As a senior citizen, you have different concerns than you did when you were a teenager. As a young adult, the body is more flexible and less likely to suffer from fractures or other medical concerns that you may have as a senior. Swimming is the perfect aerobic exercise for seniors to engage in. Not only will you have fun, you can also become fit while enjoying this cool exercise.
Why A Senior’s Swim Class?
You could take an aerobic swim class down at the local gym and workout next to people of all ages, but a senior’s class may be a better choice. These particular classes are created to target a senior’s needs. Senior’s swim classes work to improve your health while focusing on a senior citizens unique needs that may include improving bone, joint or muscle strength.
Teachers or trainers for senior swim classes often have additional training specifically geared towards working with people over the age of 65. They are more likely to understand the precise needs that you may have and be able to address any questions or concerns that may arise.
Gentle On The Body
The wonderful thing about taking a swimming class, is how gentle this activity is on the body. You can swim for an hour and not be limping the next day. This water exercise does not stress the knees or like running does. The human body weighs 1/10th of its normal weight when you are swimming. Water supports the joints, taking away pressure that can hurt the body doing other vigorous physical activities.
Burn Off Unwanted Weight
When you take a senior’s swim aerobic class, you may find yourself burning off a large amount of calories. Swift freestyle swimming burns an average of around 500 calories per hour, while water jogging earns slightly less than that. Even if you are just casually swimming in the pool, you can expect to burn around 350 calories. In comparison, running as fast as you can for an hour will burn approximately between 550 – 600 calories.
Sculpt Your Body
Unlike many physical activities, swimming works all parts of the body. The arms, the legs, the lungs, the chest and shoulder muscles as well. Your body will gain endurance the longer you swim, much like other activities. You will also find your shoulders, legs and arms become stronger and more defined. During a senior’s swimming program, you will be improving flexibility and building a strong body. Other exercises would require you to do many different types of exercises to work each specific body part, but swimming uses all of the body at once.
Staying fit is important at any age. As a senior citizen, you may not want to go running for an hour or join a high impact exercise class. Swimming is not only fun, but it is a great way to stay cool in the hot summer months. By participating in this water exercise, your body will begin to become stronger, leaner, sculpted and healthier. You won’t have to worry about any stress on your body, so join a swim aerobic class today and enjoy a healthier, happy you.