Friday, April 12, 2013

Swimming Exercises for the Baby Boomers

By Juliette Crane


There are an increasing number of people that are starting to want to improve there health and baby boomers are no exception. Swimming appears to be one of the most popular forms of exercise among the baby boomers. Swimming provides a full body workout without the danger of overdoing it because it is one of the least stressful forms of exercise that you can do.

Somehow swimming has been associated with leisure rather than an exercise because of all the fun in the water! Few realize that it is one of the least injury-causing exercise that they can undertake - second only to walking. Lots of people are unaware of the benefits of swimming. In fact, doctors - particularly physiotherapists recommend water exercises for strengthening muscles to all age groups - even for those with poor physical conditions or those recovering from some injury. It is a one-point therapy.

Baby boomers are on the look out for a form of workout that will exert minimal strain on their muscles and ligaments. Water exercises are effective as resistance training so work very well for strength training and aerobics too. You don't have to necessarily be physically fit to swim, but if you continue swimming, it will definitely make you fit. This is why water fitness is so popular with baby boomers. They can be at any fitness level and still swim building their major muscle groups, boost endurance and keep their joints supple and flexible.

Many people are not aware that swimming actually provides almost all of the same effects as running does. The difference between running and swimming is that you are not putting a strain on your connective tissues as you do when you are running or doing weight training. Many baby boomers find that swimming allows them to easily maintain the fitness lever or to improve on it as well. You can also do exercise in water more often then you could if you were doing them out of water because the amount of injuries is so low. When you are in water, your body weight is reduced my nearly 90% your movements are 12 times greater then just doing them in the air, therefore you can do much more while in the water.

So, if you are a baby boomer who wants to try swimming to stay fit, you could take up swimming as a sport - an exer-sport! It will be effective - fulfilling your requirement for exercise and keep you active and feeling good about yourself. Being a low impact workout it will be quite safe. All you need to do is first and foremost; check with your doctor which water exercise is good for you. Then find out in the local recreational facility what types of swimming activities they offer. In many places, there are specific classes for different age and fitness levels. You can join them. After all good company would give that added incentive to be regular. Besides, a guided training will be better so that there is no fear of over-straining yourself in the enthusiasm!

As an increasing number of baby boomers begin to near and enter the retirement phase of their lives swimming is becoming more popular among them.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment