Swimming Fitness Tips and Techniques 5 Powerful Swimming Articles Compiled by www.goswim.ph Learn powerful swimming techniques from the masters for fitness, training, and competition Table of Contents
Easy Fitness ‐ Swimming ‐ A Whole Body Workout ............................. 3 Mental and Physical Benefits of Swimming ........................................ 8 Swimming Fitness Benefits ............................................................... 11 Lose Weight By Swimming ................................................................ 13 Swimming Techniques and Tips ........................................................ 15 Article #1
Easy Fitness - Swimming - A Whole Body
Workout
By R Garcia
Let's deal with the weight loss issue right off, because if we don't, you might
bypass one of the best exercises around.
Swimming, tradition has it, is not a good way to lose weight - an enduring
piece of misinformation that admittedly isn't dispelled by newspaper photos
of Hindenburg-size marathon swimmers stumbling from some frigid ocean.
True, when you swim, your body is supported by water, and because you
aren't forced to fight gravity, there can be less calorie burn. It is also true
that some marathon swimmers won't be modeling underwear anytime soon
(actually, it behooves marathon swimmers to carry some fat as valuable
insulation against frigid water). And it's true that a 150-pound man
swimming at a leisurely pace burns roughly 6 calories a minute. He could
burn nearly twice the calories running at a pedestrian 12-minute-mile pace.
But before you turn your back on the pool, consider this. That same 150pounder can double his calorie burn by swimming faster. Swimming butterfly
(the most difficult of swimming's four strokes) burns roughly 14 calories a
minute - a better caloric burn than tennis, squash, or football (soccer). What
we're talking about here is intensity, and that explains why Olympic
swimmers (unlike marathon swimmers) have the sort of body that gets the
role of Tarzan.
Swimming offers others other benefits that can't be ignored. Because you
are supported by water, it's a low-impact sport and thus virtually injury-free.
For the same reason it's also a great exercise if you're overweight, since it
spares your joints the pounding experienced in gravity-bound sports like
running.
The varied strokes used in swimming take your joints through a full range of
motion that can improve flexibility. Most important, few exercises give you
the head-to-toe muscle workout that swimming does.
You are using almost all the major muscle groups of the body. the legs, hips,
abs, chest, shoulders, and upper back - all of these muscles are working.
You can also get tremendous stimulation to the heart and respiratory
system. As far as general health goes, swimming is an excellent conditioner.
Getting Started
Here's a likely scenario: Excited by the prospect of all these benefits, man
goes to the pool. Man dons suit and goggles. Man pushes off the wall and
makes for the other end. Man gives self and lifeguard a serious scare.
Swimming, it needs to be said, is not a sport that comes effortlessly.
Witness recreational pools, which are typically filled with folks who look like
they're more interested in self-preservation than exercise. We're going to
show you how to make that transition from thrashing wheezer to graceful
swimmer and how to improve even if you're already at home in the water.
•
Get Qualified Instruction - Learning to swim may seem like
something for preschoolers in water wings. But even if you can
successfully navigate from one end of the pool to the other, proper
technique is not something that you can learn on your own.
•
Be Patient - We expect to pick things up quickly. Swimming won't be
one of them. Learning proper stroke techniques takes time, and that
takes patience. People want results right away, but swimming is
extremely technical, which is really frustrating for a lot of people.
Learning swimming's four strokes - freestyle, backstroke,
breaststroke, and butterfly is not difficult, but it is essential that you
learn how to do them properly if you want to get the most out of
swimming.
•
Relax In The Water - When you're learning to swim, relaxing is the
most important thing that you can do - and the most difficult. When
people are learning to swim, they get nervous and they tense up. And
when they do that, they find themselves sinking, and it's just that
much harder. You need to relax and stay loose. If you happen to be
one of those people whose muscles lock into a state resembling rigor
mortis whenever you go near the pool, you may want to pick up a pair
of swim fins. They make your kick more powerful, which means that
they will keep you up and planing across the surface, even when
you're tense and tight.
