Category: Health

Health Benefits of Swimming

– by Sarah Ferguson, Breathe Founder & Guinness World Record Holder

I grew up being drawn to water. There is an allure to it that keeps me coming back for more. Some people say that I must have been a mermaid in my past life. Besides my passion for water and being suspended in weightlessness for extended periods, there are a myriad of health benefits that come with swimming.

I could spout the science which can easily be Googled, but I would rather opt to share my personal experiences of the health benefits of swimming as a professional swimmer and a physiotherapist.

For me, the number one benefit of swimming is relaxation.  ‘Never regret a swim’ is one of my mottos. No matter how cold air temperatures are, I have never exited the water regretting it. Even though climbing into the pool is sometimes difficult when the weather is freezing, there’s always an overriding internal voice that reminds me of how good I’m going to feel after a swim.

Swimming is one of the few workouts that make use of all the major muscle groups in the body. You just have to look at Olympic Games swimmers to see how beautifully toned their bodies are. All of your body works in symmetry to push through the water, which acts as extra-gentle resistance that air cannot provide. Swimming works your cardiovascular system aerobically and anaerobically (especially if you add some breath-hold training in) and it improves lung capacity. Many swimmers, even some Olympic Games athletes started swimming to assist with managing their asthma conditions.

Swimming has a low impact on the body, which is hugely beneficial for people suffering from lower back pain or joint issues, as well as hypermobile people like me. Being hypermobile gives you extra flexibility which when combined with strength makes for good swimmers. Cases of injury in swimming are few and far between. Those I do see are generally from overexertion and poor technique.

When I swim it allows me to be completely present in what I am doing and disassociate from the world like nothing else. You cannot talk to your mate on social media or chat apps while you swim, so having your face submerged in the aquatic world is meditative and hypnotic. For example, swimming the Molokai Channel in Hawaii in silvery moonlight with inky darkness below has got to be one of my highlights. It’s completely magical. Offshore swimming for hours on end while watching the dancing rays of light penetrate the water way below me is completely mesmerising. One gets lost in time and space.

The act of diaphragmatic inhalation and exhalation while swimming increases oxygen and blood flow through the body and assists in this meditative state. There are no distractions other than the sound of bubbles and if you are in open water, potentially the privilege of encountering some form of marine life.

Body awareness is key to being a competent swimmer as you have to time the coordination of arms and legs with your breathing. On a day-to-day basis most people never really draw attention to their breath. Studies have shown that most people don’t even breathe correctly. E.g. never engaging the diaphragm to draw breath in. Some benefits of this practice range from reduced anxiety to lower blood pressure.

Swimming is great therapy for kids with attention difficulties or coordination issues, as well as scoliosis as it helps to create balance, alignment, control and improved coordination.

Those who have the luxury of outdoor swimming pools have the added benefit of vitamin D from exposure to the sun. Ocean swimming generates natural ozone which comes with a multitude of added benefits. The rapid growth of cold water swimming can be directly attributed to its great benefits. Some of which include a boosted immune system and improved mood.

The benefits of swimming are paramount. Now get yourself a swimsuit,  dive into the water and see for yourself what swimming can do for you. You won’t regret it!

Winter is here and it’s getting harder to climb out from beneath the blankets and duvets to get a morning workout in. But come spring, we don’t want to have lost all the fitness gains we triumphantly achieved during warmer months of the year. Winter training will make you a stronger athlete – here’s why!

“In winter, we lose our motivation and drive and it’s not because we don’t want to train, it’s due to our minds wanting to be ‘comfortable/happy’ and wanting to stay in a warm environment,” says running coach, Garth Dorman.

“You have to find the inner strength that challenges the voice that says: ‘the weather is bad, it’s cold, it’s dark, it’s much better to stay inside’. You need to change that voice and say to yourself: ‘life is short, don’t waste time procrastinating’,” explains Garth. “This helps you to make training a permanent feature all year round,” he says.

Studies also show that regular exposure to low temperatures helps our bodies become leaner and fitter. Our bodies learn to make better use of fat reserves and burn excess fat intake faster.

