Take care of your health at the pool

Any physical activity performed incorrectly or on a professional level (included in the training of athletes), sooner or later, may contribute to the deterioration of health. Hence, the rules of the so-called health swimming have been developed, the observance of which guarantees not only preservation, but also the improvement of health.

Why is it worth swimming?

The aquatic environment has an extremely positive effect on the human body. This is mainly due to the impact of the physical, chemical and thermal properties of this liquid on the human body immersed in water. Being in the water environment facilitates movement, apparently reduces body weight by limiting the force of gravity acting on a human, and also reduces the tension of postural muscles. However, these are not the only effects of being in the water. Under the influence of the water environment on the body, the circulatory system hemodynamics is improved (better oxygen supply to muscles), respiratory muscles are strengthened (thanks to the pressure exerted by water on the submerged body) and lung ventilation is improved. Swimming also has a positive effect on psychological features such as courage, determination, willpower, and is also conducive to maintaining regularity and discipline.

What is health swimming?

Health swimming includes all physical activities that use swimming skills. Their most important tasks are: increasing the level of physical fitness in the body and delaying the signs of aging. In addition, health swimming is also aimed at preventing civilization diseases, hardening the body, and reducing morbidity. The undoubted advantage of health swimming is the small number of contraindications to this form of physical activity.

Principles of health swimming

The rules of health swimming were developed in 1983 by the president of the FINA Medical Committee – Zachariasz Firsow. They include healthy people between the ages of 13 and 75. Here are some of the most important health swimming rules:

• you can swim in any style at a moderate pace without taking breaks for rest,
• people aged 50 and over can take 1-2 breaks, but not longer than 90-180 seconds,
• health swimming brings effects after 2-3 classes a week, but its positive impact on the body is significantly increased when 4-5 training sessions of this type are performed a week,
• the best results are swimming with a crawl on the chest and in the classic style (the popular ‘frog’), then it is a crawl on the back and other forms that allow you to move in the water,
• Before starting a health swim, it is necessary to undergo medical examinations to determine whether there are any contraindications to this type of physical activity,
• the principle of regularity and grading of difficulty must be strictly observed.

The principles of health swimming also include optimal distances, which should be covered during one session:

• people aged 13-50: over 1000m
• people aged 51-60: 800-700m or 45-50 minutes of swimming
• people aged 61-70: 600m-500m or 25-30 minutes of swimming
• people aged over 70: 400-300m

Photos: 1, 2

Damian Yefremienko Coach

Master of physical education with a training specialty, graduate of postgraduate studies in dietetics and nutritional counseling at the Medical University in Poznań, doctoral student at the Department of Sport Theory of the University of Physical Education in Poznań, physical recreation instructor specializing in strength exercises, would-be physiotherapist. scientific. He hates mediocrity and cursory problem solving. Personalization and a holistic approach to the patient are “obvious obvious” for him. She loves to share her knowledge and is eager to expand it. He is most interested in all issues related to the physiology of exercise. Passionate about mountain tourism and new technologies

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