Can I swim when I am 8 months pregnant?

When the pregnancy reaches eight months, many pregnant women think that they should stay in bed frequently to protect the fetus so as to avoid signs of premature birth. In fact, this idea is quite incorrect. In this case, you should walk more to make your body functions better. You can take some swimming exercises appropriately, but not too intense. It can be used to relax the body.

Improve the function of the respiratory system

One of the main characteristics of water is its incompressibility. Because the density of water is more than 800 times greater than that of air, the pressure on people in water is much greater than that in air. This is why beginner swimmers find it difficult to breathe in water. Because the pressure on the chest and abdominal cavities increases in water, this forces the respiratory muscles to use greater force to breathe. Therefore, swimming regularly can increase the strength of the respiratory muscles and improve the function of the respiratory system. The most obvious example is the value of vital capacity. The lung capacity of a swimmer can reach 4000 to 6000 ml, or even 7000 ml, while the average person only has 3000 to 4000 ml.

Improves the strength of the muscular system

Swimming is a whole-body sport that mobilizes more muscle groups to participate in metabolic energy supply than other sports. Although swimming cannot build thick, bulging muscles, it can improve the strength and coordination of many muscles, especially those in the trunk, shoulder girdle, and upper limbs. Because swimming in water requires overcoming greater resistance, and swimming is a cyclical exercise, long-term training can improve muscle strength, speed, endurance and joint flexibility.

Another great benefit of swimming is improved flexibility. This enables people to continue swimming when they are unable to engage in other physical activities due to age restrictions. Because swimming allows for a wider range of body motion, people who swim regularly tend to become more flexible and supple. Moreover, correct swimming technique requires that muscles stretch before contracting and exerting force. This type of movement is conducive to continuously improving flexibility and strength.

Improves the mechanism of temperature regulation

Since the temperature of water is generally lower than that of air, and the thermal conductivity of water is dozens of times stronger than that of air, people lose heat much faster in water than in air. Regular swimming can improve the body's ability to regulate temperature, making it better able to withstand changes in external temperature. Winter swimming, in particular, has a particularly obvious effect on improving this aspect.