•
Get The Right Equipment - There's not a lot that you have to buy,
just a suit and swimming goggles. The choice of suit is yours. Racing
suits are light and comfortable. More important, they offer virtually no
drag in the water. Swimming goggles are a must. Keeping the pool
from becoming a virus reunion requires liberal use of chemicals and
many of these chemicals are hard on the eyes. Occasionally, you'll see
swimmers wearing nose plugs or earplugs. Save your money. Unless
you're particularly prone to swommer's ear, the human body is
designed to withstand moisture in these particular orifices. In any
event, earplugs tend to fall out while you're swimming, and nose plugs
make it hard to breathe - and when you're swimming hard, you want
to be sucking in all the oxygen you can.
Swimming For Fitness
Swimming looks easy, especially when you watch experienced swimmers
glide through the water. But swimming is an extremely demanding sport; for
beginners it can be a fight just to get to the other end of the pool.
To achieve solid basic fitness, try swimming three to four times a week,
logging between 2,000 and 3,000 yards (roughly 1.5 to 2 miles) each
workout. Most swimmers can get that kind of distance in about an hour.
If you're fairly fit but new to swimming, experts recommend swimming
between 500 and 1,000 yards each workout. Then build slowly from there.
Swimming is a vigorous activity. You'll be using new muscles, and it's easy
to stress them. Shoulder injuries are especially common among overzealous
newcomers.
•
Start With A Warm Up - Swimming may be a forgiving sport, but
you still want to loosen up before plunging into a high-bore workout.
Experts advise swimmers to warm up with a 400 yard swim - 200
yards freestyle, 100 yards of backstroke, and 100 yards of
breaststroke - mixing up the strokes to bring all the muscles into play.
•
Work Up To Intervals - Although you can get an excellent workout
by swimming straight time, doing the same stroke at the same pace
for half an hour or so, you'll burn substantially more calories by doing
an interval workout. This is nothing more than a series of swims
separated by a specific amount of rest (the interval). For example, you
might do ten 50-yard freestyle swims, leaving the wall every minute.
Or you might do five 100-yard freestyle swims leaving the wall every 2
minutes. A typical swimming workout consists of several sets, with
roughly 10 to 30 second intervals between each swim of the set, then
several minutes rest between each set. The important point is not to
allow too much rest during the set, you don't want to fully recover
between swims.
•
Mix Your Speeds - A lot of people just condition themselves to swim
at one speed because they do the same kind of workout all the time. If
you want to improve, you need to learn to swim fast. It's not that
every swim needs to be a sprint. The idea is to mix things up. Rather
than swimming the same half-mile pedestrian plod every day, for
example, do intervals instead. And make at least one of those interval
sets involve fast swimming. Swimming fast brings more muscle fibers
into play, taxes the heart and lungs more, and burns as much as twice
the calories. Of course, when you're swimming fast, you'll need to rest
longer between each swim so that you can really make a quality effort.
For example, when doing ten 50-yard swims, you may want to leave
the wall every 2 minutes instead of the 1 minute recommended for a
slower pace. You're resting more, but I guarantee you will be beat. An
additional point: It's always a good idea to do your sprints set early in
the workout while you're still fresh.
•
Mix Your Strokes - Many swimmers swim nothing but freestyle. If
you're one of them, you're missing out. Tossing swimming's other
strokes into your workout will help you hit more muscles and improve
your flexibility by bringing different motions into play.
•
Put Your Arms And Legs to Work - Pulling (swimming using just
your arms) and kicking (using just your legs) are good additions to
any swimming workout. Pulling is a great upper-body conditioner.
