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Swimming and water based physical activity

Published: January 19, 2023

Swimming can build cardiovascular fitness
Swimming can build cardiovascular fitness

Swimming is consistently ranked by adults as one of the most popular forms of regular physical activity.

In the past several decades other water based physical activities have also become popular alternatives to land based physical activities such as walking, running and cycling.
Water activities include aquacise, aquarobics (aqua aerobics) and water running.
Water based physical activities can provide similar health benefits as land based physical activities.
Moderate to vigorous intensities peformed for 30 minutes or more at each session can produce significant health benefits.
In some instances, water based physical activity may be superior to land based physical activity.
However, to maximise these health benefits there are several factors to be considered.
Health Benefits of water based physical activity
Water based physical activities are associated with the following health benefits:

Water based physical activities reduce the load on your skeletal system.

This form of activity may be especially beneficial for the elderly, people with skeletal and muscle injuries, and people who find it difficult to perform land based exercise for extended periods of time.
Water based physical activity may be perceived as more enjoyable than land based physical activity...to learn more link to the full article

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