There are a number of reasons swimming helps you lose weight, while providing a low impact workout. Swimming burns a significant number of calories while providing resistance training from the water. Additionally, swimming is excellent exercise for people who suffer from joint issues, because unlike high-impact exercise, swimming takes the pressure off your joints! And there are a variety of different swimming workouts and strokes you can do stay challenged and eliminate boredom. Now I will share with you all the reasons swimming helps you lose weight and is a lot of fun!
Did you know swimming burns approximately 500-750 calories per hour (based on a 150 pound woman)? These calories can be more or less depending on your weight and stroke style. If you combine your swimming workout with healthy eating you will achieve weight loss and feel great! This high calorie burn tops my reasons swimming helps you lose weight!
Swimming is a great cardiovascular workout, like running or cycling, but it also provides resistance training because of the water resistance. This is an additional challenge that can help you in your weight loss goals.
The standard stroke, also known as front stroke or freestyle, burns between 475 and 700 calories an hour based on how quickly you are swimming. When performing the front stroke you should alternate over arms strokes while vigorously kicking your feet. Your face should be down in the water and rotate your head side to side to breathe.
The butterfly is the most challenging of swimming strokes and for this reason based on a 150 pound person it burns a whopping 750 calories an hour. Just make sure to focus on proper form in the breast stroke and move your arms in a fan like motion. Start with your arms in front of you and then pull towards your stomach and while doing so make sure to kick.
When I was injured in college I took up pool running while wearing a 20 pound resistance belt. This challenging workout burns approximately 600 calories an hour and it is a lot of fun. You will feel resistance from the water and from the weighted belt so this will help muscle tone. I did 6 weeks of pool running daily and I actually returned to running competitions stronger and so can you!
The backstroke is another challenging stroke that you can perform by laying on your back while doing over arm strokes and kicking vigorously at the same time. This stroke burn approximately 450-500 calories based on a 150 pound woman. The back stroke may look easy but it is definitely a challenging and rewarding workout than can help you to achieve your weight loss goals!
After a light 20 minute swim why not add some leg workouts into your fitness routine? You can perform flutter kicks by holding on to the side of the pool and kicking vigorously repeatedly. Rest for 20 seconds and then repeat 3 times to burn extra calories to get the beach body you have dreamed of!
Swimming is a great calorie burning exercise that can challenge and better both you physically and mentally. Change your waistline for the better and follow the swimming workouts I have provided you. Are you ready to change up your routine with these swimming workouts?