A couple of days ago, in my debunking of that ridiculous study about exercise harming women's brains as they grow older, I wrote, "Since when is swimming a strenuous sport?"
Swimming isn't what I call a strenuous sport = that's a game like football or soccer where there's constant contact and the danger of injuries - in particular brain injuries.
That's not to saw that swimming can't give you an excellent workout. As with any other physical activity, you can play slow or hard. You can swim ten laps in ten minutes, or you can swim it in thirty. Obviously, the faster you swim, or walk, or bike, the faster your heart rate is and the more calories you burn.
Swimming is one of the best physical activities in which to participate. If you're very large, you may find it difficult to walk very long, and of course running is out of the question. But get into a pool and the water takes all that weight off your legs, and allows you to run in place and do other exercises, as well as, of course, swim. Many YMCAs have programs for large people, so you needn't feel self-conscious to show up at a pool and face the cruelty of other people - although typically people who swim in YMCA pools are better behaved than those who show up at public pools.
Swimming exercises your entire leg and your entire arm. If you do the breast stroke, it can also help your pectoral muscles, to keep your breasts from sagging in old age (and none of us want that!)
Truth to tell, I do find swimming laps boring. Solution? Listen to music.
Check out this method for waterproofing your IPOD.
http://triathlons.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/04/swimming_mp3_player.php
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