From the age of 30, without exercise, we lose approximately 3-8% of our muscle mass annually. This process, called sarcopenia, accelerates considerably after age 50. At the same time, metabolism slows down, bone density decreases, and hormone levels change.

Periodized training for beginners: Structure instead of chaos Most beginners fail at the gym—not because of a lack of motivation, but because of a lack of structure. Instead of randomly choosing exercises, you should divide your training into four clear phases: 🔹 Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4): Learn movement patterns 🔹 Phase 2 (Weeks 5-12): Build foundational strength 🔹 Phase 3 (Weeks 13-20): Build muscle (hypertrophy) 🔹 Phase 4 (Weeks 21-24): Increase intensity

Swimming engages almost all major muscle groups simultaneously: arms, legs, torso, and shoulders. The water resistance creates constant muscle tension, which consumes significantly more energy than many everyday movements. Depending on intensity and body weight, approximately: 400–700 kcal burned per hour even more so with intensive crawl or interval training. This puts swimming on a similar level to jogging or cycling.