Published to Newsletter on May 25, 2022
Leah Adent, MPH, CHES, NASM-CPT
Health Education Consultant
Employee Wellness
When someone says “exercising,” we usually think of running, biking, and going to the gym. One activity that we often overlook is swimming. With the weather getting warmer and summer around the corner, it’s a good time to switch up your exercise routine. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise because it keeps your heart rate up but has minimal stress impact on your body. Swimming helps increase cardiovascular fitness and endurance. It also builds muscle. Swimming is great for toning muscles and maintaining a healthy heart and lungs. Dive in to learn about the Top 8 Benefits of Swimming.
As with other forms of exercise, start slowly when adding swimming into your routine. Try to get into the water for 15-20 minutes a few times a week and then gradually increase your time or the number of days. If you would like a few beginner swimming workouts, My Swim Pro has great examples and tips for swimming for exercise. Just remember, swimming can be difficult, so don’t be discouraged by your first attempts. Give yourself time to work on your breathing, being comfortable in the pool, and increasing your endurance.
You can use your Lobo ID to gain access to Johnson Center’s full-size Olympic pool, the 25-yard, 6-lane lap swim pool, and a therapy pool. You can even sign up to take swim lessons with UNM swim instructors on staff.
The City of Albuquerque also has indoor and outdoor pools located all across the city. Indoor pools are open year-round, and most locations are great for lap swimming. Outdoor pools open on Memorial Day weekend and stay open through mid-August. Albuquerque Senior & Multigenerational Centers have pools and usually have fitness centers. If you meet the age criteria and pay a nominal fee per year to utilize any of the eight centers across the city, you can become a member.
With all of these options at your disposal, give swimming for exercise a try this summer – you might just love it!
Tags: EmployeeWellness, Wellness
