Health Topics for Exercise and Fitness

Smoking Cessation

Swimming

Surprisingly, swimming is mostly an upper-body exercise. It uses the small muscles of the arms more than the large muscles of the legs. Doing a variety of swim strokes is a great way to stretch and tone.

Adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week, preferably daily. (Children need at least 60 minutes a day.) Doing less than this will minimize your health benefits. Moderate aerobic exercise is generally defined as requiring about as much energy as walking 2 miles in 30 minutes. Swimming is an excellent aerobic activity and burns fat calories.

Exercising in the water is good for people who are overweight, pregnant, older, or suffer from arthritis. It is also good for people recovering from an injury. The buoyancy of the water relieves weight on the joints. Swimming is not a weight bearing exercise and does little for bone strength.

Water exercises may include adaptations of land activities like jogging, bench-stepping, circuit and interval training, and calisthenics. You can increase resistance to a movement in water by using fins or kickboards.

Safety is an important factor in water exercising. Do not swim in strange or unsupervised water locations. If you enjoy water activities, it is a good idea to learn CPR and basic water rescue procedures. Find public swimming and water exercise programs that have certified water safety instructors to lead their classes. If you cannot swim, enroll in only shallow-water classes.

Swimming pools should be clean and safe. Home and public pools both need to have chlorine and pH levels routinely checked. Railings and ladders must be stable. The water temperature should be appropriate for the activity.

Finally, remember that water does not protect the skin from getting sunburned. Always wear sunscreen when you swim outdoors.

Choose fitness and exercise activities that you enjoy. Work with a certified exercise leader to learn how to exercise safely.

Last Reviewed: 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File EXER3116.rf2 VRS# 7461 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 1998, 2002 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.