Boost your health and wellbeing with swimming
Gentle on joints yet providing a powerful punch when it comes to aerobic exercise, swimming is one of the best ways to work out.
As the body ages, many forms of exercise can become tricky and exacerbate existing injuries – especially high impact sports such as running or tennis. Swimming, on the other hand, ensures that the body’s weight is supported by water, making it a great way to get fit without putting any strain on your joints.
Why start swimming
Swimming is a wonderful sport for people of all ages, partly because your workout can be easily adjusted to suit your level of fitness. Beginners can enjoy a gentle breaststroke that leaves them feeling stretched and challenged while experiences swimmers can alternate between the crawl and butterfly strokes for a demanding workout – without the need for any extra equipment or training.
Swimming.org has some great reasons for introducing swimming into your routine and if those don’t convince you to pick up a pair of goggles. It’s also worth considering how good swimming is for the mind, as well as the body. Not only is it a sport that can help boost your heart rate and improve your overall levels of fitness, but it can help improve your mood too.
A dip in a pool encourages the release of feel-good endorphins as well as the satisfaction of a good workout. Then there’s the social aspect of swimming, which can be increased by signing up for classes such as water aerobics or advanced swimming classes. Find out more about the ultimate exercise in the Independent’s guide to swimming.
Finding great ways to enjoy swimming
When you’re ready to start enjoying all of the brilliant things about swimming, use this handy Pool Finder app to work out where your closest facility is. Swimmer’s Guide also has a great resource for finding suitable swimming pools, in the UK and beyond, simply enter your details and find a pool. For more luxurious leisure spaces, you might also want to take a look at a list of the UK’s top lidos as compiled by The Times. Including great, relaxing extras such as saunas and steams rooms as well as spacious pools, these are ideal for treating yourself to a great day out.
For a sun-filled and exhilarating swimming experience, why not explore some of the UK’s great outdoor pools? This is a brilliant way to get some fresh air as well as enjoy a little exercise, but you’ll have to limit your trips to certain times of the year as many outdoor pools close for winter. If you’re feeling really adventurous and your swimming skills are up to the challenge, you could also consider wild swimming. Taking to the sea, local lakes or suitable rivers is the ultimate way to enjoy outdoor swimming and get in touch with nature and this Wild Swim UK Map is perfect for locating swimming spots near you.
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