Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar’s Epic Holi Swim (Source: Instagram/@milindrunning). Milind Soman and wife Ankita Konwar’s Holi plans were not your usual gulaal-and-pichkari games. The fitness enthusiast couple decided to go long-distance swimming in Goa, with Soman completing 15 km while Konwar finished 4.5 km. “15km swim yesterday in Goa! 4.5km for @ankita_earthy and a big thank you to @goaowsclub 🤪 Happy Holi to everyone!!!!!” he mentioned in the caption of his Instagram post.. Listing out the benefits of this form of workout, Utsav Agrawal, fitness coach, FITTR said that swimming engages multiple muscle groups throughout the body, including the arms, legs, core, and back. It offers a comprehensive workout that can help you burn a significant number of calories.. Swimming is a low-impact activity, meaning it puts minimal stress on your joints. This makes it an ideal option for individuals with joint pain or those who are overweight, as it reduces the risk of injury compared to higher-impact exercises like running or jumping.. At its core, a cardiovascular exercise, it elevates your heart rate and boosts metabolism. It can help you burn a substantial amount of calories during a session, depending on the intensity and duration of your swim. Agrawal said swimming is not only a great calorie-burning exercise, but also helps build lean muscle mass. “As you swim, you’re continuously pushing against the resistance of the water, which strengthens and tones your muscles,” he clarified.. Despite being low-impact, swimming is a high-intensity exercise that can burn a significant number of calories. But the best part of it is that swimming can be a lifelong activity. It is enjoyable and refreshing for many people, which increases the likelihood of maintaining a consistent exercise routine. Regular swimming can contribute to sustainable weight loss and overall fitness.. Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar celebrated Holi. (Source: Instagram/@milindrunning). What to note before attempting long-distance swimming. Fitness expert Garima Goyal explained that the key to long-distance swimming is pacing and recovery. According to her, hydration, electrolyte balance, and post-workout protein intake are essential for supporting muscle repair and preventing fatigue. Swimming for sustained durations is one of the most effective full-body aerobic exercises, engaging the shoulders, back, core, hips and legs simultaneously while placing minimal stress on joints.”. If you can’t do long durations, a 60- to 90-minute steady swim significantly improves cardiovascular health by strengthening the heart muscle and enhancing the efficiency of oxygen delivery. “It boosts lung capacity and improves overall stamina. Because water provides natural resistance, muscles work harder without the high-impact strain seen in activities like running, making swimming especially joint-friendly,” she said. In fact, from a metabolic standpoint, such sustained aerobic effort s
