How to swim in the pool to lose weight

Swimming is considered to be a unique sport. This option of physical activity helps to strengthen the immune system, improve the activity of the heart muscle, increase lung capacity and, of course, lose weight. On average, one hour lesson in the pool allows you to burn about 500 Kcal, which is an indisputable plus. Overweight girls and women begin to swim in order to get rid of extra pounds, as well as make the skin more elastic.

Swimming in the pool: positive aspects

On which side to not look, swimming has a beneficial effect on the functioning of internal organs and the psychoemotional state of a person as a whole.

1. Water exercises help speed up the metabolism (metabolism), as a result of which the volumes melt before our eyes. During swimming, all muscle groups are involved, so there is no need to work out each zone individually.
2. Classes of this kind improve the activity of the heart muscle, normalize blood pressure, and control the production of collagen and elastin fibers.
3. An alternative to swimming can be considered water aerobics, which allows you to perform exercises while in a state of hydrogravity. You will feel only a small load on the muscles, but the effect will not take long.
4. Swimming is suitable for all categories of overweight citizens. The pool can be visited by girls, middle-aged women, the elderly, persons with disabilities (disabled). A similar feature is achieved for the reason that the musculoskeletal system is loaded to a small extent due to the supporting function of water.
5. With active water procedures, the elasticity of the tissues improves, as a result of which an intensive fight against fatty deposits, in particular cellulite, begins. Hydromassage allows you to disperse the fluid, as well as remove toxins from the skin.
6. As mentioned earlier, 1 hour of intensive swimming allows you to get rid of 450-500 Kcal. This aspect is 1.5 times higher than in jogging or fitness.

Reasons why it is difficult to lose weight

Despite the fact that swimming is considered an active physical activity, it is quite difficult to lose weight using this method. Experts have identified important aspects that prevent accelerated weight loss. Let's consider them in order.

1. For most people, water exercises cause appetite and uncontrolled hunger. A similar feature leads to the use of high-calorie foods in large quantities after exercise.
2. Swimming activities contribute to increased fatigue. A person at a subconscious level switches to a sedentary lifestyle, without noticing it. From here, fat deposits appear in the most problematic parts of the body.
3. Since the pool has a cooling effect, calorie burning stops when it leaves the water. From the foregoing, we can conclude that excess weight leaves only during swimming.

Types of swimming in the pool

1. Breaststroke. This style of swimming is the starting position on the chest, when the legs and arms move almost parallel to the water level. Speaking from a technical point of view, the exercise is considered the most difficult. Breaststroke involves most muscle groups, so excess weight goes away rapidly. The main driving force is the legs, it is they who are loaded most.Regular swimming with the breaststroke allows you to pump up the biceps and quadriceps muscles, hip biceps, tighten the buttocks and visually stretch the calf muscles. As for the upper body, the back, pectoral and deltoid muscles are involved.
2. Butterfly. The swimming style is conventionally called a dolphin, it is considered to be complex. As with the breaststroke, butterfly swimming is performed on the stomach, while the arms are placed symmetrically. During a powerful jerk, the body is thrown up above the water due to the fact that the legs resemble the movements of a mermaid (wave-like). Butterfly uses the muscles of the abs, back, neck, chest, arms, hips and calves.
3. Backstroke. The exercise resembles the breaststroke style, but the main difference is the initial position on the back. The hands are also parallel to the surface of the water, but they are not bent at the elbows, but are fully extended. A similar style strengthens the biceps of the shoulder, chest, back and partially abs. The main emphasis is on the deltoid muscle and calves.
4. Crawl. The style with the original position on the abdomen, in which rowing is carried out with two hands in turn. The upper limbs are parallel to the body, while the legs work alternately. An important feature is considered to be that the face is immersed in water, the neck should be on one straight line with the back. During the next stroke, the head turns first in one direction, then in the other, it is at this moment that you can exhale and inhale. Swimming with a crawl involves an intense load that involves the shoulders, chest, back, abs, biceps and quadriceps muscles of the hips and calves.

