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13 Dog Breeds That Love The Water: Schipperke  *   Labrador Retriever   *   Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever   *   Spanish Water Dog   *   Irish Water Spaniel   *   Newfoundland   *   Irish Setter   *   English Setter   *   Standard Poodle   *   Golden Retriever   *   Portuguese Water Dog   *   American Water Spaniel   *   Chesapeake Bay Retriever

The "Most" Injury-Free Sport: The buoyancy factor makes swimming the most injury-free sport there is. Water exercises benefit seniors, pregnant women, arthritis sufferers, or anyone with an injury.

Heart Health & Swimming: Ones resting heart rate decreases 10 beats per minute in water, and maximum heart rate decreases by 10 to 30 beats. The heart puts out just as much blood as in other exercises because it pumps more volume with each stroke, but more slowly.

Swimming Meditation: By combining meditation with swimming, swimming meditation works synergistically and enhances the significant health benefits of both swimming and meditation.

Swimming & Stress Reduction: As with most aerobic exercise it is believed to reduce the harmful effects of stress.

More The Most Injury-Free Sport: One of the biggest advantages is flexibility. In water, body weight is 1/10 of what it would be on land. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds on land, you weigh 15 pounds standing in chin-deep water, hence, range of motion in water is much easier. Before your land workout, you can use the pool for a warm-up session and afterwards, swimming helps you cool-down & move blood through your muscles to help them recover. Fitness exercise in water can be done more often because of the low incidence of high-impact injuries and is more effective because movement in water has 12 times greater resistance than movement in air. For pregnant women, water exercise strengthens and tones the muscles used during childbirth. For the elderly, water fitness is safe, fills the need for exercise, increases a body's range of motion and is a low-impact exercise. For those with weight problems, water helps the body naturally rid itself of excess water and salt. As physical therapy, it gradually and gently rehabilitates and relaxes muscles and joints that have stiffened or atrophied. Heart

More Heart Health & Swimming: No one is certain why heart rate decreases in water, but the lower temperature and lesser pull of gravity in water may be the cause. In any case, if you know what your exercise heart rate should be, that number should be lower by at least 10 beats when you swim. Swimming can keep your heart rate up without putting impact stress on your body. Swimming is a good sport to take up if you would like to increase your muscle and strength endurance. It is also good for increasing your stamina and improving your cardiovascular system by improving the bodies' use of oxygen and allowing the heart to work less strenuously.

More Swimming Meditation: Relax and swim with low effort. Let your mind wander, focusing on nothing but the rhythm of your stroke. This form of meditation can help you gain a feeling of well-being, leaving your water session refreshed. Swimming meditation has many significant physical and mental/emotional benefits. The health benefits of swimming are well known and include: cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, increased energy, loss of body fat, decreased depression and anxiety. In addition, salt water swimming has beneficial effects on skin, hair and sinuses. The research on the medicinal impact of mindfulness meditation is compelling. Meditation helps to increase attention and concentration; increase mental clarity and equanimity; regulate moods; decrease anxiety; decrease depression; reduce high blood pressure; alleviate psoriasis; and alter brain waves in the direction of more positive, optimistic thinking. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task and the resulting energy and optimism can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do. .

More Swimming & Stress Reduction: Relax and swim with low effort. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. This can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

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