Front crawl benefits
We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.
Swimming is a great exercise to add to your workout routine. It’s a fantastic way to stay fit, lose weight, and tone up. In addition, it is enjoyable, and regular swimming can greatly improve your cardiovascular fitness and boost muscle strength.
If you’re a beginner swimmer, you may be wondering about the benefits of different strokes. Front crawl, also known as freestyle, is the most popular swimming stroke. It’s also the easiest to learn for most people. So, let’s start with the benefits of front crawl.
What is Front Crawl Good For?
Front crawl swimming offers a superb full-body workout. It provides you with a low-impact, aerobic workout for your entire body. However, if you’re looking to tone your upper body, in particular, then front crawl is the stroke for you.
When swimming the front crawl stroke, the deltoid muscles in your shoulders are particularly engaged. The muscles down the side of your back (latissimus dorsi) are also massively utilized.
This makes it a great stroke for improving the appearance of your back by increasing muscle tone.
Does Front Crawl Tone Your Stomach, Legs, or Arms?
Not only is front crawl a great workout for your upper body. It also helps to tone your stomach. Front crawl swimming helps you lose fat from your whole body while activating your core muscles.
These are used to keep your torso streamlined and stable when swimming. Front crawl also uses an alternating rhythm which can help to tone your oblique muscles.
The front crawl stroke also has the benefit of toning your legs. Multiple muscles in the legs are engaged when you swim front crawl.
In order to move through the water, your legs are used to kick and propel your body forward. Swimming this stroke allows you to tone your hip flexors, quads, glutes, and calves.
You can also tone your arms by swimming in the front crawl stroke. When swimming in this stroke, your arms provide the majority of the forward motion. Pushing and pulling the water away from your body causes your arm muscles to strengthen and tone.
How Many Calories Does the Front Crawl Burn?
The number of calories burned by swimming in the front crawl varies based on a number of factors. It is said that swimming front crawl for an hour will burn an average of 600 calories. However, the number of calories burned depends on:
- how much you weigh
- the pace you choose to swim at
- the duration of your swimming session
Although the front crawl is not the most calorie-burning stroke, it has an advantage.
Front crawl is one of the most energy-efficient ways of swimming, meaning that you can swim for a longer period of time without feeling too tired – more time swimming means more calories burned.
Final Thoughts on Front Crawl Benefits
It’s clear that front crawl has many amazing benefits for your overall fitness and your physique.
Front crawl is great for toning your upper body, core, and legs. In addition, this stroke will give you a low-impact but effective workout for your whole body.
Now that we’ve established the benefits of front crawl, hopefully, you will feel inspired to take the plunge into your swimming journey.
