Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that works your quadriceps①， hamstrings②， arms， gluteus③ muscles and abdomens. It’s excellent for building stamina④ and muscle tone. Best of all， there’s no jarring or shock to the body， which significantly reduces the risk of injury.
People with injuries or chronic pain， pregnant women and the elderly find swimming a spot that goes easy on the body while offering an efficient workout. Water workouts are sometimes used in post-injury physical therapy， because the water takes some of the body’s weight off the joints and tendons⑤. Because the air around pools is so humid， swimming is often the sport of choice for people with asthma⑥.
Any aerobic⑦ exercise will help you get in shape for swimming. Walking and biking are good options for everyone， especially beginners， because they’re relatively inexpensive. Running， hiking or indoor cycling classes are other terrific options.
① quadricepsn. 四头肌
② hamstringn. 腿筋，腿窝
③ gluteusn. 臀肌
④ staminan. 毅力，持久力，精力
⑤ tendonn.【解】腱
⑥ asthman.【医】哮喘
⑦ aerobicadj. 靠氧气的，与需氧菌有关的，增氧健身法的
游泳
游泳是一种极好的有益于心血管的运动，它能锻炼你的四头肌、腿筋、手臂、臀肌和腹部。游泳对培养毅力和锻炼肌肉很有益处。它最大的好处还在于，它不会对身体造成不适或冲击，从而也就降低了受伤的可能性。
对于负伤者或有慢性疼痛的人、孕妇或老年人，游泳是一种易于接受的锻炼方式，而且还可提供足够的运动量。水上运动常常作为受伤后的物理治疗手段，因为水可以减轻关节和肌腱承受的重力。由于游泳池四周的空气很湿润，游泳也常常是哮喘患者的首选运动。
任何有氧运动都可以为游泳做好身体准备。徒步行走和骑自行车对每个人都是很好的选择，特别是刚开始锻炼的人，因为它们花费较少。跑步、长途步行和室内自行车训练班也是最佳的选择。
