SWIMMING: AND PLEASANT AND USEFUL
About the benefits of swimming
Swimming is not only a pleasant pastime, but also an excellent physical activity on almost all muscles of the body. The benefits of swimming are obvious. This is a complex aerobic exercise in which the muscles of the upper and lower body work. Therefore, depending on the combination of technology, speed and frequency of training, swimming can help both with weight loss, and with strengthening muscles and general body health.
Thanks to the buoyancy, water protects the joints well. Therefore, swimming in the pool is one of the few exercises that is useful and safe for the elderly and pregnant women. Any water exercises are an ideal choice for people with overweight, limited physical activity, as well as during the recovery period after injuries.
Swimming strengthens the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The horizontal position during swimming and the pressure of the water facilitate the work of the heart, and the cooling of the body in the water causes the heart to pump more blood. According to the degree of development of the cardiovascular system, swimmers rank among the top athletes in various sports. Intense work of all muscles during swimming forces the respiratory system to work more actively, the mechanism of thermoregulation is improved, the work of the immune system and adaptation to external conditions are improved, the general tone of the body is increased.
Swimming styles
Each style of swimming gives the main load on different groups of muscles. Therefore, if you swim not just for recreation, but set serious goals for yourself, it is necessary to alternate swimming styles. There are four main types of swimming.
Brass is a fairly easy way of swimming, known to many as “frog-like.” While swimming in breaststroke, you evenly load the shoulder girdle, the muscles of the arms and the inner surface of the thigh, strengthen the muscles of the legs and develop the hip joints. Swimming in this style is recommended for pregnant women.
Krol – the fastest swimming style. Floating crawl the main burden goes to the muscles of the arms and shoulders. This is the best style for those who want to tighten their muscles and lose weight – after all, 570 kilocalories are consumed per hour. Doctors do not advise people who have serious problems with the spine to crawl.
The butterfly is definitely the most difficult swimming style – the hands make a wide and powerful stroke that lifts the body above the water. When swimming, the butterfly uses the maximum number of muscles, the abdominals are well strengthened, but there are different opinions on the effect of this style on the spine.
Swimming on the back is considered an ideal form of training for people with spinal problems and scoliosis.
Swimming: where to start
First of all, determine why you need to go swimming – learn how to swim, strengthen your muscles, improve your overall physical fitness, or just to relax. The time for swimming is largely dependent on your personal biorhythm, but on average, the time between 16 and 19 hours is ideal.
Depending on what you want to achieve, you can optimally build a lesson in the pool – choose the desired swimming style, speed, intensity of training. If you are just starting to engage in swimming, we recommend at least a few lessons to be held under the guidance of an instructor. He will show you the right technique, help you correctly organize the training.
After you have decided on your goals, the turn has come to choose a pool. In Kiev today there are about 40 pools – indoor or outdoor with various levels of amenities and additional services. There are even special children’s pools. The standard length of the track in indoor pools is 25 m. Almost all pools have a gym with trainers, you can additionally sign up for aerobics or shaping, some also have a solarium and a sauna.
The usual class duration is 45 minutes. Prices depending on the level of the pool start from 50 UAH per lesson. Or you can purchase a subscription for a certain number of classes with a fixed or free visit time, in addition, it will be cheaper.
Before you go to the pool – get a medical certificate from your local doctor. Without it in any way. Although in some pools there is a first-aid post, where you will be examined and issued a certificate, not for free. And do not forget the hat and slippers. Hats can be rented, but it is much better to think about it in advance.
And a few more points. The water in the pool is purified by special methods, filtered and disinfected several times. In almost all the basins of Kiev, chlorination is used in combination with other purification methods (iodization, ionization, etc.). But despite this, it is imperative that you take a shower in the shower before and after taking it with soap. everyone who comes brings their own set of germs on their skin. Some of the precautions apply antifungal cream on the feet. Pool water is usually harder due to pretreatment (unless it is a home inflatable pool).
