Swimming is one of the few ways of getting exercise that improves your all- round fitness because it can boost strength, stamina and suppleness all at the same time. You can look at it as having all the cardiovascular benefits of running, but with some of the strength-building effects of weight training and some of the suppleness- promoting effects of dance classes.

Swimming uses all the major muscle groups, and is a demanding aerobic exercise that helps to keep your heart and lungs healthy. Swimming also helps to keep your joints flexible, especially in the neck, shoulders, hips and groin as your limbs and body move through the water.

You can increase your level of physical activity by swimming and therefore increase the amount of energy you burn up - a vital component of a weight management programme. Your doctor or the staff at your swimming pool may be able to help you in your aim to shed any surplus pounds. Or you can try a new initiative from the Amateur Swimming Association, Swimfit which gives support and guidance to those who swim for fitness, including those who want to swim to lose weight.

Another benefit from the strength and improved co-ordination you build up in swimming is the reduction in risk of falls and hip fractures in the elderly.1 However, swimming will not build up your bones because you need to perform weight-bearing, land-based exercises to do this. Also there is some evidence that exercise may protect against colon cancer, and can help the elderly retain more of their ability to think clearly.2,3

Swimming is kinder to your body than other sports...
Swimming is, generally, kinder to your body than land-based exercise because your natural buoyancy in water helps you avoid the jarring knocks that can cause injuries. In water you weigh about a tenth of your normal weight, and the range of motion for the less fit person is much wider, as the water supports the weight of your limbs. Therefore, it's a good choice for people who want to exercise, but who might have problems with weight-bearing land-based activities. For example, swimming might suit those who have arthritis or back problems, weight problems or are pregnant.

An added bonus for those with lung conditions, such as asthma, is that the air round a swimming pool is usually very humid, which makes breathing more comfortable.

Who can swim?
Swimming is an activity that people of all ages and all levels of fitness can take up, and is accessible to virtually everyone. From the unfit person taking his or her first few strokes in the shallows, to the competitive swimmer training for a race, swimming is a physical activity that anyone can perform at their own level.

Your body shape will, however, determine how fast you can swim for a given level of effort. So, while being able to swim faster is a marker of improving fitness try not to worry about the speed of other swimmers around you. What is important is improving your own speed and swimming for a reasonable length of time.

What muscles are used in swimming?
The particular groups of muscles used in swimming vary according to the stroke you use. But using a variety of backstroke, front crawl (freestyle) and breast stroke will use all major muscle groups: abdominals, biceps and triceps, gluteals, hamstrings and quadriceps.

How do you gain benefit from swimming?
Of course many people like to just splash around in the pool, and enjoy themselves. The popularity of 'leisure' pools with wave machines, waterfalls and slides pays tribute to the appeal of swimming as a playful activity. That is fine, and provides a low level of physical activity.

But those who want to gain the maximum health benefit from their time at the pool should decide on a more energetic programme, beginning with a warm up. This could be simply walking the route to the swimming pool. Or it could be a few minutes on an exercise bike, or just beginning your swim with easy and gentle strokes. The warm up gently warms the muscles to reduce the risk of damage and increases the heart rate.

If you are beginning a swimming-for- fitness programme and aren't very fit, start by swimming a length, followed by a rest for 30 seconds to a minute. Don't exhaust yourself by powering up and down the pool. Take it gently.

Over a few weeks you can increase the time you spend swimming. When you have developed a certain level of fitness you can adopt a programme of warming up with slow strokes for 5-10 minutes, followed by 20-40 minutes of continuous swimming with different strokes, ending up with a five minute cool-down period with slower, gentler swimming.

Swimming for that long 3-5 times a week should give you a good amount of aerobic exercise to promote the health of the heart and lungs. However this exercise will have no effect on the strength of your bones. That is why it is a good idea to walk or jog or other weight-bearing exercise because of the stress it places on bones, helping the bones to maintain or increase their mass.

Of course you can incorporate other forms of exercise in the water apart from swimming, either on your own or in classes. There is water walking, water aerobics (sometimes called aquaerobics), water yoga and stretching in water, just for starters. Your local pool will have details of classes available.

What equipment do I need?
You do not need a lot to go swimming. A comfortable swimsuit is all you really need, although a pair of goggles is worthwhile if you are swimming in a chlorinated pool. A foam board can allow you to do exercises that pay particular attention to legs or arms, but most pools can provide this for you.

