Swimming is an amazing workout

Swimming is an amazing workout and can be done almost anywhere in Wollongong, so let’s break it down and work out why swimming is so good for us. The warmer months are starting to come to

an end and winter will be here in no time. But that is no excuse to stop swimming or put it off until next summer. Here are 3 great reasons to swim for fitness.

Australia has grown up with water and It’s apart of our identity. Summers by the beach, swimming in the neighbor’s pool or just heading down to the lake, Australian’s love the water. So let’s use that love and turn it into fitness!

Cardiovascular health is an extremely important part of any individual’s exercise regime. Our heart needs to effectively pump blood around the body and keep up with the oxygen demand of our muscles. The lungs, heart & blood stream (keeping the anatomy basic) need to work in a strong and synchronized manner in order to keep you moving during exercise. The increased stress caused by exercise will help to strengthen theses areas of the body helping you in everyday life. Swimming is great for this, as it increases the overall demand of the cardiovascular system, which in turn will provide you with a healthier body.

A lean yet strong body is the goal for most people and swimming can definitely provide that for you. The muscular demands for swimming are quite great as you need to coordinate your entire body to work harmoniously to keep you afloat. Depending on the style of swimming you are conducting, you use your legs, core and upper body to propel yourself through the water. This functional exercise is fantastic for creating a long lean muscle throughout the body whilst burning a butt-load of fat. This is due to the resistance created by the water increase stress you need to place yourself under to move forward. So try a combination to swimming styles at various speeds to really give your body a challenging workout.

Strong bones are an important part of a healthy body, so resistance training is key to maintaining healthy bone mass. If you’re not the type of person to do weight training the definitely get in the pool. The resistance provided by water-based exercises are perfect for anyone looking to increase their bone density without running off to the gym. Ideally, a combination of water and weight based exercise are best but the pool is a great place to start.
So don’t stop swimming as the temperature starts to drop. Just adjust your habits. Wollongong city council provide two free pools close to Wollongong which are open all year round. Continental Sea Pool which is an outdoor saltwater pool and my personal favorite. The other option is the Unanderra public pool which is great during the colder winter period. So get out there and start swimming.