How swimming measures up with other types of workout
As the weather warms up and outdoor running time shrinks, more people will be looking to do some laps around the pool.
However, there's more to swimming than just cooling off. It's also a way to splash up your normal workout routine.
For a person who weighs 155 pounds, they burn 216 calories when they swim for a half hour. A person who weighs 135 pounds can burn 180 calories and those who weigh 185 pounds can burn 252 calories.
According to Harvard health researchers, swimming burns more calories than running as it's a true full-body workout.
It does something that running doesn't always accomplish, which is work more muscle groups in your upper body at greater resistance.
This is why doctors say that swimming is tough to beat if you want to improve your cardiovascular health.
Swimming also gives you a "swimmer's high", just like what runners get with "runner's high". They both release the so-called "happy hormones", which reduce pain and stress.