You are in Our Partners . For those starting a swim regimen or returning to the pool after an injury, she suggests building up an aquatic workout sensibly. Be more aggressive the second half of your workout, when you can focus on strokes as well as speed.
Water provides a good resistance workout and an environment that is gentle on joints.
However, while a swimming pool helps reduce the risk of impact, it does not completely eliminate the possibility of injury. Overuse or repetitive motion injuries are also fairly common. Swimmers must warm up properly, stretching the quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings, as well as the upper body. Shoulders are especially important because swimmers do a lot of arm rotations in the pool. Women tend to have weaker upper back muscles than men, she says, so they may require some general upper body conditioning to complement their swimming routine and help avoid injury.