Kicking hits your legs; add a pair of fins, and you'll increase ankle
flexibility, making your legs work even harder. And because they
involve large muscles, kicking and pulling elevate your heart rate
almost as much as swimming the complete stroke. When kicking, don't
use a kick-board. Holding on to the plastic foam board raises your
upper body and drops your hips and legs down. Good swimming
means balancing the hips and head near the surface of the water;
having your legs angling down like anchors doesn't accomplish that.
•
Get A Fast Burn - If you're looking for a tough workout that you can
do in minimal time, here's a challenging option. The key to this
workout isn't speed, but reducing your rest periods to the absolute
minimum. Using the stroke of your choice, keep the effort fairly easy,
say 60 percent of your maximum heart rate. But keep the rest period
between swims very short, no more than 7 to 15 seconds, depending
on the distance you're swimming. For example, if you're doing a series
of short swims (say, 50 yards), you may want to rest about 7 seconds
between each one. For longer swims of 200 yards, for instance, take
15 seconds between each one. Keeping the rest periods short allows
almost no time for recovery. This keeps your heart rate up and
banging, giving you a terrific workout in a relatively short time. You're
training your heart to be a lot more efficient. And it doesn't mean
more time in the pool. It means swimming more laps in the given
time. You can get in a great workout in an hour lunch break.
Roberto Garcia
http://www.newhealthandfitnessdvds.co.uk
Health and fitness specialist.
Provider of health and fitness information and products.
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Article #2
Mental and Physical Benefits of Swimming
By Gab G.
Swimming is a fitness activity whose benefits are recognized by millions of
practitioner all over the world. Exercising in the water, whether it
is swimming or water aerobics is an excellent physical training for
everybody, teenager and elderly citizens, pregnant women and well fit men,
overweight people and people recovering from an injury. If you are thinking
about starting any fitness activity do not look anywhere else than at your
local swimming pool. Keep reading to know why I am advocating so much in
favor of the benefits of swimming.
Easy on the joints and effective on the muscles
Because of the support the water gives to your body, training in the
swimming pool is like training in a weightless environment. Your joints and
ligaments are not stressed as much as in other dry-land fitness activities
such as jogging or tennis. Swimming is therefore a sport virtually free from
injuries. Nevertheless, all the muscles of your body are trained very
effectively. Because all the swimming movements are gentle and performed
with stretched muscles, while you train your strengths and endurance you
also train the muscles flexibility. If you start swimming now, you will find
yourself stronger and more flexible in a matter of few weeks.
Cardiovascular fitness benefits
Swimming activates all the major muscle groups in your body, but the
benefits of swimming go further than just muscle strength. Regular
swimmers get an overall conditioning which includes a great improvement
on their cardiovascular system. Even just training twice or three times a
week you will increase your lactate threshold. This means, your lungs and
your heart will be able to support your body during the training effort with
more oxygen and a more efficient use of it to fuel your muscles. You will
then be able to train harder and improve further or simply to last longer
doing any physical exercise. A better fitness level in your body will bring
great benefits to your life balance. You will lower your sugar levels, burn
calories, and feel mentally stronger to face the challenges of your daily life.
Burn calories
Because swimming activates all the major muscle groups in your body it
burns more calories than jogging. Not only that, but being easy on your
ligaments you won't get injured as much as going jogging and you will be
able to keep up your training throughout the year because you will keep
being healthy. To lose weight however, common sense needs to be applied.
Training is essential, and the benefits of swimming for losing weight are
clear, but you need to keep in mind that you will lose weight only if you burn
more calories than you take in. So watch your diet and distribute the meals
wisely during the day. A good advice is to try to wait a couple of hours
before and after the training session for having something to eat, eat only
healthy food and do not forget to drink plenty of water also during your
training.
