Ask any health and fitness expert in the world what they think are the greatest exercises known to man when it comes to supercharging the lungs, nine out of 10 will mention swimming in the top three.

1. Swimming in saltwater:
The greatest lung exercise with a twist
Image Source: swimming.org
Ask any health and fitness expert in the world what they think are the greatest
exercises known to man when it comes to supercharging the lungs, nine out of
10 will mention swimming in the top three.
For today, Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., looks at how one of the best activities known
to man can get even better, with a simple little tweak – add salt. Yes, saltwater
swimming has added benefits to an already amazing exercise.
When people talk about swimming in the open ocean, they often consider the
waves and currents as the main difference in swimming in a pool. However,
saltwater is very different from freshwater as well, even if a person is
swimming in a pool filled with saltwater.
People who have had the chance to swim in a saltwater pool have noted it to
be a much more pleasant experience because of its mild salinity. From the
smoother water to the constant cleansing, Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., enumerates
some of the advantages of saltwater pools and saltwater swimming below.
• Saltwater is “softer” compared to freshwater, which means it dries quickly
and is good for the skin.

2. • Saltwater has electrolysis. When chlorine is added to saltwater pools, the
electrolysis adds to the potency of chlorine, making the water safer and
cleaner for people to use it.
• Saltwater pools are easier to swim in because of the increased level of
buoyancy brought about by salinity.
• Saltwater makes people glide through it, lowering the effort needed to
swim.
Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., is a board-certified pulmonary disease and critical care
physician with a private practice in Bergen County, New Jersey. For more reads on
health and medicine, visit this page.