Calories Burned in Freestyle Swimming

Whether you run, jog, walk, ski, rollerblade, or partake in any kind of physical activities, there is a guarantee that you'll lose certain amount of calories. The exact number, however, is dependent on which activities you are indulging in and the intensity of the said workout. Same can be said about freestyle swimming as it is one of the best workouts regardless of age. Have you ever watched those Olympic swimmers and wondered how they got that toned, defined, and chiseled physique? It is due to months of training and gliding in the water that gives their muscles the lean and toned look. Now I don't mean to say that you have to be an Olympics swimmer to burn calories or look lean. Whether you are a beginner or an expert swimmer, the benefits of, along with the loss of calories, swimming makes for a healthy activity. Keeping this in mind, we have put this Buzzle article together which talks about the number of calories burned during freestyle swimming and few of its benefits.

Freestyle Swimming Helps Burn Calories

If you are taking up swimming as a workout rather than recreational activity, chances are you must be wondering as to how many calories do you burn during swimming. Am I right? In this day and age where fast food is easily accessible, it is no mystery that some of us have to watch what we eat. Keeping in shape isn't the only reason why someone would want to start working out. Giving ourselves the opportunity to have a long and healthy life is also important. Which is why, if you have decided to take control of your life and lose as many calories as you can doing freestyle swimming, you should exactly know how many calories can you burn in a certain amount of time. Take a look at the table given below to learn about the same in detail.

Calories Burned - Light to Moderate Freestyle Swimming
Total Weight	120 lbs	140 lbs	160 lbs	180 lbs	200 lbs
15 mins	95	110	127	143	159
30 mins	191	225	254	286	318
45 mins	286	335	381	429	476
60 mins	381	445	508	572	635
Calories Burned - Vigorous Freestyle Swimming
Total Weight	120 lbs	140 lbs	160 lbs	180 lbs	200 lbs
15 mins	136	159	181	204	227
30 mins	272	318	363	408	454
45 mins	408	476	544	612	680
60 mins	544	635	726	816	907

The amount of calories burned by an individual will vary from others as there are various factors involved in this. The total calories burned in freestyle swimming depends on the intensity of the workout (light or vigorous effort), the actual body weight of an individual, his/her metabolism level, and the regularity of the workout. When all these factors are put together, then and only then can you expect to see results that last for a longer period of time. Remember, no matter how much workout or physical activities you do, if and when you do stop working out, the calories are going to pile on and result in weight gain.

Few Benefits of Freestyle Swimming

There can be many reasons why you would want to take up swimming, apart from burning calories. Perhaps your doctor recommended the workout, certain health issues, or simply the need to cool off in the summers. Well, no matter what the reason is, freestyle swimming sure aids our body besides helping us lose weight. The benefits of swimming include...

• As swimming doesn't require any contact with the ground, you can be sure that your joints won't incur any strain or injury.
• This swimming style works on almost all the muscle groups in your body, which inversely helps build muscle mass.
• Pregnant women and people suffering from arthritis and back pain can take up swimming to help circulate blood throughout the body.
• Freestyle swimming, or any other swimming strokes for that matter, can improve your posture and condition your cardiovascular health as well.
• If you sustain any injuries and have been advised some kind of physical activities to keep your body from being lethargic, swimming comes as a great benefactor.
• You can improve the flexibility in your joints as you perform the strokes required for freestyle swimming.

With all these wonderful benefits of freestyle swimming, no wonder more and more people are indulging in it. If the other benefits don't necessarily excite, perhaps the number of calories burned might attract you to the swimming pool.