During swimming, the entire musculoskeletal system is involved. What muscles work when swimming and how to develop muscles? This sport can be considered ideal for maintaining the body in excellent physical shape. Swimmers almost always have perfect posture and the heart muscle and the cardiovascular system as a whole are well developed. And this is a big plus of swimming.
What are the benefits of swimming
Doctors recommend swimming to almost all patients who want to put their health in order. Before you understand what muscle groups work when swimming, you need to consider the health benefits of this sport.
Being in the pool perfectly supports blood circulation and increases lung capacity. Swimming is almost the only sport that makes all kinds of muscles work. Also, swimmers almost never have problems with the digestive system.
With regular training, a person's endurance increases, the shoulder girdle increases , and the body is always in good shape and toned. And it doesn’t matter where a person swims. To the question: what muscles work when swimming in the pool, you can answer unambiguously. The same muscle groups work in the pool as when swimming in the sea.
Muscles for swimmers
When a person swims, one or another group of muscles alternately works for him. This kind of sport is based on the weakening and tension of muscles, therefore their strengthening takes place constantly.
What muscles work when swimming? First of all, the muscles of the legs. During regular visits to the pool, the volume of the hips decreases and the musculature as a whole is strengthened. Also, during movement, the muscles of the arms, forearm, and shoulder constantly work. Gradually, the shoulder girdle begins to increase in a person. In men, the figure becomes more courageous.
Do not forget that each chosen style affects individual muscle groups. Therefore, if a person has decided to strengthen a certain muscle group, he must carefully choose the swimming style that suits him.
Existing styles and muscles involved
So, which muscles work when swimming, depending on the style?
- When choosing a freestyle style, mainly the muscles of the arms and the broadest muscles work.
- If the athlete has a closer crawl on his chest, then almost all the muscles will be involved, however, the shoulder girdle works the most.
- When swimming with a crawl on a person’s back, the latissimus dorsi is most involved.
- Butterfly makes all the muscles of the legs, arms, and oblique muscles of the stomach work actively . A person actively shakes the press.
- Breaststroke is especially useful . What muscles work with this style of swimming? If a swimmer chooses a breaststroke, his back muscles are actively working. The rhomboid, trapezoid and latissimus muscles are especially well developed.
Choosing a style that suits a particular athlete is very important. However, doctors strongly recommend alternating the styles used. Thus, it is possible not only to gradually strengthen the whole body, but also to tighten the figure and improve health. In addition, with the alternation of styles, you can allow the body to relax a bit while moving.
Changing your body during regular workouts
As soon as a person began to play sports for the sake of improving his figure, he immediately wonders: what muscles work when swimming? In fact, do not flatter yourself and wait for a quick result even with regular training.
With constant loads, muscle mass will grow very slowly. Moreover, a person will never be able to achieve such results as during classes, for example, powerlifting or weightlifting. But he will almost disappear adipose tissue and the figure will be athletic and “dried”.
It is worth remembering that when swimming, the so-called triangular figure is formed. To achieve it in the gym does not work, so professional swimmers noticeable immediately.
Also, do not wait for pumped up press, chest and triceps. Such muscles develop only with power loads and practically do not work when swimming. If you want to achieve just such a figure, you need to additionally train in the gym. By the way, combined physical activity has a positive effect on human health.