Regardless of your fitness level, have you considered taking your workout into the water? There are many health benefits from this great exercise regimen that won't leave you treading water. Swimming offers a total body workout that improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, boosts endurance, enhances posture and aids in stamina. {relatedarticles}It strengthens your heart and improves delivery of oxygen to muscles. Did we mention you'll also burn calories along the way? Look at a professional swimmer and you'll notice his or her tone, physique and muscle definition. For those people who struggle with high-impact workouts that are hard on their bodies, swimming is a gentler alternative that reduces the stress on the joints while increasing the range of motion. That means you can say goodbye to knee and ankle pains associate with running, jogging or doing step classes.
Swimming is also a good workout for those individuals carrying around extra pounds as they feel weightless in the water. When in the water up to the waist, the body bears 50 percent of its weight. Up to the neck, it bears just 10 percent. Whether you're young or old, swimming is an effective way to get physical. {relatedarticles}Like all exercises, you'll burn calories while making your way through the water. Plus, water adds 12 times the resistance, thereby building strength. A person who weighs 130 pounds burns about 354 calories doing a leisurely swim, while swimming laps with light to moderate effort burns 472 calories per hour. Treading water at a moderate pace burns 236 calories. Doing the breaststroke for an hour burns 590 calories.