that most people who go swimming only want to swim back-and-forth, which can lead to boredom. You can keep things fresh by joining a group swimming lesson, class, and/or workout. You can also incorporate different strokes into your workout if you prefer to swim on your own. Doherty recommends these freestyle drills to get you going.

No matter how you approach swimming, you will reap the benefits of a great workout.

7 Physical Benefits of Swimming

Swimming, like other cardio activities, can be very beneficial for your well-being and health. These physical benefits of swimming are proof.

1. Accessible, lifelong sport

Stasinos says swimming is something you can do all your life. People with injuries or pain can find physical fitness through swimming. You should consult your doctor if you are concerned about injury or pain.

2. Better heart and lung health

Swimming is a great cardiovascular activity. It’s not surprising that it is also good for the lungs. In 2013, a Evidence Based Child Health study found that swimming regularly increased cardiopulmonary fitness and lung function in children with asthma. Another 2013 study, this time in the International Educational E-Journal with healthy students aged 17-22, concluded that a eight-week swimming program significantly improved their lung function.

3. Total-body activation

According to the Mayo Clinic , because water density is almost 800 times greater than air, you can increase muscle strength while you move through it. According to Stasinos swimming is a “total body strengthener”. Montenegro says swimming targets the shoulders, triceps and obliques, as well as your abs, quads and calves.

You can improve your stroke technique and increase your strength by using resistance tools such as parachutes and paddles, which attach to your hands. To increase your strength, you should also include on-land strength training.

4. Improved breath control

Swimming can be difficult because you don’t have the ability to breathe at all times. Montenegro says that you must feel comfortable with your face in water. You also need to know how to control your breathing. Otherwise, your mouth (or nose!) could be full of chlorine. To breathe correctly while swimming, you must inhale slowly through your nose when your face goes under water. Then exhale through the mouth when your face comes out of the water.

Swimming regularly can help you improve your breathing control. This can also benefit your daily life outside of the pool. You can learn how to control your breathing while you do other exercises like weightlifting or running . It also helps manage your mental health with activities such as meditation or breathing exercises.

5. Better coordination

Let’s face facts: Swimming requires a lot coordination . Your arms, legs and core must all work together, no matter what stroke you use to move your body around the pool. Freestyle requires that your legs kick continuously, while your torso rotates, and your arms pull in alternating pulls.

New swimmers will notice an improvement in their coordination with time and consistent practice. A 2010 study of older people was published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. It found that regular swimming could improve hand-eye coordination. Hand-eye coordination is essential in many activities, including playing catch with your children and mastering Zumba choreography.

6. Core strength increases

Although you may believe swimming is about your legs and arms, the ideal stroke technique requires a lot of core engagement. Solid core activation helps you to rotate correctly in freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly. It also helps you dive, kick and push off the wall when you are swimming all of its strokes. A strong core is crucial to becoming a strong swimmer.

You can increase your core strength by swimming regularly and using proper technique .

7. Balance better

Swimming can help build core strength, as we have already mentioned. A strong core is essential for good balance. Your core is your balance center. A strong core will allow you to control your body’s position and keep it upright, as SELF previously reported.

Doherty says swimming is a great way to increase your balance. Balance training can make it easier to move around your daily life without falling. It also helps you perform better in your workouts and reduce your risk of injury.

Swimming has 3 mental health benefits

Swimming can also be good for your brain. Swimming has many mental benefits.

1. Peace and tranquility

Swimming is a repetitive, rhythmic activity that takes away many senses. It can be very relaxing. He says, “It’s quite peaceful to do your own swimming.” “You can’t pay attention at all to other things.”

2. Increased self-confidence

Swimming is not the easiest sport. It can sometimes be frustrating, says Stasinos. Stasinos adds that the upside to the situation is the “gratifying” aspect of working through and eventually overcoming the challenges in the pool.

It’s difficult not to feel proud when you finally master the breaststroke kick or stroke for the first and only time.

3. Feeling more positive

Swimming can make you feel great. It can make you feel really good.

Montenegro says that it’s similar to a runner running at a high. There’s also a swimming high we have when we get in the water. This is supported by research: A study in the journal Psychology found that college students who exercised reported less tension, anger, depression, and confusion than those who did not swim. Another study that was only done with women and published Journal of Psychology found that subjects’ moods were better after swimming. Although no exercise is able to stop your mood problems, there are some studies that suggest that swimming can make you feel better.