Swimming is a great workout for losing weight. It is s definitely different from running or riding a bicycle. A swimming workout challenges you in many different ways, and results in a lot of benefits if you do it enough. Swimming is considered a full body aerobic workout that helps tone muscle, improves strength and flexibility.
When you swim in the water, you are using your arms and legs to propel yourself through the water. Water isn't easy to go through and provides resistance, which can be equivalent to using weights in the gym. You constantly have to breathe as you push yourself through the water, which is something many people don't concentrate on as much when working out outside the water.
If you want to start a swimming workout routine for weight loss, the best way to start is to get in the water! Start at one end of the pool and try to get to the other side. See how you feel after you get to that other side. If you feel out of breath, you might want to start in the middle of the pool and swim to one end. Always start slowly and don't push yourself to hard. Most likely you're a beginner to working out in the water, and you don't want to discourage yourself.
Another workout you can do is a low jump rope in the water. Pretend your arms are a jump rope and start from one end of the pool and jump over your arms like a jump rope. This workout requires you to push yourself forward and use your arms, resulting in a nice cardio workout. Make sure you do this exercise in the shallow end of the pool. If you're not a strong swimmer, that shouldn't discourage you from swimming workouts. You can buy a swimming board, hold on and kick yourself around the pool using your legs. Another option is to hold onto the end of the pool and use your legs to kick. A simple workout that doesn't require you to know how to swim is to try running from one end to the pool to the other. You'll see how hard it is, and realize you're going in slow motion. That's a good cardio workout right there!
Swimming for weight loss is a great workout routine in the summertime, and not only will you get a great workout that doesn't make you sweat, but it's a workout that you'll feel as you're doing it!
Susan Jane is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys blogging about her personal experiences in health and fitness at WorkinOnMyFitness.com. She enjoys having fun when she works out such as swimming for exercise, various workout DVDs, and running.
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