Swimming for Cardio Exercise

Swimming is great full-body workout.

Swimming is one of the best cardiovascular exercises. Cardiovascular (cardio) exercise, also called aerobic exercise, involves repetitive motion using the large muscles of the body. It has to be sufficient to increase heart rate and respiration.

Benefits of Cardio Exercise

Regular cardio exercise has many health benefits. Besides strengthening your cardiovascular system, it helps prevent diabetes, improves mood, increases endurance, helps regulate weight and may reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies show that people who get regular exercise tend to live longer.

Exercise Recommendations

Current recommendations for aerobic exercise are 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week of moderate exercise or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 times a week. This can be broken up into bouts of no less than 10 minutes, so you could swim 10 minutes 3 times a day. These recommendations are for maintaining health and reducing chronic disease.

Swimming Requirements

If you are going to use swimming as your cardio exercise, you have to be able to swim continuously for at least 10 minutes. You can swim some days and do other types of exercise, such as walking or biking, on other days.

References

• American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines