30 Minutes swimming or 30 minutes running?
Swimming with Lifeguard Class as a form of tacticsaerobic exercisehas many benefits, being one of the main forms of exercise especially in the summer months. Large muscle groups are activated and it is ideal for the joints of the lower extremities because they do not suffer from the effect of body weight. However, we do not have extensive research on the health effects of swimming and some studies show that half an hour of swimming may not offer the same benefits as half an hour of comparable ground exercise.
The problem is that our body assumes
Dr. Ms. Tanaka Md recently presented current data on the effects of swimming on cardiovascular health in Sports Medicine magazine.
But several studies have found that swimmers tend to have higher blood pressure than other endurance athletes. A 2006 study by researchers at the University of Western Australia found that blood pressure actually increased in a group of sedentary older women after a six-month swimming program, possibly because water pressure keeps peripheral blood vessels narrower than usually during exercise.
But several other studies have not seen the same effect – and there is a similar disagreement as to whether swimming with Lifeguard Class raises or lowers “good” HDL cholesterol.
And what about calories?
As it turns out at least the water temperature can also make a big difference. Researchers at the University of Florida found that swimmers consumed 44% more calories after exercising in water at 20 degrees Celsius than water at 33 degrees Celsius, which may explain why many studies have failed to find weight loss benefits. from swimming shapes.
And what is the final conclusion?
It is rather obvious that different forms of exercise produce exactly the same benefits. Swimming is definitely ideal for muscles, joints and some (but not all) cardiovascular risk factors.So if you are bored of the gym, start swimming. But if you want to get the full range of benefits from aerobic exercise, you may want to include some ground exercise in your routine at least once or twice a week.
It is no secret that aerobic exercise is a powerful antidote to biological deterioration. However, a growing number of studies show that swimming can offer unique benefits to the brain.
Regular swimming has shown to improve memory, cognitive function, immune response and mood . Swimming can also help repair stress damage and create new nerve connections in the brain.
Until the 1960s
Scientists believed that the number of neurons and synaptic connections in the human brain was finite and that, when destroyed, they could not be replaced. But that idea was dashed as researchers began to see ample evidence of the birth of neurons , or neurogenesis, in the adult brains of humans and other animals.
Research shows that one of the main ways in which these changes occur in response to exercise is through elevated levels of a protein called neurotrophic factor, which comes from the brain. The nerve plasticity stimulated by this protein has been shown to enhance cognitive function, including learning and memory.
Elevated levels of brain neurotrophic factor have also shown to enhance cognitive performance and help reduce stress and depression . In contrast, researchers have observed mood disorders in patients with lower concentrations of cerebral neurotrophic factor.
In fish studies
scientists observed changes in the genes responsible for increasing levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor as well as enhanced growth of dendritic spines or elongated sections of nerve cells. After eight weeks of exercise compared to the control group.
These changes have shown to improve memory mood and enhanced intelligence in mammals. The higher density of the spine helps the neurons make new connections and send more signals to other nerve cells. By repeating the signals, the connections can become stronger.
What is so special about swimming?
Researchers do not yet know what the secret of swimming is, but they seem to be close to discovering it. Swimming has long recognize for its cardiovascular benefits . Because it contains all the major muscle groups the heart has to work hard which increases blood flow throughout the body. This leads to the formation of new blood vessels a process called angiogenesis . Increased blood flow can also lead to a large release of endorphins hormones that help reduce the intensity of physical pain. This increase brings about the feeling of euphoria that often accompanies exercise.
Most research on understanding how swimming affects the brain has done in rats . These rodents are a good laboratory model due to their genetic and anatomical similarity to humans.
One such study showed
That swimming stimulates brain pathways that suppress hippocampal inflammation and inhibit apoptosis or cell death . The study also showed that swimming can help support neuronal survival and reduce the cognitive effects of aging.
One of the most enticing
Questions is how swimming enhances short-term and long-term memory . To determine how long its beneficial effects could last, the researchers trained rats to swim for 60 minutes daily for five days a week. The team then examined the rats’ memory, putting them to swim in a maze of radial arms containing six arms, including one with a hidden platform.
The rats had six attempts to swim freely and find the hidden platform. After just seven days of swimming training, the researchers saw improvements in both short-term and long-term memory , based on reducing the mistakes the rats made each day. The researchers suggested that this enhancement of cognitive function could be the basis for using swimming as a way to repair learning and memory impairments caused by neuropsychiatric disorders in humans.
Studies in humans have shown similar results, suggesting a clear cognitive benefit of swimming at all ages. For example in a study that looked at the impact of swimming on mental acuity in the elderly. Researchers found that swimmers had improved mental speed and attention compared to non-swimmers.
Another study compared cognitive ability between young land athletes and swimmers. The researchers found that 20 minutes of anterior swimming improved cognitive function in both groups.
The benefits of swimming for children
The brain-boosting benefits of swimming seem to help children as well. Another research team recently looked at the relationship between physical activity and the way children learn new words . The researchers taught children aged 6-12 years the names of unknown objects.
They found that the children remembered more words after swimming, compared to coloring and CrossFit. These findings suggest that swimming, even for short periods of time, is particularly beneficial for young, developing brains.
For centuries, people have been searching for the source of youth . Maybe swimming is the closest we can find.
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