If you want to improve your gym performance, then it makes sense to think that you need to spend more time training in the gym. But in reality, there are other areas of fitness that you can include in your workout routine, that can actually help improve your gym performance. One such area is swimming.
Swimming comes with an array of benefits, that range from improving your cardiovascular endurance, offering a low impact alternative and encouraging the recovery process, that’ll see you making improvements in your gym performance. It’s a win-win!
Benefits of swimming
There are many advantages to adding swimming to your regular workout routine. In fact, swimming more won’t take away from your gym performance but instead could actually really benefit it.
Improves cardiovascular endurance
Swimming is great exercise as it trains the heart and lungs. It requires you to complete the movement over a period of time, which works your cardiovascular endurance.
Not to mention, while knowing the correct breathing techniques is an integral component in any type of exercise, it’s especially important in swimming because being in the water forces you to really focus on it. It means that your body learns how to use oxygen more efficiently, so that your resting heart rate and breathing rate will decrease. It’ll also reduce these rates when you’re in the middle of a workout, so that you won’t experience fatigue as quickly.
Works on muscle strength and flexibility
Swimming requires your whole body. It uses your legs, your arms, your core and everything other muscle for you to stay afloat and to keep moving through the water. This works on your muscle strength, in a different way to lifting weights in the gym. The water also acts as liquid resistance as you’ll have to push through the body of water so you’ll get those benefits even without machines or weights.
It’s a low impact exercise
If you still want to work out but find that the gym is starting to take a toll on your body, then swimming provides a great workout without the impact that dry land workouts have. It’s easy on the joints and doesn’t require hard landing or moving like you would with running or lifting weights.
By reducing the roll your body has to endure through exercise, you can prevent any muscle soreness and other injuries that are common in dry land exercise.
Great for recovery
Another reason why swimming can help you improve your time in the gym is that it can aid in your recovery. With swimming acting as an active recovery tool, it can assist in improving motion and reduce swelling. It’s also beneficial for tears, sprains and strains and is a common rehabilitation method for muscle, ligament and tendon injuries.
It flushes out lactic acid while your muscles recover and by giving yourself the best chance of recovery, you can perform better at the gym the next time. It also reduces soreness and muscle fatigue. By regularly recovering in the pool, you can prevent overtraining and bringing your body to breaking point.
To get these recovery benefits though, ensure that you’re going steady; don’t swim fast or frantically like you’re trying to win a race. It’s about the range of motion and really being deliberate with your movements. Think about completing each stroke. This is how you’ll get the best recovery benefits from swimming.
It’s relaxing
The rhythmic motion in swimming can be quite relaxing. Being in the water and focusing on your strokes can create a calm and meditative atmosphere that can be great for your mental health. As it is a pain-reliever and gentle on the body, swimming can reduce stress and anxiety. It’s a greaT way to unwind and recuperate, while still keeping you active and moving.
Final notes
There are many reasons why swimming is beneficial and how it can actually help you improve your gym performance. From acting as an active recovery tool to giving you a full body workout without the hard impact that dry land exercise can have, it’s a great way to keep moving whIle letting your body heal.