Water is one of the ultimate sources of superior health and strength and that’s a fact no matter how you slice it. You can drink it, it can fit into any container and it can take your fitness to a whole other level. Now I realize some of you either can’t swim or just choose not to go in the ocean/pool/lake for other reasons, that doesn’t mean you can’t imitate it though. For those who do swim know what its like to feel different, being in a different state of mind and clarity.
Many athletes use swimming as a conditioning tool, hell it’s an Olympic sport and for good reasons. I believe out of all the Olympic & Pro swimmers there is one swimmer who isn’t an Olympian at all but should’ve been took swimming to a level that will never be matched and that’s the late Jack Lalanne. He not only made swimming an art form but he took it to extremes an extreme few will ever attempt and most likely can never surpass good old Jack. More then half of his recorded feats had something to do with swimming. Whether being shackled and had to pull boats from Fisherman’s Wharf or just doing a few laps from his pool outside his house, Jack made swimming look awesome period.
Another great swimmer who took it to another level was fitness and nutrition pioneer Paul Bragg. Although a controversial figure in the fitness industry he got people into eating healthy, training and gave great prominence to swimming. He was one of the first known polar bears in the early 20th century with another fitness pioneer Bernarr MacFadden. Bragg, Macfadden and others would swim the icy cold east coast oceans in New York
These 2 men are just bits and pieces of what swimming can do for you and how it can increase your strength, health and fitness. Now for practical use you don’t need to be shackled or swim in icy oceans but you can however swim laps, try to sprint, increase your lung power and move your joints the way they were made for. Swimming gives you all the resistance you need for an awesome and invigorating workout. When it comes to health, swimming can increase your mental clarity, make you breathe harder then just about anything else and it puts you in a state of mind that just makes everything seem unbelievable and beautiful.
If you have access to a pool or can go to the lake or ocean do it as often as possible. For me lately I love jumping into the pool after a hard workout and do a few laps, run around and have fun then soak in the hot tub to relax and recover. It is the perfect ending to a workout. Have fun and make swimming apart of your program whether a few times a week or everyday do it for fun not a necessity.
