Freestylin Into Fitness

As local swimming pools start to re-open following last year’s shutdown, many are taking to the water to try to shed some weight and get fit.

“Swimming is great because it’s a full body exercise,” says Matthew Doherty, who oversees fitness and aquatics for the YWCA El Paso del Norte Region.

From laps to water aerobics, swimming is not just a killer form of cardio, says Doherty, it is also low impact.

Doherty emphasizes the importance of both parents and kids taking swim lessons before they try any water activity.

“When you get in or around any body of water, knowing how to swim can save your life,” Doherty says.

“Everything from buckets to kiddie pools can be a drowning hazard. Always swim somewhere meant for swimming, meaning they have CPR-certified lifeguards who are trained to do rescue. For parents, don’t just get your kids swim lessons, you should also learn to swim. Often parents who can’t swim will jump in a pool to try to save a child who has fallen in, and this can lead to double tragedy.”

Here are five top health benefits of swimming:

1. Full-body workout

“Water provides full-body resistance,” says Doherty. This means that it’s not just cardio, but swimming can also help you build or maintain muscles. “People usually do one or the other, a cardio workout or resistance training, but with swimming you do both.” 

2. Speeding up metabolism

Combining the benefits of both aerobic and resistance training – increasing your cardiovascular health and your strength – may help speed up your metabolism. This can lead to weight loss as your body burns calories more efficiently – even when you aren’t working out.

3. Low impact

“Water has less impact on your joints, ligaments, muscles and bones,” says Doherty. Each time our bodies land when we exercise, there’s additional impact. This is why many doctors recommend water aerobics for older adults, people with joint or ligament problems, and people with injuries. Some research has shown that swimming can actually decrease pain and stiffness caused by arthritis. 

4. Great for all ages

A low impact, full-body workout like swimming can be beneficial for people of all ages. The less stress we put on our joints, the longer we will be able to lead a healthy lifestyle with less pain in areas like the knees. “We have younger people doing aqua-aerobics because of injuries or because they are overweight. When you get in the water, you can challenge yourself at your own pace.”

5. Safety and injuries

For new swimmers or for those who haven’t been around the pool for a long time, Doherty says the biggest safety issue is getting in and out of the pool. Pools at the YWCA in El Paso do have reverse entry points and pool lifts that can be helpful to those who have trouble entering and exiting, he says.