Fuzion Active Magazine - Issue 1 January 2014 January 2014 | Page 7

FU 7 Swimming for Fitness The word fitness has undergone a paradigm shift. A decade back the only way to fitness was to hit a gym and work-out using various machines to burn down calories. It was a time consuming and expensive process. Also, a lot of people were unable to afford or skeptical to spend. But over the past few years a number of new fitness techniques have come into existence. Yoga, aerobics and gymnastics are some of them worth mentioning. With so many techniques available, it has become difficult for both men and women to decide which suits them better. While men find it difficult To decide on their fitness choice – whether to get registered at a local gym or to setup a fitness studio at home etc. for women, it is an even more difficult task as they may have physical limitations with respect to the heavy equipment at the gym or the complex postures at a yoga class. Swimming tones the entire body muscles and as an Exercise it is suitable from both men and women. Unlike other fitness exercises, swimming can be practiced even by people who are suffering from arthritis and obesity. One choice that fits everyone – from kids to adults is swimming. Swimming is a great fitness choice, provided it is practiced on a daily basis. There are neither any weights involved in swimming nor is there any other complex asana/postured to be adopted. Swimming tones the entire body muscles and as an exercise it is suitable from both men and women. Unlike other fitness exercises, swimming can be practiced even by people who are suffering from arthritis and obesity. Apart from improving fitness levels swimming also helps in burning calories. Since swimming completely puts to work all the bigger muscle groups of the body like the chest, thigh and back muscles it assists in burning fat and also facilitates in stretching the muscle fibers and ligaments in the body. In addition to physical fitness, swimming also improves mental health by way of engaging both the body and the mind in order to coordinate various movements and as a result acts as a great stress buster.