Don't forget to enjoy yourself. Find a local pool you like and try to find time at least once a week to go for your swim. A club or class adds a social element and may encourage you to go, when you otherwise might not bother. In addition a club or class run by a coach may mean you work harder and complete a full session.

Being overweight and high levels of obesity are now the most widespread, and rapidly increasing, nutritional disorder in the developed world and The British Heart Foundation has provided the following information and guidelines to help combat this.

The percentage of obese adults in England has roughly doubled since the mid 1980s and in men the rate has tripled since then. Obesity levels in the UK are now approaching those of the United States.

Obesity is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). It is also associated with high blood pressure, raised blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and low levels of physical activity - also key risk factors for CHD.

In short, if you are very overweight you are more likely to have a heart attack.

Key facts

• Over 30,000 deaths a year are caused by obesity in England alone
• In England around 20 per cent of men (1 in 5) and 19 per cent of women are obese and a further 45 per cent of men and 34 per cent of women are overweight.
• Coronary heart disease accounts for over 120,000 deaths a year in the UK: approximately one in four deaths in men and one in six deaths in women.
• One in ten deaths from CHD is attributable to obesity. Obesity is also closely linked to physical inactivity and together these factors account for nearly half of all deaths from CHD.
• Physical inactivity roughly doubles the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and is a major risk factor for stroke.
• Physical inactivity levels are on the increase – currently 1 in 3 adults do not even do half an hour of physical activity per week.
• Obesity increases with age. About 27% of men and 31% of women aged 16-24 are overweight or obese, as are 79% of men and 71% of women aged 55 – 64.
• Obesity is also more common in adults employed in manual occupations, particularly in women.

Being obese increases the likelihood of ‘atheroma’ building up in the artery walls. Other risk factors include lack of physical activity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol level and smoking. The more individual risk factors you have, the higher your risk of coronary heart disease.

How large do you need to be to increase your risk?
Your body mass index (BMI) is a good indicator as to whether you are in an unhealthy weight range. To calculate your BMI divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. A healthy BMI is 20-25. 25-30 means you are overweight and above 30 indicates obesity which is associated with high blood pressure and an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Greater than 40 is extreme obesity.

Your shape might also increase your risk of coronary heart disease. Research has found that there is a higher incidence of coronary heart disease and diabetes in people who are ‘apple-shaped’, or who store weight around their abdomens, than in those who are more ‘pear-shaped’, with fat mostly around the hips and thighs.

Obesity & Children
Unfortunately childhood obesity in the UK is on the rise as children spend more time in-doors and less time participating in physical activity. At the same time, many children are more likely to eat fast food than fresh fruit and vegetables.

• The number of six year olds who are obese has doubled over the last ten years.
• There is evidence to suggest that children who are obese before school age have an increased risk of being obese as adults.
• In England, 22% of six-year old boys are overweight and 12% are obese. 22% of six-year old girls are overweight and 9% are obese.
• At present only 17% of children eat fruit more than once a day. Yet nearly three quarters consume biscuits, sweets or chocolate every day.
• Half of all 11-16 year olds do not walk even for ten minutes per day.

What can be done about obesity?
If you’re very overweight you’re more likely to have a heart attack, especially if your extra weight is around your middle. The good news is that by losing weight you can cut your risk of heart disease considerably.

Research studies also suggest that many overweight people with angina, raised blood cholesterol and high blood pressure found that their conditions improved greatly, even after losing only some of their excess weight. Many of those who kept the weight off were able to reduce their medication or even stop it altogether.

To lose weight you need to use up more energy than your body takes in from food and drink. Many people attempt short term crash diets to lose weight quickly but these diets involve sticking to an unrealistically restricted menu for a limited period of time. Any weight loss will be mostly water rather than body fat and will be regained when normal eating is restarted. Gradual weight loss is the safest and most effective way.

Tips for changing eating habits to lose weight

• Eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• Reduce the total amount of fat you eat, replacing some saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
• Eat oily fish once a week and a portion of white fish once a week
• Reduce the amount of salt you eat
• Only drink moderate amounts of alcohol

The British Heart Foundation also recommends that people should take moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, for thirty minutes at least five times a week - so ring the swimming pool and book now!