Health
How many calories do you burn by swimming?
Swimming is a really good form of exercise for everyone – both those who are on the overweight side, but also if you just want to get in better physical shape of Online lifeguard recertification Moving in water is not as hard as on land, as some of the weight has been “taken away”.
By swimming, you quickly burn 400-800 calories in a single hour. This means that if you swim 3 times a week for 60 minutes, you will approx. have burned an entire day’s calorie intake in food. However, it is quite individual how many calories you burn, as it depends on a number of personal factors such as height, weight, gender and age.
That’s how many calories you burn by swimming
As mentioned, it is very individual how many calories you can burn by swimming, but one thing is absolutely certain; you burn more calories by swimming than by lying on the couch – so just get going and enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by water and “light as a feather”.
In order to have an average estimate to relate to, I take as a starting point a person of 70 kg who trains to swim at an average speed:
This is indicative, so it is not certain that it will suit you. In addition, this is based on the fact that you definitely practice swimming, and not just if you take a pleasant trip to the swimming pool. Of course, you also burn calories, but not to the same extent.
Benefits of swimming
There are a number of benefits to swimming, so just to name a few, here are the following:
Gentle on the body:
Swimming is an advantageous sport for people who suffer from joint problems or, for example, have (chronic) injuries, who need a form of exercise where the intensity is a little low. It therefore reduces the pressure on your joints, due to the fact that part of the load of the body weight is cut off with the help of gravity.
Good for your cardiovascular health:
Swimming can have a big, and quite significant, impact on maintaining a healthy, strong heart. It is based on the fact that the large muscle groups in your body are put to hard work when you swim, at the same time as your heart rate increases.
Also read about: 5 Ways To Transform Your Swimming Pool’s Look
Perfect as “pause training”:
Swimming is the perfect form of exercise relative to most other forms of exercise. Almost regardless of what else you do; swimming will always be a supplement during the week. It doesn’t matter if you are in good physical shape, how you feel socially and/or mentally and your age, swimming can help you get in better shape and stay active for many years.
Builds muscle:
Swimming is a form of exercise that really requires some of the large muscle groups in the body. Water creates a natural resistance that the body has to move through, and this means that your muscles are trained bigger and stronger.
Contributes to positive mental health:
Swimming can be physically hard and demanding, but it can also be especially fun and relaxing. When you are there in the water, you can easily “disconnect” from everything around you – put your ears a little under the water, and you will experience a different kind of silence around you.
You can swim alone or with a friend. The advantage of swimming with others means that you also get a bit of the social aspect into the picture, which is healthy for people’s mental health.
Calorie Burn:
Last but not least, swimming is a good and effective way to burn calories. If you are particularly overweight, swimming may actually be a way that you will be able to experience success in relation to movement.
Many people who are overweight don’t think it’s nice to be active – partly because it can hurt the joints, due to the strain of body weight on them, partly because it’s hard to have to walk, run or cycle. In water, gravity is different than on land, and therefore it is a very good and gentle way to lose weight.