Why is swimming so healthy?

Swimming, the best activity for your health? This is certainly what its representatives think, provided you know how to navigate in the water. Because the main benefits of swimming derive from this aqueous element. “The water gives off an atmosphere conducive to relaxation and letting go. It’s a good way to fight that stress demonassures Doctor Dominique Cupillard, federal doctor of the French Swimming Federation. Weightlessness is atraumatic or has no impact on the joints. Since you are in a lying position there are no jolts in the back as can happen in running.” However, this body escaping a little from the earth’s gravity develops other skills. “This weightlessness effect allows muscle work gently. Between 70 and 80% of the movements are easier in the water”she explains.

This impression of less effort does not mean that the body is working less, quite the contrary. Since water is denser than air, the body works against the resistance of the aquatic element. “When swimming for example in front crawl it is all the members who fight against the resistance of the watershe explains. This is particularly the case in aquafitness where the sport is not to make more movements than outside the water but to tone your muscles thanks to the resistance of the water. This resistance has a surprising effect on swimmers, it accentuates the natural drainage of sports activity on transit. On the other hand, this aquatic massage – caused by the fact of evolving in the water – also facilitates blood circulation. “Swimming with flippers improves venous return from the legs and improves blood circulationassures the doctor. It is particularly indicated for people who want to lose weight without trauma to their body or those who want to improve their figure.

good for the heart

A resistance that pushes to limit the number of movements and relieves the cardiovascular work. “Faced with the resistance of the water, the heart works less, the more the phenomenon of weightlessness facilitates its contractions and relaxations and moreover, as the venous circulation is facilitated by the massage of the water, the heart works in an optimal way and everything slowlyassures Doctor Cupillard. Swimming is less taxing on the heart than running a marathon. And doing it regularly builds heart capacity and stamina.”

A phenomenon that also impacts the respiratory system. “As the heart is less tired it is easier to breathe too! she says. A study has shown that people with respiratory insufficiencies increase their ventilatory capacity thanks to humidity which facilitates adaptation and to the effect of weightlessness. Less effort allows better breathing provided you do not drink the cup.