smiling woman at the edge of a swimming pool

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Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Swimming and Its Benefits?

There are a surprising number of positives to this form of exercise

Michelle Crouch,

AARP

En español

Published July 07, 2021

9 Questions

b661aa8c-c873-495f-a426-49f79ab4f4ea

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Swimming and Its Benefits?

[ {
  "question" : "Why is water-based exercise ideal for older adults?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "It’s gentle on the joints because it’s low impact.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "It helps strengthen many muscle groups.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "It improves flexibility and range of motion. ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Water allows for more intense workouts with less wear and tear on your body than a land-based workout, which is especially helpful if you have joint problems or other physical limitations.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Research shows regular swimming lowers your risk of early death by about what percent?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "12 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "22 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "28 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "36 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A study of more than 80,000 people published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that swimming reduces your risk of premature death by 28 percent.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which of these is not a reason a medical professional might recommend swimming?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "To increase lung capacity ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "To boost bone density",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "To improve cardiovascular health ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "To lower your blood pressure",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Although some studies show that swimming can help bone strength, weight-bearing activities such as walking are better for bone density than swimming.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "A 154-pound person can burn about how many calories an hour while swimming slow freestyle laps?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "220 calories",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "280 calories",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "460 calories",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "510 calories",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. You can burn 510 in an hour, more than 50 percent more than what you would burn if you were walking.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "A group of older women swam the length of Lake George in New York in 2020 in an event that was dubbed:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Retiree Relay",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Menopause Marathon",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Adult Swim",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Senior Sprint",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Eight women ages 51 to 71 swam the 32-mile length of Lake George in one and a half hours to promote the health benefits of swimming.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "According to a study of 1,700 older men in Australia, men who swim regularly are how much less likely to fall than men who do other types of exercise?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "14 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "21 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "32 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "40 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Swimming is the only type of exercise that reduces the risk of falling, the study found. The authors said that may be because swimming forces the body to use core muscles to create stability, and those muscles help to boost your balance when you’re out of the water.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Simply immersing yourself in water of any temperature (before you even start swimming) has been shown to:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Increase blood flow to the brain",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Stimulate the production of chemicals that elevate mood",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Tone muscles ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Strengthen your lungs",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A small study out of the University of Western Australia indicates that immersing your body in water to the level of the heart increases blood flow through the brain’s cerebral arteries, improving vascular health and possibly cognitive function.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which of these statements about swimming is false?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "It’s OK to swim right after eating. ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Anyone can learn to swim at any age. ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The scent of chlorine is a good indicator that a pool is clean.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Always dry your ears thoroughly after you swim.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Healthy pools do not have a strong chemical smell, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Which is true if you want to improve your freestyle swimming form?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Keep your head up and looking straight ahead. ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Use small, quick kicks rather than large, powerful ones.",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Refrain from rotating your hips or shoulders",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Bend your knees while kicking.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "To improve your technique, look straight down and try to rotate slightly from side to side with your stroke.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Real Simple, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times.