What are the benefits of swimming ?

What are the benefits of swimming?

There are many ways you can benefit from swimming.

Swimming is an excellent full body work out. You burn the same amount of calories per hour as running or cycling. It is safe for overweight, elderly and pregnant people who cannot handle high impact sports. Studies by Jang, et al., in 1987 found out that male swimmers and distance runners burn an equal amount of calories in training. Female swimmers burn more calories than on-land trainers. Competetive swimmers do more intense intervals, which burn more calories and require a lot more energy for recovery than the steady rythem in distance runners training.  

Running or joging targets mostly lower body muscle groups and weight lifting which focuses on upper body strength but swimming focuses on full body. As you pull yourself foward, the water creates drag and risistance challenging you to engage all your muscles.

Most movement in the breaststroke is powered by the lower body, this is why injuries to this area are more common. The wide movement from the breaststroke kick puts stress on the joints, mainly the knees and hips. Keeping your foot unnaturally straight while doing breaststroke kick --called plantar flexion-- increases the risk of muscle cramps, mostly in the calves. stretching your ankles to increase the range of motion before swimming helps this problem.

Swimming breaststroke will ingage all of your major muscle groups in your body. It improves your cardiovascular health and burns calories effectively. A person who weighs 155lbs. burns 744 calories swimming for 1 hour. To lose 1 pound of body fat you need to lose 3,500 calories.

Doing gental water exercises doesnt burn many calories, but intense lap swimming burns between 500 to 800 calories per hour depending on your weight and level of fitness. The calories burned are similar to other vigorous water activities like jogging, running slow, hiking, skating, tennis and dance. Working out at this level would burn body fat at a fast pass, resulting in maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight at a rate of 1 pound a week.

There is also lower risks in diabetes. In one study men reduced their risk of diabetes by 6 % for every 500 calories a week they burned in arobic exercise. With just 30 minutes of breaststroke 3 time a week, you could burn 900 calories. Reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes by 10%. This aplies for woman aswell. Doing vigorous exercise once a week lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 16 % over inactive woman.

Muscle glossary

muscles:

• Gluteal - The gluteal muscles are four different muscles; the gluteus maximus muscle, gluteus medius muscle and gluteus minimus muscle, which make up the buttocks, and lastly the tensor fasciae latae muscle, which is located anterior and lateral to the rest. Here is a diagram of the Gluteal muscles: 

• Trapezius - the trapizius is a large muscle that extends  from the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae and  to the spine of the scapula (shoulder blade).

•  Deltoid -  the deltoid muscle is the muscle forming the rounded contour of the shoulder.

• Latissimus dorsi -  meaning 'the broadest muscle' of the back, is the larger, flat, dorso-lateral muscle on the trunk, posterior to the arm, and partly covered by the trapezius.

• Hamstring - the hamstring is a group of tendons contracted by four thigh muscles that make up the space behind the knee, or their corresponding tendons. 

Bibliography

Source: Internet
title: What muscles are used while swimming the butterfly stroke?
publisher: Rachel Nall.
year of publication: 04 May, 2011
URL: www.livestrong.com/article/article/79173-muscles-used-swimming-butterfly-stroke/#ixzz2ME8GEosG

Source: Internet.
Title: Do swimmers have the best bodies.
Publisher: Nina Makofsky.
Year of Publication: July 6, 2011.
URL: http://www.livestrong.com/article/486424-do-swimmers-have-the-best-bodies/

Source: Internet.
Title: Benefits of the Breaststroke.
Publisher: Jeremi Davidson.
Year of Publication: August 22, 2011.
URL: www.livestrong.com/article/523742-bebfits-of-the-breaststroke/#ixzz2MoLfEdz1

Source: Internet.
Title: Good Techniques to Tone your Body.
Publisher: Carolyn Williams.
Year of Publication: September 3, 2011.
URL: www.livestrong.com/article/534498-good-techniques-to-tone-your-body/

Source: Internet.
Title: What Muscles are worked with Breaststroke.
Publisher: Elizabeth Falwell.
Year of Publication: August 23, 2011.
URL: www.livestrong.com/article/524370-what-muscles-are-worked-with-the-breaststroke/#ixzz2MEEJ7tnZ

Source: Internet.
Title: How many Calories are Burned Swimming.
Publisher: Claire Lunardoni.
Year of Publication: April 29, 2012.
URL: http://www.livestrong.com/article/18842-many-calories-burned-swimming/#ixzz2MoMdXB4g

Butterfly stroke

butterfly stroke

muscles

The butterfly stroke is considered the most difficult stroke out of the four. It requires a lot of power and technique.

It uses most muscles in the body, mainly focusing on the arms, core and legs. 

ARMS: Arms make a rotating motion through the water to propel the body forward. This action builds the deltoid muscles and the trapezius muscles. 

CORE: the core muscles are those that make up the lower back and abdomen. without a strong, well developed core, swimming butterfly will be more difficult as the abdomen muscles provide the body strength to lift out of the water and to go back in and the latissimus dorsi muscles in the back help with stability of the motion.  

LEGS/BUTTOCKS: As the butterfly kick is different compared to the others, it uses a completely different set of muscles. since the legs are held together and are used as one, it requires more strength in the buttocks muscles. the hamstring muscles are very important in butterfly because the legs kick in a backward motion like that of a dolphins. 


movement: 
good technique is crucial to swim butterfly properly. 
butterfly originated from breaststroke, and was swum with the breaststroke kick. but then it separated to its own, individual stroke and was swum with a dolphin kick. this stroke has three major parts, the pull, the push, and the recovery. 

PULL: is when the swimmer starts with their arms out in front and pulls them around like in the breaststroke (or like they're tracing a keyhole shape). 

PUSH: is when the swimmer pushes their arms underneath their body, and then back up and over. 

RECOVERY: is when the swimmer swings the arms sideways across the water surface to the front (with the elbows straight) before diving back into the water. 


Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6n_SrjLypA 

Body Types And Techniques.

Do swimmers have the best bodies?

Swimmers bodies are muscular, V-shape, long, lean and tall. This can create a speed advantage for swimmers who have these physiques. Also having a narrow waist-hips and broad shoulders can have an advantage when swimming. So you might say yes, swimmers do have the best bodies.

Benefits of the Breaststroke.

Breaststroke is good for long distance swimming because not much energy is needed. Breaststroke builds strength, power and endurance. Your arm movement builds your shoulder and back muscles and your legs have a longer recovery time and builds gluteal muscle and quads.

Good Techniques to tone your Body.

• Swimming can engage your entire body and build a healthy cardiovascular system.                                  
• Scissor kicking gives you strong long legs.
• Butterfly make a powerful back.
• Freestyle and backstroke develops your core and strengthens your arms and legs.