On a hot day, nothing beats the pool.
Swimming has a high learning curve. But as with many other things in life (stocks, a second language, and maybe marriage), the payoff of becoming proficient exceeds the pain of getting there. So instead of explaining how to swim, it might be valuable to list a few of the benefits and facts of swimming as words of encouragement in deciding whether to pick up the skill:
Swimming is a stress-free form of exercise: By stress, I mean two things. First, swimming promotes cardiovascular activity without producing stress on the body. Unlike running, which in the long run can lead to the likes of weak joints, shin splints, and runner’s toe, swimming allows the individual to keep his heart rate up for an extended period of time without any negative effects on the muscles, bones, or joints. Second, swimming is unlike other sports because getting enough air is actually an issue. Because the body can only hold a limited amount of oxygen, the body must come up for air every couple of seconds (depending on each swimmer’s lung capacity.) Thus, after coming up for air, the body naturally focuses on the next time the swimmer must come up for air. As a result of this process, it is quite difficult to think of anything else, and considering the fact that many people might worry about several things throughout the day, the pool becomes a stress free environment. In essence, we’re stressing about getting enough air instead of getting fired from our job in this tough economy.
Swimming burns calories. On average, swimming burns approximately 3 calories per pound per mile. In other words, if an individual is 100 pounds, and can swim a mile in a half hour, after one hour of swimming he will burn 600 calories. An hour in the pool on a hot day sure beats running on land. A workout in water will keep the body temperature down, and keep the body from overheating.
Swimming though is not without disadvantages. Since the body temperature stays lower, once it leaves the pool, it ceases to burn calories throughout the day. Other forms of cardiovascular exercise like running or cycling keep the body hot for longer, and thus more energy is burned throughout the day. Swimming is thus a good way to keep the heart and body healthy, but not a good way to lose a large amount of weight.
Know your facts; stay cool.
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