Swimming benefits for you and your family

Swimming is an excellent way to promote health, fitness and fun in your life. It doesn't matter if you are young or old, a casual recreational swimmer or an absolute beginner, it offers great health benefits for the whole family.

So grab your swimwear, get your pool ready for summer and let’s find out what makes swimming so special!

The many benefits of swimming

It’s fun for the whole family! Swimming is an activity that everyone can enjoy, and it's a fun way to spend time with family and friends. If you have kids, you can even use swimming as an opportunity to bond with them and improve your relationships with them. Connecting with loved ones in this way has been shown to improve mood and can even increase your lifespan! Builds confidence in kids Swimming is a great way to build confidence in kids. First, it helps build their physical strength and endurance, which they can then apply to other sports and activities. Second, it gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride as they develop their body awareness in an unfamiliar environment. And third, it gives them the opportunity to spend time with friends and family, which is an important part of social development and learning about teamwork.

Reduces stress

Aerobic exercise has been described as a natural mood elevator and swim workouts are among the best. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise can reduce stress by decreasing the production of stress-related hormones and increasing your ‘feel good’ hormones. 

In addition to being a fantastic aerobic activity, swimming also reduces the sensory input you’re exposed to (such as the hard pounding of pavement while running). This, along with the rhythmic movement of your arms and your legs, allows you to further ‘turn off your mind’.

Keeps you cool

Swimming is a great way to cool off on a hot summer day. It keeps you cool because water has a much higher heat capacity than air, which means that it takes longer for water to evaporate into the atmosphere than it does for air to do so. This prevents your body from overheating as easily when you’re in water. 

But make sure to wear sunscreen, as these properties of water may cause you to underestimate the strength of the sun.

Strengthens your cardiovascular system A fantastic aerobic exercise, regular swimming can promote cardiovascular and heart health by lowering blood pressure, increasing lung capacity, strengthening your heart and improving circulation over time.  Swimming is unique among other forms of aerobic exercise because your body is supported by the buoyancy of the water. This means that you don't have to work as hard to support yourself or protect your joints, thus freeing up energy you can put toward a few extra laps. Increases energy levels When you swim regularly, you're giving your body the chance to work more efficiently. It can also lead to better sleep, creating a positive feedback loop that leaves you feeling more energized and ready to take on the day! Gives you a full-body workout Swimming is a full-body workout that helps you build strength, improve your cardiovascular fitness and tone your muscles. When you swim, you're using every muscle in your body. Your arms are working to pull and push you through the water, while your legs are kicking and propelling you forward. You'll also be using your core to keep yourself balanced.

Improves muscle tone and strength

Resistance is a key factor in developing strength and muscle tone, and water provides a great source of resistance. While swimming, your arms and legs are pushing and pulling against the water’s resistance, which helps strengthen and tone them. The muscles around your spine are also strengthened as they support your body, promoting good posture.

Good for your joints

The buoyancy of water makes swimming a low-impact exercise, which means it won't put as much stress on your joints as other sports like running or jogging. This makes it a great choice if you have arthritis, you’re recovering from surgery or you’re just getting older. 

And swimming not only reduces the chance of aggravating your joints, but it can also improve your joint health by helping you increase your range of motion. It can also increase the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates and protects the joints. 

Slows ageing

All of the above benefits can help slow the ageing process. Better cardiovascular health, increased muscle mass, strong joints, low stress levels and a supportive network of family and friends have all been shown to help you live longer and feel younger. So what are you waiting for? 

Bottom line

Swimming clearly has a lot to offer. It's a great way to get in shape, have fun with friends and family, or just relax and enjoy a refreshing respite from summer's heat! The best part about it is you don't need much to get started, just some swimwear, a pair of goggles and a body of water.

Just make sure you understand basic water-safety protocols, monitor your kids and apply sunscreen throughout the day. And if you have your own pool, don’t forget to keep up with its maintenance so you can enjoy it for years to come!

If you don’t have a body of water nearby, why not check out our selection of above ground pools and bring all of the benefits of swimming to your own backyard!