Features of weight loss by the pool

1. Sports professionals recommend a cold pool. Such a move helps to increase the amount of energy expended, since the body is forced to burn additional calories to restore body temperature.
2. You can lose weight with the help of a swimming pool if you create an individual training program for yourself. Each session should be carried out with maximum efficiency, otherwise the body will remain in a relaxed state.
3. In order for the volumes to melt before our eyes, it is recommended to alternate the types of swimming. Interval training does not allow the body to get used to the load, as a result of which it is constantly in a state of stress.
4. Some girls believe that after a long visit to the pool, the shoulders, arms and back become wider, however this misconception is erroneous. To obtain such an effect, about 4-5 hours of daily training are required, and then the result will be insufficient. Professional athletes spend about 2-3 years on such shocking results, in some cases longer.
5. When you visit the pool, more energy is spent than in the gym, on fitness or dancing. To effectively lose weight during each workout, the temperature of the water should not be above 25 degrees.
6. The rate of fat burning depends on the style of swimming, the initial weight and other individual indicators of the human body. People with too much weight are much more difficult to stay on the water, as a result of which they lose weight faster.
7. A man weighing 58-60 kg. loses about 570 Kcal during breaststroke, about 525 Kcal - butterfly stroke, 500 Kcal - crawl, 550 Kcal - rowing on the back. To lose weight quickly, you need to choose no more than two types of swimming per hour lesson.
8. It is recommended to master the swimming technique with a personal trainer, so that the specialist corrects the shortcomings and selects an individual training system. The key to successful weight loss is a fourfold alternation of swimming styles. It turns out that you need to change the style 1 time in a quarter of an hour.
9. Many girls make the mistake of swimming only frog for an hour.This style of training involves only the shoulders and neck, which in combination with cool water has a detrimental effect on joints and muscles. Ultimately, you will have to sign up for a restorative massage with a specialist.
10. As it became known, each style of swimming involves a specific muscle group to a greater extent. Due to the fact that you will change types, you can tighten the body in the “right” places and get rid of body fat in certain areas.

Swimming Tactics for Slimming Pool

1. You can get rid of the hated kilos, provided that you visit the pool at least 3-4 times a week. In addition, each lesson should not be less than 60 minutes. As for the load, it is selected taking into account individual characteristics. Complicate tactics gradually, do not try to do everything all at once. For beginners, half an hour of continuous swimming is enough.
2. If you cannot swim, ask your instructor for a foam board to help you stay on the water. Take the attribute in your hands, place it in front of you, then begin to swim forward, actively fingering it. It is important to keep the neck parallel to the board (face in water), slowly inhaling and exhaling at the count of three (head over water).
3. The general scheme of exercises looks something like this: swim 4 times with a crawl, then as many times on your back. Rest for about 45 seconds, then proceed to the breaststroke (3 times). Finish your approach with butterfly style once in each direction. Rest for half a minute, repeat all over again.
4. If you feel that you can’t cope with the load, allow yourself a longer rest. At this time, swim in a calm rhythm like a dog or frog. Water aerobics (leg removal, squats, resistance to arms, etc.) will help to complement the complex.

Practical recommendations

1. It is important that each subsequent style be approximately equal in time to the previous one. In no case do not spare yourself during the training, spend an hour doing maximum performance.
2. To understand whether you are distributing the load correctly or not, by the end of the 7-8 approach you should be left without strength. The muscles will “clog”, urging you to stop. Do not leave the pool immediately, only slightly reduce the load. If you don’t feel tired, increase the pace.
3. After the training, swim in a relaxed rhythm or “lie down” on the water for about 5-7 minutes. Then rub the body with a towel, take a contrast shower and apply a cream to eliminate the effect of chlorine on the skin.
4. You can not rest for less than 20 seconds. Make sure your breath does not go astray. Before you begin the next exercise, take a deep breath and exhale.
5. If it’s hard for you to swim for half an hour in one approach with breaks of 30 seconds after each exercise, choose an individual complex. An alternative is a swimming duration of 10-15 minutes with a minimum rest interval. Remember to warm up before each workout.

It is difficult enough to lose weight by swimming, but this does not mean that getting rid of extra pounds will never work. It is important to remember forever that 85% of the total duration of the workout you must swim. Try to relax no longer than a minute, alternate styles among themselves. Take your time to leave the pool after class.

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