Like other forms of cardio, swimming can be great for your health and well-being. For proof, check out these physical benefits of swimming.

1. Accessible, lifelong sport

Swimming, says Stasinos, is “something you can do your entire life.” That’s because unlike high-impact activities such as running and jumping, swimming is a non-weight-bearing activity that is gentle on your skeletal system, making it a solid choice for exercisers of all ages and ability levels. Because of this low-impact nature, people with pain, injuries, or limitations that prohibit their participation in other sports can often find fitness with it. (Of course, if you have a history of injury or pain, check with your doctor first before you start swimming to make sure it’s a safe activity for you.)Learn swimming with lifeguard certification.



2. Improved heart and lung health

As mentioned, swimming is stellar cardiovascular exercise, so it’s no surprise that the sport is great for your heart and lungs. A 2013 study in Evidence-Based Child Health of kids with asthma found that ​​regular swimming increased cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) fitness as well as lung function. And another 2013 study, this one in the International Educational E-Journal involving healthy students between the ages of 17 and 22, concluded that an eight-week swimming program significantly increased their lung functioning too.

3. Total-body activation

The high density of water—which, fun fact, is nearly 800 times that of air—means you can build muscle strength as you move through it, according to the Mayo Clinic. Swimming is a “total-body strengthener,” says Stasinos, explaining that proper body positioning in any of the strokes requires you to activate muscles in your legs, torso, and arms. Swimming, adds Montenegro, especially targeting your shoulders, triceps, lats, obliques, abs, quads, and calves.

4. Better breath control

One reason swimming can feel so hard is that you can’t always breathe when you want to. “You really have to be comfortable putting your face in the water and knowing how to control your breath,” says Montenegro; otherwise you could end up with a mouth (or nose) full of chlorine. The key to breathing correctly when swimming is to steadily exhale through your nose when your face is underwater, and then inhale through your mouth when your face is out of the water.

By swimming consistently, you can improve your breath control, which can benefit your life outside the pool. For example, knowing how to control your breath can come in handy while doing other workouts like running or weightlifting, and also while managing your mental health through activities like meditation and breathing exercises.

5. Improved coordination

Let’s face it: There is a lot of coordination involved with swimming. No matter what stroke you’re doing, your arms, legs, and core all have to work together to get your body across the pool. In freestyle, for example, your legs have to kick constantly while your torso rotates and your arms perform alternating pulls.

With time and consistency, new swimmers should notice their coordination abilities improve. Indeed, a 2010 study of elderly people published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging concluded that regular swimming may result in improved hand-eye coordination. And hand-eye coordination is important in a number of activities, from playing catch with your kids to crushing the choreography in Zumba class with americanlifeguardcourse.



6. Increased core strength

You may think swimming is all about your arms and legs, but the ideal stroke technique involves a good amount of core engagement too. Solid core activation is what helps you rotate properly in freestyle and backstroke, what propels you forward in butterfly, and what helps you dive, kick, and push off the wall effectively when swimming all its strokes. In other words, having a strong core is essential to being a strong swimmer.

So if you swim regularly with proper technique, you can improve your core strength—no crunches or planking required.

7. Better balance

As mentioned, swimming can build serious core strength. And having a strong core is a key part of good balance. That’s because your core is your balance center, and a strong core allows you to control your body’s positioning and maintain an upright position, as SELF previously reported.

So by swimming regularly—and thus regularly working on your core strength—“it’s easier for your balance to improve,” says Doherty. And balance training can help you move about your day-to-day life with less risk of falling and also tackle your workouts with better performance and reduced risk of injury.

Also read about:3 mental benefits of swimming