Make Swimming Your Go-to Summer 30-Minute Workout Dana G Smith - The New York Times
go to original June 11, 2022

Structure Your Next Swimming Session (Global Triathlon Network)

Summer is here and you’ve decided this is the year to trade your running shoes for a pair of swim goggles. Maybe you’ve tweaked a knee and need a lower impact form of cardio, maybe you just can’t face your outdoor boot camp class when it’s 90 degrees.

Whatever your reason for taking to the water, swimming is one of the best exercises you can do for your health. It’s a total body workout, taxing your arms and legs, as well as your cardiovascular system, yet it puts less stress on your joints than most other exercises. And on a hot summer day, the cool water is a good place to get sweaty.

According to Hirofumi Tanaka, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin, swimming provides similar cardiovascular benefits as running or other endurance sports. Research at his lab also suggests a regular swim program can lower blood pressure and soften stiff arteries in older adults.

“Swimming is really an underappreciated, sneaky good form of exercise,” Dr. Tanaka said. “Exercise needs to involve large muscle groups, be rhythmical in nature and it should tax cardiovascular functions. Swimming fits perfectly.”

But where to begin? Facing down a lap lane can be intimidating as a novice. Here are some tips from professional coaches on how to turn 30 minutes at the pool into an effective workout.

Learn more at The New York Times