How Winter Training Improves Athletic Performance

In winter you train your mind: “Winter training is more about developing mental strength. You build the mental strength to do tough things and show yourself that you can do them – even if the conditions are challenging,” says Garth. “It’s about developing your mind and training your mind to be stronger.”

Winter training improves your cardio: Cold weather forces your body to work harder during training. This also applies to your cardiovascular system. As the heart works harder to pump blood around the body during cold weather exercises, this invigorating workout helps to boost cardio strength.

Cold-weather training may improve VO2 Max: Colder temperatures cause your body to continue making subtle adaptations, such as your heart and lungs working harder. This helps to improve your muscles’ aerobic function, meaning they receive more oxygen during exercise. Studies have shown that training in the cold can increase your VO2 max; the maximum rate of oxygen your body can use during exercise.

How to Survive the Cold

1. Layer up! Use layers of clothing that you can easily take off or wrap around your waist as your body warms up during exercise.
2. Try running gloves and use buffs or caps to ward off the icy feeling on your hands, neck and ears.
3. Warm-up well! A warm-up routine can prove even more beneficial in cold weather. Your body needs to get used to the low temperature and boost circulation before heading out.
4. Get warm again quickly – pack jackets to leave in the car or make sure you get into a hot shower quickly to thaw out.
5. Stay hydrated. You might not feel like drinking as much water as you do in summer, but you still need it and will still lose a lot of fluids while training.

If you’ve missed the boat on exercise as a younger person, don’t worry. It’s never too late to start. You may not be able to beat the clock, but you do have some say in how ageing affects your body or how much muscle you can add. With the right plan and guidance, you’ll be able to stay motivated and get in shape and reap the health and lifestyle benefits of good physical fitness.

Medshield recently sat down to talk fitness after 40 with former South African Springbok rugby player and living legend Stefan Terblanche. In our interview, he shares wisdom on how a cookie-cutter approach to fitness is ineffective and how getting in shape and eating for your age will help find you on the right side of 40.

Q: Thank you for joining us, Stefan. Can you share the best exercises to do after 40?

ST: Firstly, it’s important to know any exercise is better than no exercise. Being over 40 doesn’t mean that you need to stop exercising because you are scared of physical injury or damage to the heart. With age, certain exercises should be adjusted for your current abilities, not what you could do in the past. Training session frequency should also be amended.  For your body to benefit from the time you spend in the gym or on the road cycling, you will have to add some intensity. Long slow distances will do very little for your body and will more than likely break down your already depleting muscle mass. There is also no reason to spend hours in the gym or doing any other exercises.  As we grow older we lose muscle strength and mass; that’s a given. It becomes harder to build the muscle we so desperately need for our bodies to function but it can be done – that’s great news for all of us.

Find exercise ideas here: The Best Way To Burn Fat & Lose Weight – Advice From A Trainer

Q: How often should you exercise at 40 and over?

ST: This will vary from person to person as each person has a different biological makeup and DNA. DNA testing is a great way of determining how your body reacts to any form of exercise and will tell you how to plan your training, but more importantly, how you rest. As a broad and very general formula, I assign two days for training and one day for rest. When you get a bit more conditioned to your chosen form of exercise, increase workout sessions to three days of training and one day of rest. The intensity and duration of training sessions will also play a major part in how you rest between training sessions. You will have to rest to give your body time to recover and for your muscle to repair itself and grow – that’s non-negotiable.

Q: Should you add or remove any foods and beverages from your diet?

ST: Again this will vary from person to person.  Funnily enough, your DNA will give you a great idea of what and what not to eat. Some can eat carbohydrates while others should eat more protein. It’s best to strive for a balanced diet. I eat all foods but I do limit my fat intake. I love carbs, but I try to eat those during the daytime or after a hard training session, even if done late in the afternoon. Our bodies need the fuel to repair and to fully operate, so the worst thing we can do is to not eat anything. Please don’t do that!

Q: Are supplements necessary for good nutrition after 40?

ST: For sure! As we grow older there are great legal supplements we can and must use that will help us recover faster and for us to convert our hard work during training into small gains. Supplements are often frowned upon and have an unjust steroid stigma. However, these are two separate things. There are major differences between supplements and steroids, so it’s wise to learn about them so you aren’t confused and living with misinformation.

