Nutrition and Fitness experts outline the benefits of swimming

With swimming now officially the most popular participation sport in the UK* and new national awareness programmes such as 'Learn to Swim' and 'Free Swimming' there's never been a better time to visit your local pool.

These initiatives have prompted top personal trainer Lucy Wyndham-Read and behavioural psychologist Judi James - resident experts at AXA PPP healthcare's Nutrition and Fitness website - to compile a series of water-based workouts and motivational exercises, which are designed to help you get the most out of swimming.

Lucy Wyndham-Read recommends swimming as a form of regular physical activity for people of all ages and fitness levels.

"Whether you're an absolute beginner or a fitness fanatic, swimming is an excellent way to tone up, improve your cardiovascular health, lower your blood pressure and leave you feeling fighting fit."

Judi James adds:

"Swimming is naturally enjoyable for most people and if you enjoy something you're far more likely to stick to it."

How swimming can help your fitness

Exercise such as swimming can indeed help combat stress and beat the blues, adds Lucy, as it releases endorphins (the body's natural 'feel good' chemicals) into your bloodstream. It is also low impact putting less pressure on the joints unlike exercises such as aerobics and running, making it one of the safest activities you can do. Swimming also tones your entire body while still providing a great workout and being in the water keeps you cool, meaning you can work out for longer.

Expert Swimming tips

Lucy's pool workouts

?Workout 1 - Add some variety to your swimming by doing one length as fast as you can, then the next two at a moderate pace. Repeat this several times. This is a great way to burn off extra calories.

?Workout 2 - Mix it up by switching strokes after each length. For example, use a combination of breast stroke (great for toning arms and legs), back stroke (great for upper body flexibility) and front crawl (great for working on speed and fitness).

?Workout 3 - Place a float between your knees and swim a length using either front crawl or breast stroke. This is a great way of training and toning your upper body. Then switch, and for the next length extend your arms in front, hold on to the float and power yourself using your legs only. Repeat several times.

?Workout 4 - This is a simple way of toning deep into your abdominal muscles. Using any swimming stroke, pull your belly button up tight to your spine, hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat several times.

'British Swimming', the national governing body for swimming in the UK says that any swimming that makes you breathe more heavily counts as 'moderate' activity. "Even treading water takes effort, so you are working most of the time you're in the pool." It adds that 30 minutes of steady-paced lane swimming burns off more than 200 calories.

Set up as part of the government's 'Be Active, Be Healthy' strategy designed to get 2 million people more active by 2012 adults who are 60 or over and under-16's can now swim for free in over a thousand swimming pools run by almost 300 local councils. Free lessons are also being offered in some areas to help the one in five adults who can't swim learn.

AXA PPP healthcare's Nutrition and Fitness website offers information and advice on topical healthy living issues, featuring articles, exercises, recipes and videos from many of the UK's leading specialists.