Swimming.....

"Ajarlah anak-anakmu berenang dan memanah; dan perintahlah mereka supaya melompat di atas punggung kuda.”
Prof. Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradhawi di dalam bukunya al-Halal wal Haram fi Islam menyebut perkataan ini adalah perkataan Sayyidina ‘Omar ra, ia bukanlah hadith Nabi saw. Perkataan ini termasuk dalam galakan bersukan dan latihan jasmani.

Swimming is a demanding exercise. It uses all the major muscle groups. The muscles used in swimming vary from stroke to stroke. However strokes like breaststroke, backstroke and free style uses all the major muscle groups - abdominal, biceps and triceps, gluteals, hamstrings and quadriceps. Apart from the use of the muscle groups, swimming also helps keep the joints flexible especially hip, neck, shoulders and limbs. Swimming is categorized as an aerobic exercise because even a few laps take more than 3 minutes and the use of oxygen by the muscles is tremendous. Swimming has its benefits, which include a decrease in blood pressure, which reduces the risk of having a stroke. It reduces your resting heart rate and increases your cardiac input, which results in more blood being pumped by the heart to the rest of the body. It also reduces your resting respiratory rate, increases blood flow to the lungs and helps burn calories. When you're aerobically fit, your body makes use of oxygen to sustain movement more efficiently.

According to the U.S. Water Fitness Association (USWFA), water exercise offers many physical, social and mental benefits:

* Improved strength and flexibility
* Better muscular endurance and balance (Many professional and amateur athletes cross-train in the water)
* A stronger heart
* Enhanced physique or figure
* Improved circulation
* Rehabilitation therapy for used or healing muscles and recovery from accidents and injuries
* Weight control
* Relief from stress and tension
* Increased energy