Q: Can you share some fitness recovery tips with us?

ST: Good sleep, nutrition and managing stress levels sit right at the base of your general and overall well-being. You get that right and you are 80% there. It will make your training so much easier and more effective.

If you’re feeling motivated to start working out right now, visit the Medshield Movement Resource Hub for a range of free exercises, recipes for nutritious eating and how to #LiveAssured with Medshield.

The practise of yoga has many poses. Some of these are designed to increase body and joint flexibility and strength, while others may help to trim, tone and burn fat – essentially, helping with weight loss. But yoga can help with weight loss in other ways too.

Yoga, as a form of exercise, comes in many styles. Some of these practises are geared more towards weight loss than others, such as Hot26 (Bikram), Power Yoga, Ashtanga and Vinyasa. However, long-term, consistent practise of gentler styles, such as Hatha, will lead to strengthening, toning, greater flexibility and weight loss.

Yoga teaches a sense of self-awareness and mindfulness that may then extend into how people behave outside of the yoga studio. This could lead to more mindful-eating habits as well as an improved approach to living life in a healthier way. Yoga also helps to improve sleep and alleviate stress and anxiety, which, can otherwise, lead to emotional eating for some.

Yoga can be started at any age. In addition to stress-relief and body mindfulness, here are some postures that focus specifically on creating strong, lean muscles and burning fat. Practise these four moves below each day – it won’t take more than 10 minutes.

Chaturanga Dandasana

This pose is also known as the Four-Limbed Staff pose, also known as Low Plank. We practise lowering ourselves down into Chaturanga during transitions in Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Power Yoga. This pose is often followed by Upward Facing Dog and then Downward Facing Dog.
From a high plank, with your elbows tucked into your side, exhale as you slower lower yourself down into a low plank. Hold for five breaths.

Downward-Facing Dog

This pose, aka Adho Mukha Svanasana, tones your whole body by paying a little extra attention to arms, thighs, hamstrings and your back. Holding this pose and concentrating on your breathing engages your muscles and tones them, as well as improves your concentration and blood circulation.
From high-plank pose, lift your hips upwards toward the ceiling and create a triangle-like shape with your body. Bring your chest closer towards your thighs. It doesn’t matter if your ankles can’t touch the floor, but stretch them towards the floor. Bend your knees a little if need be. Hold for 10 to 20 breaths. Use a mirror to help you check your posture.

High Crescent Lunge

From Downward Facing Dog, exhale and step your right foot forward between your hands, aligning your knee over the heel. Keep your left leg strong and firm.

Inhale and raise your torso upright. At the same time, sweep your arms wide to the sides and raise them overhead, palms facing. Don’t arch your back – keep your torso strong. Hold for five to 10 breaths and then move back into Downward Facing Dog before repeating the same on the other side.

Advanced: With your right leg forward, rotate your ribs to the right until your left elbow hooks on the outside of your right thigh. Bring your hands together in a prayer position, breathe into the back of your ribs, and twist above your navel to rotate. Hold for five to 10 breaths and then gently come back into the lunge before proceeding as indicated above.

Chair Pose

Also called Utkatasana, this pose powerfully strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs, and stimulates the diaphragm and heart. It is also  called a “fierce seat” and can really burn.

From standing position, inhale and raise your arms over your head so that your biceps are just slightly in front of your ears. Exhale and bend your knees so that your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible. Keep your inner thighs parallel to each other and sit your hips back, like sitting into a chair. You should be able to see your toes. Hold this pose for five to 10 breaths.

If you’re looking to improve your running performance, no matter if you’re a beginner or experienced, these tips can help to improve your abilities.

New to running? Read these tips!

1. Warm up

Before heading into a training session or participating in a foot race, it’s important to warm up your muscles and joints. Consider a 500m to 1km jog as warm-up before running a race. Read here for 6 warm-up moves for runners.

1. Do speedwork
   Interval sessions and sprints help to boost power and increase speed overall.
2. Cross-train
   Sports like cycling can help to boost cardio and endurance while remaining low-impact, so it’s easy on your joints.
3. Include strength work

Body weight strength training, including moves like push-ups, planks, lunges, squats and pull-ups can really help to improve your running.

