Get fit with swimming
The more your kids get into swimming, the more they are likely to want to get you involved as well. So, if you feel you could do with shaping up, don’t be struck by swimsuit fear. There are a range of exercises to help you get fit in the water, even if you are a non-swimmer.
So, you have got the kids enrolled on LTS swim courses and they are working their way through the stages. Then one day your now swimming-mad children turn around and say: “You ought to get in the water more. It’s a good way to lose weight, you know.”
Your first reaction is to point out that your Body Mass Index (BMI) is in acceptable parameters thank you very much - well, sort of! But then you stop and think. Maybe they have a point. After all, you feel you could do with trimming a pound or two.
Firstly, your kids are right. Swimming is a great way to get healthy. It can also help you lose weight, especially if you use the ‘Shape Up and Tone’ category of British Gas Swimfit. It provides regularly updated pool sessions based on swimming two or three times a week using different strokes. This will help bring about changes in the way you look.
If you don’t think you look great in your costume, don’t worry. Most pools now offer a range of swimwear options. Simply click here to learn more.
Plus you don’t have to swim to get fit in the water. AquaFit, an all-inclusive aerobics programme in water, a fitness class in the pool if you like, which is enjoyable, effective exercise without pain or strain.
It’s great if you’re a non-swimmer because you can exercise in a depth in which you feel comfortable, close to the poolside or rail, wearing buoyancy aids or armbands if you so wish, until your confidence improves. You can even bring a friend for support.
Check out the video below for an example of some of the exercises. Many people find the classes so enjoyable they decide they want to learn to swim after joining.
Compared with pounding asphalt, jogging in water at waist height can reduce the pressure on your joints by 50%, rising to 75% at chest-deep. At neck height pressure is reduced by around 95%, so this is a very low impact way of getting fit.
Did you know that according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy a person weighing 10st, or 63.5kg, jogging a ten-minute mile on an asphalt pavement, experiences the equivalent of 1 million lbs of impact being sent through the body?
Also, the extra pressure of the water on your legs pushes more blood back up into the top half of your body. This makes your heart work harder, raising your heartbeat and burning even more calories during your water workout, giving you more for less.
A collection of floats ensure your buoyancy as you “jog” through the water. Play the video below to get a better idea of how it works.
If you are a non-swimmer but already pound the circuit at your local gym two-three times a week, then you may want to consider Aqua Circuits. An exercise designed for people seeking a more targeted workout.
Weights and specialised floats are used as you move between stations to tone specific muscle groups. It can be done with or without music and workouts often include an element of aerobic fitness.
So, you see, there is no reason why you shouldn’t get fit in the water. As your kids will tell you, there is more to exercising in the water than simply swimming.
For a wider range of structured pool activities don’t forget to visit the British Gas Swimfit website here. And to check out Aqua Fit, Aqua Jogging or Aqua Circuit activities contact your local pool.
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