There is no other activity or exercise that offers a full-body workout. Unlike in other sports like baseball, football etc. you don’t have to retire from swimming. The buoyant force of the water makes you feel weightless inside the water which is why you can put more effort without tiring yourself. But everything has a loophole in it. Here we’ve balanced the pros and cons of swimming.
Pros
- A study of 73 kids found out that two-thirds of the children needed less medication for asthma. Hence, what they say is true- Swimming, the perfect exercise for people with asthma.
- Indianan University conducted a study in which they found out swimmers ageing over 40 years showed fewer ageing signs. They used to swim four times a week. Dr Joel Stager says the swimmers also displayed a reduced level of blood pressure.
- You may be already aware of the fact that swimming facilitates weight loss. Yes, it’s the best and the easiest way to burn calories. Around 500 calories are burnt in a single hour. Also, it increases your metabolism.
- Wondering how to build your strength? The answer is swimming. Since it uses all muscle groups it boosts the strength of the muscle. Also, it gives sore knees and other joints a rest.
Cons
- People having sensitive skin are more likely to get rashes due to the presence of Chlorine whereas cryptosporidium will cause diarrhoea. If chlorine level is low, chlorine, sweat and urine combine to form Chloramine which may cause eye, respiratory, and skin irritation.
- South Africa's Sports Science Institute had conducted a study in which they found an armature breathing problem among swimmers using chlorinated pools. Indoor swimming lessons more likely to cause bronchitis and asthma in swimmers. Chlorine gas damages the lungs of every young child.
- The real risk of swimmers is in drowning, more specifically among the children. Parents need to keep an eye on their child while they’re near the pool or learning swimming.
- Excluding in the summers, the cold pool water in other seasons may cause cough and cold in children as well as adults. Though temperature control pools are starting to take care of this issue, they are not widely known.
Bottom Line
Swimming is the best fitness choice for everyone starting from a small child to a person of 50 years old, more specifically for people who can't bear the pain caused by other exercises. In the case of children, parents need to take care at the beginning. Practice makes a man perfect! This phrase applies here too. Eventually, children will learn with practice how to take care of themselves while swimming.