Swimming During Pregnancy
All Doctors would recommend you to do some mild physical exercise during
pregnancy. Walking, practicing yoga, or participating to some soft aerobics
class for pregnant women are usually considered activities pregnant women
can benefit from. Because of the peculiarities swimming has, pregnant
women can benefits greatly by including a soft but regular swimming fitness
routine in their life. Swimming trains very effectively the upper part of the
body including your back. Your back needs to be strong to sustain the
weight of your prominent belly. The best stroke to swim while you are
pregnant is breaststroke. Breaststroke does not require rotation of the torso
and thus it is more comfortable to do with a big belly. Even if a light training
is generally advisable for all pregnant women, you should always ask your
Doctor before starting exercising. Your main target with the training should
be to maintain your level of fitness and not improving your swimming
performance.
How to Get Started
If you feel ready to get started I would recommend you to go and check out
what kind of activities are offered by your local swimming pool. You can start
with getting a teacher to introduce you to the swimming techniques, in case
you are a beginner, or join a master team if you want to train more and
maybe have some fun competing. I would also advice you to just get to the
swimming pool and plan your own training. There is plenty of information on
the Internet and plenty of nice swimming training programs available for you
to follow.
One resource I would recommend for information, suggestions and free
coaching is http://effectivewaterfitness.com. There you can find all you need
to get started with swimming as a fitness activity or to improve your
swimming performance if your are more advanced. Download the "4 weeks
swimming training plan" for free at http://effectivewaterfitness.com/4weeks-swimming-workout/. This training plan is designed to make progress
your swimming technique and your physical fitness level easily and
effectively in only 4 weeks. Start now and enjoy the benefits of swimming
for the rest of your life.
Gab .G
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Article #3
Swimming Fitness Benefits
By Rachelle Le-Monnier
Do you know the immense swimming fitness benefits? There are different
fitness benefits that you can enjoy while you swim. Swimming is often
prescribed as an alternative way of exercising for those who cannot perform
heavy exercises. Patients with Arthritis are encouraged to swim as a
treatment option to get relief from the pains. What are the top swimming
fitness benefits?
Swimming helps to build cardio respiratory fitness
Swimming is beneficial for those who have cardio respiratory weakness. As
per a study, swimming improves one's endurance capability. It has also
been researched that those men and women of middle age who swim for 12
weeks gained improvement in oxygen consumption of 10%. The stroke
volume that indicates heart strength is found to improve by 18%.
Swimming has low impact hence is beneficial to the arthritic patients
If you are an arthritic patient or you have seniors in your home who are
suffering from arthritis, then swimming classes are an excellent form of
exercise. In fact, it is one of the best alternative treatment options for the
arthritic patient. The major reason is that there is a very low impact on the
swimmer, so you are not getting any strain or stress in your joints. Even,
different types of water activities like water aerobics are also good for those
who have arthritic problems.
What are the calories burned swimming?
Can you burn lots of calories while you swim? You might think that
swimming is low impact and therefore does not burn calories, but lots of
calories are burned during swimming. In fact, it is more than you might
expect. If you want to burn 500-650 calories in an hour, swimming is one of
the best options.
Swimming is great for all ages
You can continue swimming for long time, and because there is no heavy
impact on the joints from swimming, swimmers can continue this activity as
long as they want. A swimmer can continue the activity till old age. There
are also proven records of swimmers who continue until the age of 93 and
above.
Take a break from the summer heat by having fun in the cool water.
You can take a refreshing break and beat the summer heat in the cool
water. You will feel fresh and energetic. So, along with taking fruit juices,
cold drinks, and other summer activities, you can also plan to join any
nearby swimming class. Regular swimming will not only soothe and refresh
you, but also it helps to burn calories and increases your cardio-respiratory
capacity.
Swimming is for all - you can enjoy swimming with your family
Do you know that swimming can be enjoyed with your family too? Yes, you
can go for swimming classes and swim along with your family. Maybe you
are feeling that you would like to have a pleasure weekend of family
activities and are fond of water sports. You can decide to swim together and
enjoy a fantastic and refreshing time. Swimming health benefits and fitness
go hand in hand. So, if you swim regularly or at least for two or three days
in a week, you are sure to enjoy a fit body and refreshing mind.
