Swim for Health!

As a personal trainer I am frequently asked for exercises that can be done to work the cardio component of fitness without the impact on the joints.  That’s when I smile and ask, “Have you tried swimming?”  Swimming and water based workouts have many advantages.  They burn calories, increase strength, nurse an injury back to health, develop flexibility, and improve cardio respiratory fitness to name just a few. 

It sounds pretty perfect doesn’t it?  Swimming for fitness is ideal for a wide range of people.  It is simultaneously gentle and powerful and offers a low impact exercise choice.   Swimming recruits all the major muscle groups, including the shoulders, arms, back, abdominals, legs, hips, and glutes.  And with water being twelve times more resistant than air in every direction, swimming is a genuine strength building exercise.

Because of the muscle recruitment and the water density component (which creates a mini resistance workout for your entire body) calories are quickly burned in a water-based workout.  An easy swim burns around 500 calories an hour, while a vigorous swim could burn as many as 700.  Each kick, reach, push, and pull blasts calories and ignites the metabolism into action.

The cardio respiratory benefits of swimming are also notable.  When swimming at a strong or fast pace, using most major muscle groups, the heart and lungs will work harder and faster to generate enough energy to keep up.  The lungs will strengthen as you breathe more quickly and intensely and the heart will become stronger as it pumps to circulate the oxygenated blood through your body.

When dealing with injuries the exercise of swimming can be ideal.  Water buoyancy is very forgiving of weight and weakness in the human body.  A swim can provide an excellent workout without the same level of pain or exhaustion that might accompany fitness exercises performed out of the water.  A swimmer can swim almost everyday without risking injury.  Water’s neutralizing effect on gravity makes a swimmer virtually weightless, providing a much-needed break to the bones and joints of the body.

Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced swimmer, if you are interested in changing your workout routine and taking advantage of some of these benefits or if you just want more information about how and why to swim call me at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center 760-565-7647. 

Health and Wellness for the New Year

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution this year to improve an element of your fitness or wellness?  So did I.  In fact I only set one New Year’s Resolution this year and it has to do with my health.  While many people use the New Year as a landmark time to get healthier or lose weight, it is sometimes difficult to maintain that ambition. Chances are, at some time in your life, you’ve made a fitness resolution and then broken it. This year, you can stop the cycle of promising to make change and then not following through. 

 

Here are 8 tips to help you stay focused in your fitness goals. 

1.      Set a realistic and measurable goal.

Being realistic means knowing yourself.  How much time do you have to put towards reaching your goal?  Keep in mind that overall wellness should become a lifestyle.  The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unattainable.  Consider things like what activities you like and what’s convenient for you.

2.      Accountability and Support

Surround yourself with people and situations that support and encourage you and give you motivation to complete your goals. Form a support system that will not only challenge you, but also support you in sticking to your specific goals.  Don’t be afraid to hire a professional coach or trainer if need be to help you succeed with your goals.  Someone who can challenge, encourage, and hold you accountable in a way that empowers you to make your dreams a reality.

3.      Plan Ahead

You may need to set daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly goals that provide a roadmap from which to start. Be realistic about what you can tackle at once, if you try to do too much, you may be setting yourself up for failure and quitting after one slip.  Start small, see positive results, be encouraged, and see that motivation and energy inspire you into even greater accomplishments. Decide ahead of time how you will deal with temptations to skip exercise class or have a piece of cake.

4.      Set Deadlines

Lack of deadlines leaves too much room for avoidance and procrastination, which can lead to the disappointment of unmet goals.  Set incremental steps towards the accomplishment of your goal and then establish realistic deadlines to meet those steps. 

5.      Track Your Progress

Keep track of each small success. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and each small accomplishment will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on the big goal, focus on one of the smaller incremental steps towards the big goal and keep track of your progress.

6.      Listen to your thoughts

Pay attention to what you think about!  Don’t let stinking thinking take you out of the race.  Negativity and nagging self-doubt robs you of energy and steals your dreams.  Are you thinking positively and reminding yourself about why your goal is important and that you can succeed?  Say to yourself:  "Today, I am one step closer, I have made some progress".

7.      Remain Flexible

It is beneficial to re-evaluate from time to time to make sure you are going in the direction that exactly reflects what you want to do.  Allow changes along the way and keep in mind that if something is not working as planned you can adjust.  Take a step back, look realistically at the challenge or change, adjust and move forward.

8.      Rewards for Progress

You did it!  You made progress!  Celebrate your successes, big and small, by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your goal. Rewards can be anything you choose that would serve to motivate and reward you to keep going and stay strong.  – Take a look at your incremental steps toward your big goal, see what you've accomplished, and celebrate!

I hope this year you make your health a priority and that you set goals you are motivated and inspired to attain.  Healthy living is a lifestyle that begins with healthy choices.  I wish you luck in your goal attainment as you reach towards improved health and fitness.

For more trainer tips or an appointment call Karen at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center 760-565-7467