“People come in all the time taking tours of
the gym and asking details about how to use the
equipment,” he said, “but rarely do they take us
up on the pool side.”
It’s worthwhile, said Johnson, “because the
benefits of swimming are awesome.”
BENEFITS OF THE SWIM
On its website, www.usm.org, the U.S. Masters
Swimming organization called swimming “the
magic pill.”
“Swimming might be the single best thing
you can do to avoid the diseases that plague
our sedentary society and to vastly improve the
function of both your body and mind. . . . The
health benefits of swimming – at any speed and
any age – are enormous.”
Among a long list of benefits the article lists are:
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces bad cholesterol and
raises good cholesterol
• Aids in weight loss and
weight maintenance
• Benefits your immune system
• Makes your heart a better and
more efficient pump
• Slows down the aging process
• Reduces your risk for heart disease
and diabetes
• Reduces chronic pain, particularly
from arthritis
• Develops lung capacity and helps
COPD and asthma
• Exercises nearly every muscle in
the body, especially if you swim all
four strokes
MENTAL BENEFITS
• Improves problem solving skills
and memory
• Reduces stress
• Reduces depression and anxiety
• Offers relaxation through the
repetitive nature of movement
• Improves self-esteem and
mental toughness
“The concentration required of swimming
– synchronizing arm or leg movements with
breathing, making sure your hands are in the
right position, produces neurotransmitters,” said
Johnson. “Any time we’re challenging our brain
mentally, we’ll reduce stress and anxiety, reduce
mental fatigue and improve our confidence,
which carries over out of the pool.
“The total self: physical, mental and spiritual.”
SOME BASIC EQUIPMENT TIPS
The beauty of swimming is that all you pretty
much need is a bathing suit and a towel. But here
are some other considerations:
THE SUIT
For men, Johnson discourages anything that
goes past the knees. “You want general flexibility
around the knee.”
A generic swimsuit is fine. Johnson’s has a
12-inch inseam and is cut three or four inches
above the knee. “Believe me, you don’t need tight
jammers or bikini-cut Speedos. That’s a tough
thing to wear if you’re not real fit.”
He also recommends something that ties and
can be adjusted or tightened, “so you won’t lose
your shorts.”
For women, he recommends a one-piece over
a two-piece. “You want comfort and support. It’s
not the beach, you’re not tanning.”
Johnson’s suit is 100-percent polyester, which
he says will last longer. He said he’s had nylon
shorts that faded quickly. But mostly, “wear
whatever feels comfortable. Not everyone likes
the way rayon or nylon feels.”
GOGGLES
Johnson said he doesn’t necessarily
recommend them, but he knows some people’s
eyes burn in the pool, or they want to be able to
see where they’re going – or they might wear
contact lenses.
I f you’re going to use goggles, though, Johnson
recommended investing in a good, large, well-
fitting pair.
“The most important thing in swimming is to
reduce the barriers that ruin your experience.
And if you don’t have a good pair of goggles and
spend a lot of time fidgeting with them trying to
get water out, that’s a barrier.
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