What Type of Physique Can You Achieve Through Swimming?

Having a good body image is important for your self-esteem, and you may also want to build a stronger physique to meet your athletic goals. If you’ve ever watched a swimming competition, it becomes evident this is one type of physical activity that can radically transform your body. But the changes you see have a lot to do with the types of activities you spend time doing in your new San Diego pool. Taking a look at how swimming changes your body can help you plan to use your pool to achieve your goals.

Focus on Strokes to Strengthen Your Upper Body

Professional swimmers are known for having chiseled upper bodies that give them the strength they need to maintain an edge in competitions. While many professional athletes do strength training on the ground, they can also attribute this change in their bodies to practicing their swimming strokes. The breaststroke, butterfly, crawl, and backstroke all rely heavily on using the arms, shoulders, and upper back to maneuver through the water. With each stroke you make, you can know you’re building stronger muscles that show on your body.

Enjoy a Low-Impact Method for Burning Calories

If running or jumping is painful, it might be hard to get the body of your dreams. Getting regular cardiovascular exercise is important when you’re trying to shed weight. Swimming is a form of exercise that burns just as many calories as ones you can do on the ground. But you’ll benefit from the buoyancy of water for alleviating much of your post-workout soreness. If you have arthritis or other joint issues, you’ll find swimming is an option that can increase the intensity and length of your workouts by helping you stay comfortable.

Reduce Excess Abdominal Fat

Getting those six-pack abs is only achieved by reducing your overall body fat and doing exercises that strengthen your abdominal muscles. As you work off extra calories during a good swim, you’ll be reducing your overall body fat, which also impacts your abs. To use swimming to achieve a flatter stomach, you’ll want to engage in several different styles. Swimming laps burns calories faster. Practicing your strokes adds strength and tightness to your abs, and treading water requires your abdominals to work extra hard to move your legs.

Create a Long, Lean Physique

Swimming works all of the main muscle groups in your body, and this has the effect of transforming your physique from head to toe. Kicking your feet in the water builds stronger, leaner leg muscles, much like using the strokes does for your upper body. No matter what your fitness goals are, it’s important to remember you get back what you put into your swimming practice. If changing your body is your goal, establish a swimming schedule that works for you and allows you to maximize the benefits of your new pool installation. 

If you’re looking for the perfect way to boost your physical fitness levels, a pool can be exactly what you need. As an award-winning swimming pool builder San Diego families and businesses have trusted for more than four decades, San Diego Pools can create a custom pool for you that offers a great way to exercise as well as a place to relax and get away from it all. Give us a call today.