Getting in the swim of things: is swimming the best exercise - Body Talk

SOME walk, some run, but the best exercise of all, some say, is swimming, which provides the same results as walking and running, without adding stress to knees, ankles, legs and the back. A major benefit of swimming is the near weightlessness, which can help swimmers strengthen their shoulders and abdominal muscles. The exercise also strengthens the heart and helps decrease problems associated with diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure and allergies.

Alicia Samuels, a New York University dentistry student, is one of many Blacks who swim regularly. She also works out with weights, does aerobics and uses cardiovascular machines. "But swimming," says the 21-year-old, "is the best total body workout."

Swimming also is, according to a number of professionals, one of the best health workouts. People who can't do jarring aerobic exercises can still swim because it's a low-impact exercise that's safe, even for pregnant women, doctors say.

Toby DeMott, a physical therapist at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, says many of the patients she works with in water have arthritis, spinal cord injuries, low back pain, or are recuperating from a stroke. In addition to having a water therapy session with her, DeMott tells these patients to swim at least an hour a week on their own.

Water therapy helps in two ways. First, the buoyancy of water helps people move and walk better. "In water up to your chest, you only weigh 20 percent of your normal body weight," DeMott says. "In water you can move your limbs a lot easier. It's nice to unload your joints by being in the water."

The second way water helps is by offering resistance. "Sometimes we'll have somebody work on their limbs by moving their arms and legs as quickly as possible," DeMott says. "The quicker you move, the more resistance you're going to get from the water."

Because water is buoyant and resistant, swimming is like doing two exercises at once, says Dwayne Lindo, a swimming instructor at the Harlem YMCA. Raising and lowering your arms is similar to doing arm curls and arm presses in a gym without using two different machines, he says.

Kevin Wiggins, a former college football player and previous contender in the Mr. Connecticut Bodybuilding Championship, enjoys the buoyancy and resistance he gets from swimming an hour a day, three days a week. He moves through water with less pain and more range of motion than he usually feels when he's walking. The 48-year-old salesman made swimming his main form of exercise after finding out six years ago that he had arthritis and deteriorated cartilage between his right hip and leg bone. "Swimming is a great exercise for people who are getting older," says Wiggins.

And for people who are younger.

Even babies should learn to swim, says Harlem swimming instructor Lindo, who helps infants, 6 months old and up, get used to water. Children and adults have to overcome their fear of water and build their self-confidence to learn how to swim, he says. "People need to trust themselves, trust that they can control the water and trust that their instructor won't let them drown."

If you don't already know how to swim, you're never too old to learn. But make sure you learn from a certified instructor who is trained in CPR and first aid. If you're getting aquatic therapy, make sure your instructor is certified in physical fitness with knowledge of your medical condition, says Dr. Jorge Minor, medical director of rehabilitation services at Queen of Angels Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. Before you sign up for a swimming class, consult your doctor, Dr. Minor says, especially if you have chronic pain or heart or inner ear problems.

Despite the many advantages associated with swimming, many people avoid the water. Some never learned to swim because they were afraid of drowning, says Fathemat Nauzo, a Harlem YMCA swimming instructor. Some women don't want to get their hair wet because it'll take too long to get it back together. Nauzo suggests that these women schedule swimming classes near their hair appointments or use a mild shampoo and a leave-in conditioner. But making excuses and avoiding water just prolongs how long it'll take to learn how to swim and to enjoy a healthier life.

Whether swimming for exercise, recreation or therapy, the buoyancy and resistance of water works all the muscles, physical fitness professionals say. Swimming gives a similar cardiovascular workout to weight lifting, jogging, walking and aerobics without the pounding.

TIPS ON SAFE SWIMMING

* Don't swim alone.

* Never swim after drinking alcohol.

* Try to swim when a lifeguard is on duty or near a person who knows CPR.

* Learn to swim with private or group lessons at a community center or health club.

BENEFITS OF SWIMMING

* Swimming is good for rehabilitation after surgery, weight loss and relaxation.

* Swimming works all the muscles and gives similar results to walking or running, without adding stress to knees, ankles, legs and the back.