Swimming, one month. 5kg down.

For some reason, I decided to try swimming starting in June, so I joined a gym.
In one month, my weight dropped by 4kg.

Was I fond of swimming to begin with? Not really.
I used to hate it during school classes.

And as for how long it had been since I last swam,
it had been since I was in high school.
It had been over 20 years.

Someone like that suddenly thought, maybe I'll try swimming.

As for how I'm swimming right now,

Based on those experiences and what I've researched, I've summarized the effects of swimming.

★★

Effects and benefits of casual swimming

1. It's not strenuous
   Running or doing muscle training can be a bit strenuous.
   Exercise enthusiasts say that the strenuous part is what's good about it, though.
   I used to go to a gym before, but I couldn't keep it up. I got bored.

2. High toning effect (high muscle tightening effect)
   Water is about 800 times denser than air. You don't need to lift dumbbells or do push-ups; your body tightens up on its own. Recently, a friend of a friend (whom I met for the first time) who goes to the gym asked me, "Do you work out?"
   ※I don't do any muscle training at all.

3. No sense of accomplishment
   There is no sense of having "done it" after swimming. That's a good thing.
   Muscle training or running makes you sweat a lot, and you get that sense of accomplishment, right?
   Along with the fatigue of "I trained today!"
   If you want to experience that sense of accomplishment, you're better off going to a sauna.
   If you want that sense of accomplishment, that is.

4. No fatigue
   Casual swimming doesn't leave you feeling fatigued either. People who swim competitively are a different story. I swim 5 to 10 laps in a 25m pool very slowly.

5. Underwater exercise is twice as effective as land exercise
   Exercising for 30 minutes underwater is equivalent to one hour of exercise on land.
   It's like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber from Dragon Ball (a room where one day is equal to one year). Running for an hour is tough for me. It's tiring, but the effects are minimal.

6. Slimming effect on the face
   Metabolism increases, and waste products in the body are excreted.

7. Fat around the shoulders and neck is easy to lose
   Because there are many arm-swinging movements, fat naturally drops from the shoulders to the neck.

8. Reduces facial puffiness
   Blood circulation is promoted, so facial puffiness is reduced. You feel refreshed.

9. Increases feelings of happiness
   Swimming increases the secretion of serotonin (the happiness hormone).

10. A sport where you can't use your smartphone
    which acts as a digital detox

★★

It's nice that it doesn't feel like a chore

Don't you feel like you've accomplished something when you exercise?
Like that 'Ah, I'm so exhausted' kind of thing.
The feeling of having exercised.
The feeling of having lost weight.

Swimming doesn't have that.
It doesn't, but you do lose weight.
This is what's good about it.

It's only 15 minutes.
Just 15 minutes of breaststroke, just drifting along.
And you don't get tired.

I still go two or three times a week now,
but my weight doesn't fluctuate.
I suppose this is just the right amount.

If you're going to spend over an hour running or walking,
getting drenched in sweat,
trying your absolute hardest,
only to see no results at all,

then I recommend swimming.

Even if there isn't a pool near your house,
try searching for one.

Don't just look for something easy to do,
make the effort to do it.

Walking is easy to do, but
because it's easy, it doesn't last.

Make the effort to do it.

That is all

Shoichi