Does swimming benefit the heart? Swimming is a great exercise for overall health, not only for fitness and shaping the body, but also for improving the cardiovascular system. Let's take a look at the benefits of swimming for the cardiovascular system.
The buoyancy of water promotes blood circulation
When in water, most of the body's weight is offset by the buoyancy of water, allowing swimmers to move in a horizontal position. Additionally, the pressure of water on the skin makes it easier for blood in the large veins to flow back to the atrium, creating favorable conditions for blood circulation in the body.
The resistance of water increases cardiac strength and vascular elasticity
When swimming in water, swimmers face resistance, similar to performing weight-bearing exercises on land. This requires more effort to achieve a certain speed, thus having a greater impact on the cardiovascular system. Especially during fast swimming, heart rate significantly increases, and cardiac output is 5 to 6 times higher than at rest. This requires an increase in blood flow through the vessels, overcoming water pressure, and completing blood circulation despite the constriction of microvessels due to cold. As a result, the strength of the cardiac muscles increases and the elasticity of blood vessels is enhanced.
Cold water stimulation enhances vascular elasticity
During swimming, the water temperature is generally lower than the ambient temperature on land. Due to the stimulation of cold water, blood circulation and metabolism throughout the body are enhanced. Blood vessels in the skin rapidly contract, causing a large amount of blood to be drawn into the internal organs, leading to dilation of visceral blood vessels. In response to the cold, the skin blood vessels quickly dilate, causing a large amount of blood to flow back from the internal organs to the surface of the body. This expansion and contraction of blood vessels exercises and effectively enhances vascular elasticity.
The influence of low water temperature enhances vascular reflex ability
The impact of cold water stimulation on the cardiovascular system is also reflected in the enhanced reflex ability of blood vessels to cold stimuli. They react quickly and become more flexible when exposed to cold water. Long-term swimming exercise can thicken the walls of blood vessels, increase their elasticity, and thus delay vascular aging.
The massaging effect of water delays vascular aging
Water is in constant motion. When swimming in water, the movement of the body and the flow of water both impact the small arterial blood vessels on the surface of the body, providing a massaging effect. This also helps increase the elasticity of small arterial blood vessels and delay vascular aging.
