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Our bodies are about 70% water; and while the lungs are filled with the air, the body is slightly less dense than the surrounding water, which exerts a buoyant force on it. So to stay afloat all that is required is a slight propelling of water downward relative to the body. Because we are buoyant in the water, there is less force placed upon our joints and bones during swimming. Think about the graceful movement of a swimmer doing freestyle along a swimming pool – it’s such a majestic and seemingly easy form of exercise in comparison to the hard jolt of running on a bitumen road.

Hydration

Another benefit of swimming is the constant cooling down of the body from the surrounding water. But swimmers must be wary that just because they are presumably kept cool and refreshed throughout their swim, they are no more hydrated than they would be if jogging on the road instead. So remember to keep drinking water during a swim and afterwards. You may not feel thirsty at the time, but you really need to replace the water you are losing through sweat.

Aerobic Swimming

Fast swimming requires a high level of effort, meaning glycogen (stored glucose) rather than fat is burned. Prolonged exercise at lower intensity is better for fat-burning, and this is called aerobic exercise because it uses a relatively long exercise time, uses oxygen and maintains an increased heart rate. So if you want to burn fat it is better to swim at a moderate pace for longer instead of doing sudden bursts of sprint-swimming.

Bone Density

Now, because there is little impact on the joints and bones which will save on wear and tear, there is a related diadvantage of swimming in that it does barely anything for bone density. Bone density is important in protecting against diseases such as osteoporosis (porous bone - osteo = bone, porosis = porous) at the later stages of life. Achieving a higher peak bone mass through exercise and proper calcium intake during adolescence is important for the prevention of osteoporosis. So it's beneficial to engage in other forms of exercise that are higher impact such as walking or jogging.

An All-Round Form of Exercise

Swimming exercises almost all muscles in the body. Usually, the arms and upper body are exercised more than the legs. Those of you who engage in the sport will feel your arms tighten as you leave the pool – so remember to stretch them after each session.

In competitive swimming, excessive leg muscles can be seen as a disadvantage as they consume more oxygen, which would be needed for the muscles in the arms, although this depends on the swimming style. While breaststroke generates significant movement with the legs, freestyle propels the body mainly with the arms. You can see the importance of having ‘beefed up’ arms in regards to swimming if you just look at any Olympic Swimmer.

Even when you are not consciously swimming for exercise you will still be burning calories in the water. Just go to the beach and play around in the surf and you’ll still be exercising because of the resistance of the water! But I usually opt for the pool as there are less sharks, sting rays, and bluebottles…

source taken from: http://www.health-fitness.com.au/

Jogging And Your Knees

Jogging is perhaps the most common and practical exercise that anybody can be do anywhere and anytime. Statistics shows that more people jogs or runs more than people going to aerobic classes or visits the gym. But do these joggers know that jogging is actually a high impact exercise for their knees?

The knee is a very complex joint. It includes the articulation between the leg and thigh (tibia and femur) and the knee cap (patella). The most common knee problems in jogging relate to what is called the "patellofemoral complex". This consists of the quadriceps, knee cap and patellar tendon. What is now called patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is also known as runner's knee. For many years runner's knee was considered to be breaks down of the cartilage inside the patella.

Symptoms Of Runner's Knee

When you feel pain around and sometimes behind the kneecap, this would signal you that you might be suffering from runner's knee. As one of the most common injuries among joggers, runner's knee most often strikes as joggers approach forty miles per week for the first time. Even after taking a few days off, the pain seems to come right back, sometimes even more intense, after the first few miles of the next run. The pain often is the worst when running downhill or walking down stairs, and the knee is often stiff and aching after sitting down for long periods. You might hear a clicking sound when you bend or extend your knee.

To Test If You Have Runner's Knee

The foolproof test for runner's knee is to sit down and put your leg out on a chair so that it's stretched out straight. Have someone to squeeze your leg just above the knee while pushing on the kneecap. He should push from the outside of the leg toward the centre. Meanwhile, tighten your thigh muscle. If this is painful, you're suffering from runner's knee.

Early Treatments

Runner's knee can be further aggravated by simple overuse. If you have steeply increased your mileage recently, you might consider holding back a bit. Stop doing any activities that hurt the knee, and don't start again until you can do them without any pain. If you really have to exercise, select other forms of exercise which will give your knees a lower impact or strain, exercise such as swimming would be a better and advisable choice.

Use the R.I.C.E. formula:

Rest: Avoid giving impact on the painful knee. Most people will temporarily switch to a non-weight bearing activity, such as swimming.

Ice: Apply cold packs or ice wrapped in a towel for short periods of time, several times a day.

Compression: Use an elastic bandage such as a simple knee sleeve with the kneecap cut out or knee guard that fits snugly without causing pain.

Elevation: Keep the knee raised up higher than your heart.

It is always a good idea to look after your feet and legs because in order for them to serve you longer (for as long as you wish to live going places), you need to give them ample rest and attention. Many people does not know that foot health is as important as their internal organs' health, and sometimes neglected symptoms such as knee pains or heel pains which could change their lifestyle if not rectified early.

Therefore it is vital that attention is given to foot health and foot health information is easily obtained both online and offline. Help your feet and legs and they will benefit you for life.

source taken from: http://ezinearticles.com/