Improve Cardio Strength Through Swimming

By Nikos Vasilellis

Swimming is an important part of being a sailor. The NAVY-PRT works to test overall health and fitness.Read the post to see how you can improve your cardio strength through swimming and get you ready for your best test yet. 

 Health is the most precious human asset, and preserving it the best way possible should be the most fundamental priority. Damaged health leads to dysfunction on the job, problems at home and increased stress. Think of the human body as a ship, and the heart is the engine of it. It is the vital muscle that ensures the continuation of life. 

Of course, there are many ways to preserve a healthy heart: Getting the right nutrition and diminishing stress is prerequisites as well as practicing sports that reinforce the heart’s function. Although most sports help to preserve a healthy heart, swimming can enhance cardio strength to a great extent. When was the last time you got in the pool? Take a break from the track and try swimming! Your body will thank you for the change, and your times will likely improve as well. 

How Does Swimming Build Cardio Strength?

The element of water plays a crucial role there. In contrast to running or traditional cardio, when you swim the body stands horizontally in the water. This brings a larger quantity of blood to move back to the heart, no fighting gravity! Swimming increases blood circulation, strengthening the heart and raising the heart rate. The heart is a muscle that works like a pump. It provides human organs with blood, which is indispensable for them to live. 

On the contrary, in vast majority of other forms of cardio gravity “pushes” blood to the legs, because the body stands vertical. Maintaining cardiovascular fitness ensures that our hearts and lungs are healthy and capable of supplying oxygen to the muscle tissues. The muscles then use oxygen to produce the necessary energy for being able to move. Swimming is an excellent activity for building and maintaining  and improving cardio strength because it helps to keep your heart rate up while at the same time, it releases stress off your body. The exercise strengthens your muscles, builds your endurance, keeps your heart and lungs healthy, and contributes to the maintenance of a healthy weight.

Buoyancy helps to enhance the flexibility of our bodies, which then is a significant factor for performing all motion activities more effectively. Then, like a chain reaction, swimming improves both physical and cardio strength. The more flexible we are, the better we perform swimming sessions and, finally, the more we improve our health.  Buoyancy is the upward force that enables swimmers to float in the water even when they are still. Navy readers of course are familiar with this idea. It is one of the forces  taken into consideration when building ships. 

Benefits of swimming continued!

Another significant feature of water is that of the resistance it applies. Water-resistance is indeed a significant factor because it requires more strength to move in the water. Those two factors -buoyancy and resistance- when used “wisely” can boost cardio strength. There is a great number of aerobic activities you can do in a water environment and enhance our overall health. However, you need to be careful when practicing such activities, to avoid possible injuries or burden parts of your body. Consider a swim coach or swimming instructors starting your swimming “journey.” Trained instructors can guide you throughout the whole process

 Swimming is a great all-round activity for keeping our hearts healthy. It’s not a one-dimensional activity. Most forms of cardio specialize in particular aspects of body enhancement. It’s not only building cardiovascular fitness, but it also helps to maintain a healthy weight heart and lungs, releasing stress off the body and providing a body workout that uses most of our muscles. Swimming reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.

Training for the NAVY-PRT can feel like a grind, switch up the cardio and get back in the pool! Swimming is great fun. Improve your cardio health and cardio strength through swimming while you enjoy yourself!

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