Swimming Does it All
Why be Active?
Being active can help you live longer and feel better. It can improve your mood, help you sleep better and even
reduce your risks of conditions like Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease and some Cancers. It can help you
improve you weight and improve your balance.
Adults should aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day for their general health. Children need an hour a day. But any
improvement on what you currently do is worth it – even small changes can make a big difference to your health
and can make you feel great.
Why Choose Swimming?
You will often hear people say swimming is the best exercise; but what actually makes
swimming such an excellent way to get and stay active?
Some of the reasons to take the plunge are:
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30 minutes of steady, paced, lane swimming burns over 200 calories – well
over 400 in an hour.
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30 minutes of activity in the water is worth 45 minutes of the same activity on land as the pressure and
resistance of the water results in high levels of energy expenditure with relatively little strain on the body.
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The water takes your weight, so swimming can be great for those who want low impact exercise - women
during pregnancy for example, or for people who have mobility problems or want to protect their joints.
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Swimming works your whole body for all over toning!
working most of the time you’re in the pool
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Swimming is great for your heart. Because you are using your whole body your heart has to pump blood
hard to your arms and legs, helping circulation too.
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It is also great for your lungs – length swimming in particular forces you to breathe in a deep and rhythmic
way which gives your lungs a boost.
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Being in water can have great psychological benefits too – the pool can ‘take you away from it all’ and the
feeling of being in water can be refreshing, relaxing, and liberating as the water takes your weight.
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People of all different ages and abilities can enjoy swimming together.
Even treading water takes effort, so you are
YOU’LL BE HAVING SO MUCH FUN YOU WON’T EVEN KNOW YOU’RE WORKING OUT
Can’t Swim?
If you have never learnt to swim most pools offer adult and child lessons in a friendly and supportive environment.
So what activities can you participate in whilst in the pool?
There are lots of different things you can get involved in once you can swim, from swimming lengths by yourself in
your local leisure centre to taking the family for a dip at the weekend; enjoying the pool on holiday or getting
involved in an event like Swimathon or one of the British Gas Great Swims. Many centres also offer other aquatic
classes such as: aqua aerobic classes, aqua youth clubs, women only sessions, swimfit sessions and many
more.... so contact your local centre to enquire what sessions they have to offer.
You find length swimming boring or you don’t know what to do
whilst in the pool?...... Try Swimfit!
British Gas Swimfit brings the "swim gym" idea right to the poolside with information displays, and cards with
suggested programmes to lead you through a progressive fitness plan that you can dip in and out of.
Swimfit is suitable for all ages and abilities - whether you're looking to keep healthy, shape and tone up, improve
your fitness or hone your competitive edge.
The website, www.swimfit.com offers tips on making your time in the pool more interesting, it even offers
you tailored swimming programmes for you to follow during your time in the pool. You can access advice on
stroke improvement to strengthening exercises from top coaches. It allows you to set goals and log your swims
against these goals so you are able to track and view your progress.
The Swimfit website has been popular with athletes and novice swimmers alike. The addition of poolside
information is useful for beginners and people thinking of getting back into the pool. The sessions have also been
successful for people who can’t run, have joint or heart problem or recovering from injury or illness as it’s a gentle,
no impact form of exercise
There will also be regular weekly sessions so you needn’t feel intimidated by fellow swimmers blasting you out of
the water as they speed down the centre of the lane.
The programmes are designed to help keep you motivated, structure your time in the pool, set goals and rewards
as you work towards targets you set for yourself. It brings the opportunity to join the swimming community, and
swim with confidence.
So get involved, check out the website and sign up for the benefits of Swimfit!
Want to know what pools are in the Cambridgeshire area?
Here is a list of a few of them:
City of Cambridge:
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Chesterton Sports Centre - http://www.chestertonsportscentre.org.uk/
Abbey Pools Leisure Complex - http://www.everyoneactive.com/tabid/645/Default.aspx
Jesus Green Lido - http://www.everyoneactive.com/tabid/663/default.aspx
Kings Hedges Learner Pool - http://www.everyoneactive.com/tabid/665/default.aspx
Parkside Pools - http://www.everyoneactive.com/tabid/621/default.aspx
South Cambridge:
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Sawston Sports Centre - www.sawstonsports.com/swimming
Melbourn Sports Centre - www.melbournsports.com
East Cambridge:
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Paradise Pool - http://www.harpersfitness.co.uk/gyms/paradise-pool/
Bottisham Sports Centre - www.bottishamvc.org/sportscentre
Huntingdonshire:
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One Leisure St Ives Indoor - www.oneleisure.net
One Leisure Huntingdon - www.oneleisure.net
One Leisure St Neots - www.oneleisure.net
One Leisure Ramsey - www.oneleisure.net
One Leisure Sawtry - www.oneleisure.net
Fenland:
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Hudson Leisure Centre - http://www.fenland.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure-services/get-swimming/
Manor Leisure Centre - http://www.fenland.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure-services/get-swimming/
George Campbell Leisure Centre - http://www.fenland.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure-services/getswimming/
Peterborough:
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Stanground Sports Centre - www.stangroundcollee.co.uk/sportscentre
Jack Hunt Swimming Pool - www.vivacity-peterborough.com
Regional Fitness and Swimming Centre - http://www.dcleisurecentres.co.uk/Home