Swimming Improves Heart Health: Exercise For Any Age

Lewis Carter, 77, (right) and Jerome Smith, 71, (left) discovered a passion that boosted their health.

When Jerome Smith, 71, was in college, he admired the guys on the swim team.

 “They seemed to be the happiest and healthiest guys on campus,” he said. The team at his small college had a no-cut policy, so he joined, even though he did not have much experience.

 Smith, a downtown LA resident, ended up quitting, but he had no idea how much the sport would affect him later in life.

 Smith started swimming again to honor a bucket list he made in his 50s. But a 2009 heart attack set him back. Now, he hits the pool every day with Southern California Aquatics (SCAQ) and says his heart has never been better.

 “It’s the best exercise in the world. The high after swimming is incomparable. That feeling carries over into my work. I approach it with much more enthusiasm,” Smith, an arborist, said.

 SCAQ holds workouts at locations all over the LA area, including USC and Echo Park Plunge.

 According to cardiologist Robert Merz, who works at Pacific Heart Institute, coronary disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Regular aerobic exercise is a big step towards prevention, as well as a healthful diet and abstaining from smoking. Merz said swimming is an exercise people can continue into mid-adulthood and beyond, unlike injury-prone sports such as football and basketball.  It is also an alternative for those who have joint problems from other activities such as jogging or riding a bike.

 Lewis Carter, 77, is another who reaped the health benefits of swimming at a later age.

 “I wasn’t feeling well. I was eating too much. I had sleep apnea, and I ran off the road a few times,” he said. “I damn near killed myself.”

 After his doctor said he needed an exercise plan, Carter hired a coach to teach him how to swim. He was in his sixties.

 He improved so much that the coach recommended he join a group workout. He started swimming with SCAQ in 1996.  In 2009, he set a US Masters world record in the 400 medley freestyle relay with his teammates, 18 months after a knee surgery.

 “Swimming has awakened in me that I’m extraordinarily competitive,” Carter said. “If you had asked me 5-10 years ago, I would have said that I was very easygoing.”

 So whether you are seven or 77 years old, swimming has positive health benefits at any age.  Not only does it improve the health of people with heart diseases, but it can help with arthritis, diabetes and mental clarity as well. As Lewis Carter says, “it makes me feel very alive.”

 Find a SCAQ workout near you at: http://www.swim.net/scaq.cfm and sign up for a free trial!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views: 114

Comment

You need to be a member of University Park Family to add comments!

Join University Park Family

University Park Family is the news and social network for the neighborhoods around USC and Expo Park. Stay informed. Join now!

       • Got news you think everyone should know? Blog it.

• Have a show or attending a benefit? Put it on the calendar.
• Got video of the big game? Embed it.
• Photos of your business or the school play? Upload them.

Latest Activity

billy jones bluez posted a video

.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. Cover Me ..♪♫•*¨*•. . ~ the Delta Blues Outlaws

.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. .Cover Me ..♪♫•*¨*•. . the Delta Blues Outlaws https://youtu.be/liApP5LlKqE.✨.♪♫•*¨*•. .The Love Doctor ..♪♫•*¨*•. . ...
Feb 28
billy jones bluez updated their profile
Feb 28
billy jones bluez posted a blog post
Feb 18
Lucy Pollak posted an event
Thumbnail

64th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

December 24, 2023 from 3pm to 6pm
The two-time Emmy Award-winning L.A. County Holiday Celebration joyously returns to The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to celebrate its 64th anniversary with a free, live, in-person holiday spectacular. The annual event will feature 23 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from the many neighborhoods and cultures of L.A. County. Entrance to the in-person event is free, with seating available on a first-come, first-seated basis. Parking is free in The Music Center parking garage.…See More
Dec 6, 2023
Lucy Pollak updated their profile
Dec 6, 2023
billy jones bluez posted a blog post

Man & A Half ~ the Delta Blues Outlaws

Man & A Half ~ the Delta Blues OutlawsSee More
Dec 2, 2023
Lucy Pollak posted an event
Thumbnail

CicLAvia – South LA at South LA

December 3, 2023 from 9am to 3pm
On Sunday, December 3; between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., celebrating its 13th year of catalyzing vibrant public spaces, active transportation and good health through car-free streets, CicLAvia – South LA, presented by Metro, welcomes everyone of all ages and abilities to its 49th car-free open streets event connecting Leimert Park and Historic South Central so participants can jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, spectate, play, and enjoy the 6-mile route. Always free, CicLAvia participants…See More
Nov 13, 2023
Jo- Koo of DojO- posted a photo
Sep 23, 2023

Members

© 2024   Created by University Park Family.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service