For those yet to discover the wonderful world of swimming spas, there are an inordinate number of benefits that can be derived from these amazing and enjoyable units. Not only is swimming a great exercise, but it can also lead to clarity of the mind and a positive self-image. And this doesn’t even begin to describe the fun, joy, and sense of freedom that swimming can provide. But in this day and age of body consciousness, one of the most frequently asked questions is if swimming can help with weight loss. Can you lose belly fat by swimming? To examine these questions further, we’ve put together an article to figure out if using your swim spa can affect the size and shape of specific body parts.
Warming Up
Before you begin to even think about losing weight and burning belly fat through a swimming workout, you need to begin with a proper warm-up. Failure to do so will not only inhibit your overall performance, it can lead to injury which will set your weight loss goals back even further. A proper warm-up should begin on dry land with some stretching and calisthenics. What you want to do is get your blood flowing to all your muscles while preparing them for explosive use. Once you get in the water you should swim 10 to 15 minutes at a moderate pace before really cranking things up. This will get you prepared for your actual workout.
Swimming Technique
One of the beautiful things about exercising in water is that you’re able to perform movements that would be difficult, if not impossible, on dry land. If losing belly fat and strengthening your stomach muscles are your main priorities, you should be keeping those in mind during your workout. Keep your stomach muscles tight. When swimming on your front, pull your stomach muscles taut and upwards rather than letting your belly hang low. When swimming on your back concentrate on crunching your abs while still keeping your butt as high as possible. Simply being aware of how your stomach muscles are being used (or not!) can make a big difference in muscle development.
Get A Cardiovascular Workout
The best way to burn fat is to increase your heart and breathing rates. What you’re looking to do is get your heart rate into what’s known as the fat-burning zone and maintain it for as long as possible. The fat-burning zone is considered to begin at around 70% of your maximum heart rate. The simplest calculation of maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220. For example, a 20-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 200 beats per minute (bpm) while a 40-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 180 bpm. Therefore the fat-burning zone for a 20-year-old would be 140 bpm while for a 40-year-old it would be 124bpm. And although monitoring your heart rate while swimming was never the easiest thing, today’s fitness devices make this a whole lot easier. All you need to do is coordinate the strength of the swim spa current to your personal fat-burning zone and your fat-burning workout is ready to begin.
Swimming Aids
Almost without exception, top-ranked swimmers will use swimming aids such as kickboards and weight belts to isolate muscle groups and increase the intensity of their workouts. For those focused on the stomach, employing a kickboard while laying on your back and using only your legs for movement will isolate the stomach muscles. Using a weight belt will increase the effort needed to stay afloat no matter what stroke you’re performing and will ultimately end up in more calories being burned.
To learn more about the health benefits of owning a swim spa, download a free buyer’s guide.