Can you burn calories in water without knowing how to swim?
Mar 03, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Bai Hongmei
Introduction
People who cannot swim generally do not effectively burn calories while in water. However, engaging in water activities such as water walking, jogging, or simple water aerobics can still achieve calorie-burning effects. Swimming, as a full-body exercise, works multiple muscle groups due to water resistance, thereby burning a significant amount of calories.
People who cannot swim generally cannot effectively burn calories in water. However, engaging in water activities such as walking in water, jogging, or simple water aerobics still can achieve the effect of calorie consumption. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Swimming is a full-body exercise that works the muscles throughout the body and burns a significant amount of calories due to the resistance of water. If someone cannot swim and simply stands or soaks in water, the body's muscles are not adequately exercised, and therefore calories typically are not burned. However, if engaging in rhythmic activities in water such as walking or jogging, the body's muscles become involved in the exercise, thus promoting calorie consumption.
In addition, prolonged soaking in water may have adverse effects on the skin, potentially leading to skin infections, and also may negatively affect cardiopulmonary function. Therefore, if you cannot swim but want to burn calories through water-based exercise, you should choose suitable water activities for yourself and properly control the duration and intensity of the exercise.
