Swimming is a popular summertime activity and it can improve your health. It is inexpensive, fun, and a great way to spend time with family and friends. Did you know that swimming also helps build muscles, is excellent for your heart, and alleviates pain and stiffness from arthritis and fibromyalgia by as much as 53%? Let’s dive into the many other health benefits swimming provides.
5 Health Benefits of a Regular Swimming Routine
1. Strengthen Joints Without the Stress
Swimming is excellent for building muscles without the stress that running or bike riding places on the knee and hip joints. Make no mistake about it-swimming isn’t easy by any means, but building up to a steady routine of 30 minutes, 5 times a week allows you to experience the true benefit from the resistance of the water.
Walk the Water to Build Up a Sustainable Swimming Routine and Improve Your Health
If you are a beginner start out slow and spend 15 to 20 minutes every other day until you build enough strength and muscle tone to increase your water time. Another excellent way to start water resistance training is to simply walk the pool. The water provides resistance for your body to work against and you will start building up muscles and stamina from just walking the pool.
2. Decreased Depression and Anxiety
Mental Health professionals studying the effects of regular exercise on the quality of mental health state that regular physical exercise increases the release of endorphins, the body’s “feel good” chemicals and stave off anxiety and depression just was well as some prescription medications.
Additionally, people who incorporate regular exercise help their body to positively cope with stress than those who don’t exercise, leading to less depression and anxiety episodes.
3. Lower Your Cancer and Cardiac Event Risk
Developing a long-term swimming routine lowers your risk of several different types of cancer including, colon, breast, lung and kidney cancers. Furthermore, swimming also lowers blood pressure and trains the heart and lungs to use oxygen more efficiently, which decreases the chances of dying from a cardiac event by up to 41 percent.
4. Improve Circulation
Exercising in the water also helps your body move blood more efficiently throughout your body. The resistance of the water aids your circulatory system to move oxygen and blood to places in your body that lack the oxygen and blood movement that is necessary to maintain proper circulation, which in turn can lower the risk of embolism development.
5. Reduce Overall Stress
Life is stressful. Between family, kids, and work stress is the name of the game. Heading to the pool can be a refreshing way to cool off and clear your head of life’s impending challenges, and if that alone isn’t enough to attract you to the pool, a survey conducted by Speedo found that swimming is a highly effective workout for stress reduction with the survey participants agreeing that:
- Being in the water relaxes them and makes them feel better
- Going for a swim after a stressful day, alleviates the tension and stress
- Swimming helps improve the mental impact of stressful situations.
Fun Places to Swim in Phoenix, Arizona to Improve Your Health
If you live in the Phoenix, Arizona, metro area you probably have access to swimming pools through your apartment or HOA community; however, if you don’t here are some places to try.
Sunnyslope Pool
The Sunnyslope Pool is open Monday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday from 12:00 pm-6:00 pm. The cost is $3.00 per adult or $1.00 for senior citizens and children swim for free. The pool is located at 301 W. Dunlap Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85020. The summer 2024 swimming pool dates for Sunnyslope are:
- May 25 – 27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
- June 1 – July 28 (closed Fridays)
- August 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 and August 31 – September 2.
Maryvale Pool
The Maryvale Pool is open Monday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday from 12:00 pm-6:00 pm. The cost is $3.00 per adult or $1.00 for senior citizens and children swim for free. The pool is located at 4444 N 51st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85031. The summer 2024 swimming pool dates for Maryvale are:
- May 25 – 27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
- June 1 – July 28 (closed Fridays)
- August 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 and August 31 – September 2.
Coronado Pool
The Coronado Pool open Monday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday from 12:00 pm-6:00 pm. The cost is $3.00 per adult or $1.00 for senior citizens and children swim for free. The pool is located at 1717 N 12th St, Phoenix, AZ 85006. The summer 2024 swimming pool dates for Coronado are:
- May 25 – 27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
- June 1 – July 28
Looking for Another Location to Swim to Improve Your Health?
The City of Phoenix, AZ has public pools in other areas of the Valley. To find a different pool location, click here.
]The City of Scottsdale, AZ also offers public pool facilities. The information for available public swimming pools can be found here.
Do you live or are you visiting Gilbert, Arizona? Public Pool information is available here.
Public Pool availability for some of the other major cities in Arizona are listed below.
- Surprise, Arizona
- Chandler, Arizona
- Peoria, Arizona
- Prescott, Arizona
- Goodyear, Arizona
- Tucson, Arizona
- Show Low, Arizona
- Maricopa. Arizona
- Cottonwood, Arizona
- Avondale, Arizona
Must-Haves for a Fun Day at the Pool
Fun times at the pool mean bringing towels, sunscreen, floats, goggles, and other pool toys, the family enjoys. Here is a list of items that help keep the family splashing while you keep your sanity.
Pool Tote
Every trip to the pool requires a quality-constructed, large tote bag for all of the fun gear.
The F Color Mesh Bag comes with 8 large pockets, 1 zippered pocket and it is large enough to carry up to 6 towels, has 4 rings on the front of the bag for attaching keys or water bottles. The bag is available in 14 different colors.
Pool Towels
The crew needs large, soft, easy-to-launder towels to dry off after an energetic day at the pool. Utopia towels come in a bundle of four, are constructed of 100% cotton, measure 30 inches by 60 inches and are available in 10 different color patterns.
Sunscreen
La Roche-Posay Sunscreen incorporates both UVA and UVB protection for a 70 sun protection factor (SPF). It lasts up to 80 minutes in the water. The formula also provides antioxidant protection from the sun’s free radicals.
Conclusion
Now you have several options for enjoying some of the public pools in the Phoenix, Arizona area to start a healthy swimming routine and improve your health. Don’t forget to bring extra water to stay hydrated and have a great time with family and friends.
