At Asphalt Green, swimming is one of our favorite ways to work out year round (yes, winter included). Swimming the freestyle stroke for one hour burns 400 to 600 calories! If that’s not convincing enough to jump in the pool right now, here are five other reasons why you should:   

 

  1. It’s a total-body workout. Swimming improves cardiovascular endurance and builds muscle.  Whether you’re doing high-intensity intervals or a steady distance swim, your arms, legs, and core will be working hard to drive you forward and stabilize your body. Exercising so many muscle groups at once is guaranteed to get your heart rate up fast!

  2. Swimming increases flexibility. When technique is executed correctly, your muscles and joints complete their full range of motion. With each stroke, you lengthen and stretch your muscles without causing stress on your body’s joints.   

  3. It’s a low-impact exercise. Swimming puts very little pressure on your joints, making it ideal for cross-training, people overcoming injuries, pregnant women, and those with back pain, arthritis, and other ailments.

  4. It makes you happy! Studies show exercise puts you in a good mood, helps you manage stress, and decreases anxiety. You can make it a social experience by swimming on a team or joining a  water exercise class—or a way to spend some me-time.

  5. Swimming is a sport you can do for life. Youth, adults, and seniors can reap the benefits of swimming. The sport continues to challenge even the most skilled swimmers, and like all exercise, takes practice. The challenge makes it exciting; there is always room for improvement.