Swimming This Summer

Swimming is one of the best activities that you can perform for overall physical fitness. First, swimming involves almost all of your major muscle groups. For example, the standard crawl stroke uses the neck, shoulder, chest, back, triceps, and biceps muscles of the upper body, the abdominal, low back, and oblique muscles of the midsection, and the gluteal, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles of the legs.

Second, swimming is an excellent exercise for conditioning your cardiovascular system. Although you won't go as far in a 20-minute swim as you will during 20 minutes of walking, running, or cycling, the cardiovascular benefits are essentially the same.

Third, swimming seems to enhance joint flexibility, especially in the neck, shoulders, hips, and midsection area. Much of this is due to the repetitive twisting movements as your body turns from side to side during the crawl stroke.

When the hot days of summer strike, there is nothing quite like a cool-down at a local pool! But With so many reasons to enjoy swimming, why do so few adults spend time in the water?

Many people are aware of safety measures for proper pool use, such as no running and no horse play. But, some of the dangers of pool use aren't so visible.

There are a variety of disease-causing microorganisms that are a concern in swimming pools and spas. These diseases can be divided into three categories; intestinal diseases; respiratory diseases; and eye, ear and skin infections.

Microorganisms that can cause intestinal diseases include Shigellosis, E. Coli, Giardiasis and Cryptosporidiosis. Respiratory diseases include colds, strep throat and pneumonia. Possible eye, ear and skin infections include athlete's foot, pinkeye and various bacteria and fungi. Transmission of most of these diseases can be controlled by using chlorine disinfectant.

Pool operators play a large part in keeping swimmers safe by properly sanitizing the pool and keeping the area around the pool clean. Some installs electric swimming pool heaters to disinfecting the pool.