1. Run hills

Some of the beauties of running hills are improved strength and endurance. Hill-training improves leg-muscle strength, quickens your stride and expands stride length.

1. Fuel and refuel properly
   Much of our running performance is connected to the kitchen. Our bodies are all slightly different and thus you need to figure out what suits you. In general, you need to fuel appropriately with carbohydrates and recover with protein (20g after an hour or more of intense exercise).
2. Stay hydrated
   Being dehydrated can severely impact a runner’s performance. It’s important to hydrate adequately for two to three days in the build-up to a big running race or training session.

1. Prioritise your sleep

Getting the required amount of good-quality sleep can really improve your running – particularly endurance – and your ability to recover. Adults need between seven and nine hours of good-quality sleep per night.

1. Stretch
   It’s important to stretch after a training session to prevent injury and to keep your muscles supple. Read this: Quick, Beginner-Friendly Yoga Stretching For Runners
2. Work on your stride
   It’s possible that your stride may need some correcting and focus. Often a running coach can help improve this, but if you’re struggling with injuries, it’s best to see a physiotherapist.

   Read more: How To Start Running – Advice from a Physiotherapist

While a lot of people might consider themselves a runner, the world seems to be more strictly divided into cyclists and non-cyclists. But if you’ve ever thought about trying either sport, there are so many great health benefits to both. Here we take a look at the pros and cons of each.

Duathlons exist for a reason. Yes there are people who like to both run and ride and then there are even those who like to throw swimming in the mix and call themselves triathletes! Just ask one of our ambassadors, Amy Hopkins, who always dabbled in running, but in 2017 decided to get her first bicycle and give cycling a try. She avidly loves both sports and believes they complement each other.

Running Pros

• Running is a time-efficient way to get good cardio in. For example, you can get a good run in, in 30 minutes and do this five times a week to get fitter.
• Running burns fat and muscle, which means it helps to tone and is a good sport for weight-loss.
• You don’t need much gear for running – really just a pair of running shoes (and a good sports bra, if you’re a woman).

Running Cons

• Running can be “hard” on the body as it has a lot of impact on joints. If you’re a beginner, you may injure yourself easily. Long-distance runners also struggle with many injuries later on in life, linked to their hips and knees.
• Running doesn’t seem to have a high barrier to entry, but it’s very hard on the body for someone who is overweight or unfit. It feels painful and very uncomfortable in the beginning.
• While a pair of running shoes is not a lot of gear to invest in (compared to cycling), wearing the wrong ones can lead to a lot of injuries, so you need to spend time figuring out what shoes are right for your feet.

Cycling Pros

• Cycling is an excellent form of cardio exercise.
• Cycling is low-impact – compared to running – so it’s much easier on your joints.
• A person with any level of fitness or weight can jump on a bicycle or gym bike and get a workout in without the level of pain or difficulty that comes with running.
• Cycling can really take you places, so you can cycle for an hour and end up in a different town for coffee, which adds to its appeal.

Cycling Cons

• Speaking of heading to different towns, cycling is much more time-consuming than running. And to get a good ride in, you often need two to three hours (unless of course you’re on a gym bike, which is different, because you’re working constantly).
• Cycling is perceived to be more dangerous because bike jacking and bike theft is a real problem in South Africa. Some of our roads are also not deemed as safe – South Africa has a high rate of car accidents and drunk driving, which is a big cause of concern for cyclists. Cycling in a group is therefore much safer, whereas you can more easily go running alone through a park or along a boardwalk, depending on the area. That said, runners who run on the road are also vulnerable to cars.
• Cycling is expensive. At least a lot more expensive than running. So the barrier to entry here is less about fitness, but about resources. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t hop on a gym bike for “exercise”.
• If your bicycle setup is not right, this can also cause injuries.

The result?

It really depends on your lifestyle, but both are excellent forms of exercise. And you should warm-up and stretch adequately after each of the sports to prevent injuries.

Coach Steve Atwell recommends doing both. “Cross-training allows for the use of different muscles. If all you do is run, you’re much more likely to get injured than if you do multiple sports.” Cycling really helps build endurance, but isn’t as hard on the body as running, so you can go for longer and recover faster, which means that cycling does in fact help your running!