Swimming for Fitness

by CHARLES F. CICCIARELLA
1st ed., April 2003, 166 pages, $14.95
ISBN 978-0-89641-397-9

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Of all the venues where fitness classes might take place, the most popular is arguably the swimming pool. There is something about the aquatic environment that is especially attractive to most (though clearly not all) people. Maybe it is the typical manner of dress, which tends to eliminate much of the pretense found in other venues and invites social interaction. Perhaps it is the water itself, which may provide a welcome reconnection with the playfulness of childhood. Perhaps it is something else, but it is undeniably so.

Some water-based fitness classes focus on attempts to improve aerobic, or cardiovascular fitness. This may be done through lap swimming, walking through shallow or deep water, or exercises done more or less in the same place. Any of these approaches, but especially the latter, may be done with, or choreographed to, a musical background. Other water-based fitness classes may focus on attempts to improve muscular fitness, and yet others may focus on flexibility or relaxation.

Regardless of the type of fitness program, an important element is the inclusion of basic principles of how the desired program outcome is caused to occur. Only with an understanding of such principles can the individual participant be eventually weaned from day to day dependency on a course instructor. Only with such knowledge can the participant recognize when a mistake is being made or when a change is needed. Only then can the participant become a genuine member of his or her own fitness management team.

This book is designed to support all types of water-based fitness courses, from aerobic to muscular conditioning to flexibility to relaxation. Within its chapters the reader will find both underlying principles of fitness and fitness improvement, and descriptions and examples of actual exercises for each type of objective.

The reader will find this book different, and better, than others in the water-based fitness domain in several important ways. First, it is more comprehensive, covering the full range of fitness improvement outcomes including cardiovascular fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility, and relaxation. Second, it includes coverage of stress reduction, something that is omitted completely in most other books. Third, it includes substantial material on the underlying principles of fitness, detailed yet written for the lay reader. And finally, it is, frankly, better written than the others. This is extremely important, as a well-written book is more likely to be read beyond the first chapter.


CONTENTS

  • Chapter 1: GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU
    Heart Disease
    Infectious Disease
    Arthritis
    Aging
    Osteoporosis
    Components of Physical Fitness
    Muscular Strength
    Muscular Endurance
    Flexibility
    Cardiovascular Endurance
    Body Composition
    Balance
    Agility
    Power
    Speed of Reaction
    Sleep
    Nutritional Status
    Stress

  • Chapter 2: WHY IN THE WATER?
    Buoyancy
    Viscosity
    Specific Heat
    Range of Motion
    Negatives
    Water is Relaxing
    Water is Good for Socialization

  • Chapter 3: CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS PRINCIPLES
    Cardiovascular System in Brief
    Basic Principles of Cardiovascular
    Performance and Training— Heart Rate and Work Load, Adaptation to Imposed Demand, Specificity, Overload Principle Reversibility Principle
    Condition Guidelines — Pre-Exercise Health Screening, Behavioral and Nutritional Change, Warm-up and Cool-down, Intensity, Frequency, Duration, Missed Exercise, Exercise in Heat, Humidity, Exercise in Cold, Water Exercise in Salt Water, Water Exercise in Turbulence

  • Chapter 4: DISTANCE SWIMMING AND WATER EXERCISE FOR AEROBIC FITNESS
    Choosing a Swimming Stroke
    Energy Cost of Swimming Skills
    Ability to Sustain Continuous Exercise
    Swimming Exercises
    Motivation
    Warm-up and Cool-down
    Pre-Exercise Stretching
    Lap-Swimming Equipment
    Crowded Conditions
    Other Exercises for Aerobic
    Conditioning and Weight Loss — Shallow Water Walking, Shallow Water Walking using a Treadmill, Deep Water Walking, Treading, Underwater Swimming, Water Games and Sports, Water Aerobics

  • Chapter 5: BASIC CONCEPTS OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH, MUSCULAR ENDURANCE AND FLEXIBILITY
    Specificity of Training
    Overload Principle
    Progressive REsistance Exercise
    Types of Muscle Contraction
    How Muscles Produce Force
    The All or None Principle
    Types of Muscle Cells
    Number of Fibers in a Muscle
    Flexibility

  • Chapter 6: WATER EXERCISE FOR MUSCLE STRENGTH, MUSCLE ENDURANCE AND FLEXIBILITY
    Standing Arm Curl and Extension
    Forward Arm Raise and Return
    Side Arm Raise and Return
    Arm Gather\Arm Scoop
    Floor Polisher
    Trunk Rotator
    Deep Water Double Leg Raise
    Bent Leg Raise
    Straight Leg Raise
    Side Leg Raise
    Standing Alternating Push-away
    Standing Forward Arm-Sweep
    Standing Backward Arm-Sweep
    Prone Flutter Kick
    Supine Flutter Kick
    Treading
    Walking in Water
    Deep Water Walking
    Exercises for Muscle Strength with Paddles, Fins and Weights

  • Chapter 7: MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Arthritis
    Asthma
    Cerebral Palsy
    Ear Infections
    Diabetes Mellitus
    Epilepsy
    Fungal Infections of the Skin
    Cardiovascular Disease
    Hearing Loss
    Incontinence
    Medication
    Multiple Sclerosis
    Obesity
    Orthopedic Injuries
    Sun Exposure
    Colds
    Pregnancy

  • Chapter 8: MANAGING STRESS
    Ventilation through Exercise
    Stress Reduction through Play
    Use of Water as a Point of  Focus in Medication
    The Home Water Facility as a Restful Environment

  • Appendices
    A. Daily Stress Log
    B. Monthly Exercise Log
    C. Estimation of Target Heart Rate for Aerobic Exercise on Land and Water
    D1. Total Distance Chart for Incremental English Channel Swim (21 miles)
    D2. Total Distance Chart for Incremental Florida Straits Swim (112 miles)