Swimming Exercise
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The Journal of Hypertension 1997 fixed their attention on the results of a swimming exercise, carried out at the Exercise Science Department, University of Tennessee-Knoxville – USA, on 18, stage 1 and 2 hypertensive men and women for 10 weeks.
The group was selected from people with previous sedentary lifestyles, 10 being engaged in a monitored swimming exercise, while the other group of 6 were just present for comparison.
It was noted that the swimmers` systolic pressure had dropped significantly from 150 +/- 5 to 144 +/- 4 mmHg, about 5% drop when they were seated and also about the same when they were lying down. Their diastolic pressure, when seated, changed but to a lesser degree.
The conclusion from the test was, “Swimming training elicits significant reductions in arterial blood pressure at rest in individuals with hypertension.”
It has also been proven that regular aerobic exercise such as swimming, lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly and it stays down if the exercise is continued.
Have a weight problem? Swimming exercise is a good choice. Your joints will be spared the gravitational impact that the ground aerobic exercises inflict. Water has the same density as the body so your body weight is supported by it. With swimming exercise, people often think the faster you swim the more calories you will burn, the more weight you will loose.
Not so! The body cannot keep up with the delivery of oxygen that the muscles demand for that needed energy over a long period, so one tires out and burns fewer calories than if they kept up a steady pace, producing a steady supply of oxygen, and so burn more calories. If your pace is too slow you won`t burn the calories. Wonderful! Isn’t it?
The muscles have a large part to play in swimming exercise and other aerobic exercise to achieve cardiovascular benefits.Doctors and research teams of Sports Medicine know that when muscles are larger and stronger, the heart stroke becomes stronger to pump a larger volume of oxygenated blood to those muscles, but to do this, the heart also needs in return, more blood volume in order to keep up the supply, so heart contractions are stronger. The body adjusts to this action and decreases the resistance of blood vessels and arteries which lowers systolic and diastolic pressure.
So take time to think this through. If the body does all of this naturally to accommodate stronger muscles with more work load, then a regular routine of swimming exercise, that suits your muscle build and other factors taken into consideration, will result in a steady muscle build, helping you to do a more intensive workout, and conclusively benefit your cardiovascular health.
I just love writing this page!
This is one reason why having a doctor who recognises that different individuals need different exercise programs, will be more beneficial than a doctor who just tells you that you should exercise.
Other benefits of swimming to help lower high blood pressure are -
If you are only a learner and need to build up to the fitness level that will make your swimming an aerobic exercise, why not add cycling, or stationary cycling if you can’t ride a bike, as a supplementary exercise and alternate with the swimming. This kind of exercise will also help those who have a weight problem by saving the bones and joints from heavy impact that can cause damage.
Or you could try walking everywhere like Gary Long who defeated his health problem by walking across America. Convincing proof that exercise, as an effective alternative treatment, really works. He`s now encouraging others by offering a free, 3 day, boot camp session in the gym! Great!
Why not make an appointment with your doctor and talk with him about engaging in a swimming exercise program. If he is a good doctor, I can’t see why he will not embrace the idea, and I hope you all the best in your decision to change your lifestyle to a better and healthier living.
Gem.
Like swimming exercise, walking too is aerobic. Why not check it out?
More information on exercise to reduce high blood pressure.
