Can you gain muscle by Lifeguard swimming and training?
Getting more muscular and fitter, two words that haunt the head of many men. If you want to get more muscular, you soon think of the gym and the iron plates. But what if you can get more muscular from floating in the water? Because, can you get more muscular by swimming with Lifeguard recertification?
Gain muscle by Lifeguard swimming
Lifting heavy weights and pulling that let pull down at the gym are obvious. However, this is stressful for your joints. This also applies to running. Swimming is a perfect solution for this and is really good for you. And don’t underestimate it, it really is harder than you think.
To build muscle in the gym you need resistance. That resistance is that iron you are pulling on. Small tears appear in your muscles and those tears are made again. This “tear and make” concept makes your muscles grow bigger. Water has a much higher density, which means that the drag is much greater than if you were on land. Ideal for building muscle.
Which muscles do you train with Lifeguard swimming?
We all know the breaststroke. For the land animals among us, this is the easiest way to swim. But it is also very useful to train your muscle groups. Moving your legs works your glutes and hamstrings, where the arm movements work your arms and shoulders.
Free and backstroke have a lot in common when training muscle groups. With one you only have to go under water every time, and with the other you lie on your back staring at the ceiling of the pool. You can choose what you like better. In your lower regions, your foot muscles and your hips are mainly trained here. Furthermore, your arms make a stretching movement, which is conducive to your entire upper body, abdomen and back. Backstroke also engages your hamstrings. This lifeguard swimming technique uses more muscles in the torso than breaststroke. With breaststroke, the arms are only caught more.
The most intensive form of swimming is the butterfly stroke. Your arms, shoulders, stomach, back and buttocks will be completely demolished with this. This is a more difficult swimming technique and not for everyone.
Build fitness with Lifeguard swimming
With swimming you mainly train your shoulders, abdomen, buttocks and back. That sounds like a complete workout. But don’t forget that swimming also significantly improves your fitness. Your breathing will get a lot better if you would swim every day. Are you already an advanced swimmer? Then you can make it more difficult for yourself by using a kickboard to train your lower regions more and focus on that. Swim fins can also help a lot with this. Do you want to train your upper body? Then a pull buoy is a solution for you.
Which is better – swimming or fitness?
First things first: moving is just very good for you! Whether you go swimming or go to the gym.
Fitness and swimming are both good opportunities to exercise (more).
Both have beneficial effects on your body, your condition and your mental health.
Both sports have their advantages and disadvantages. So the question is not really which of the two options is better, but which one suits you better.
The accessibility, existing health problems, your budget and last but not least your personal preference ultimately determine whether you opt for swimming or fitness. In the following we will discuss the most important aspects.
Which suits you better? Fitness vs Lifeguard swimming
Below we help you to make an objective assessment between the two sports (although we at Swim secretly support swimming in particular). Check out the factors you can take into consideration below and make the perfect sporty choice.
