Personal Aerobic Exercise Program Swimming Swimming is an excellent choice for aerobic conditioning since it involves most of the body's major muscle groups. Swimming works your arms, shoulders, hips, abdominals, and legs as the motion of your body works against the resistance of the water. However, for this same reason, walking or jogging would be a better choice if you have osteoporosis since they are weight-bearing exercise which improves bone strength. Swimming is a great exercise for people that have arthritis or other joint problems as well as those that are overweight or pregnant.
Swimming is also a perfect way to burn some calories while enjoying a nice dip in the pool.
You can burn between 600-800 calories per hour depending on your stroke. The freestyle or crawl is the best stroke for cardiovascular benefit. Other strokes in order of aerobic benefit are backstroke, breaststroke, and sidestroke. It is a good idea to use a variety of strokes. Reach out as far as possible during the freestyle and pull the whole way through the water so your hand brushes your thigh.