About the Author
Rachelle Le-Monnier is a keen swimmer and fitness enthusiast. She swims
at least three times per week, as well as running, cycling, and competing in
triathlons. Check out exercise health benefits website for more information
on how regular exercise can keep you fit and healthy.
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Article #4
Lose Weight By Swimming
Not only is swimming a exceptional movement to think about element in
however it may be also a thing which you can use to help with one another
with your pounds deprivation needs. You can effortlessly drop pounds when
one of the most appropriate processes are utilized for swimming. These can
consist of not just the intensity of your work out but moreover the
temperatures of the pool.
The intensity of your work out is a thing to check for. it may be most
beneficial when dropping pounds to purpose using a appreciably more
intense workout. this could be granted that the considerable intensity work
out can help you to definitely drop appreciably more weight. The problems
that some grownup men and girls who swim for pounds deprivation have can
be the simple fact which they do not purpose difficult enough through the
pool. getting a final result dropping pounds is tougher to do.
Swimming may help with getting joints through the plan to develop to be
appreciably more active. an issue that may cause pounds deprivation can be
the simple fact that of joints getting inactive and tougher to move. once the
joints can proceed with ease it may maybe be much less difficult to pull
away a terrific considerable intensity work out through the water. This in
turn will help you to definitely drop appreciably more pounds and be
appreciably more energetic outside within of the pool. this could help you to
definitely acquire your pounds deprivation should develop to be enhanced
outside within of the water.
Your pounds deprivation desires can even be appreciably more energetic
with decrease plan muscular tissues getting used. decrease plan muscular
tissues may maybe be basic to deal with when cycling or walking but not
when swimming. for that reason it will help to purpose with decrease plan
swimming patterns to ensure that it may be much less difficult to acquire
your plan to drop pounds at a appreciably more effective rate.
The consuming water temperatures which you are in is crucial to see. You
must not be swimming in chilly water. this could be granted that the
metabolic cost can decline in chilly water. The plan may be appreciably more
excited and may turn out key for you to definitely consume appreciably
more vitality than whatever you have utilized quickly after a workout. By
swimming in warmer consuming water it may be basic to retain your
metabolic cost as appreciably as ensure that pounds deprivation may maybe
be much less difficult to handle.
Swimming can help you with dropping pounds in an extremely amount of
ways. You will should check for some stuff involving how you swim for
pounds deprivation though. You must appear in to the intensity moreover to
the ability of your joints to purpose through the water. It also helps to
decide the temperatures within of the consuming water you are swimming
in.
By: lizhe
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Article #5
Swimming Techniques and Tips
By Shivraj Ghorpade
Swimming as a Fun-filled Activity
Swimming is thought by many to be the perfect exercise, combining a
vigorous aerobic workout with muscle development and posing little risk of
injury. And besides-swimming is fun. No wonder so many turn to the pool to
get in shape.
1. Getting your feet wet
a. Take a shower to warm up your muscles before a swim. Also, beginning
our workout slowly is easier on our heart.
b. Maintain a slower pace until your breathing is comfortable and your heart
rate has risen. Vary your strokes in the first few laps to get all your muscles
working.
c. After your workout, do a few easy laps or tread water to cool yourself
down.
d. Some people seem to have trouble losing weight when swimming. While
one theory suggests that swimming promotes fat storage as an insulation
mechanism, this probably is not the culprit for those swimming in heated
pools. More likely, people simply find it difficult to sustain a rigorous pace
when swimming and take breaks more frequently than they realize.
e. It is important to drink water periodically when swimming. You won't
notice it, but your body will lose water from the exercise.
2. Different strokes:
There is no reason to let your swim routine get boring when there are so
many ways to cut through the water. Besides, using a variety of strokes will
give you a better workout. Main swimming strokes are described below. For
more complete swimming instruction, consider taking a swim class or hiring
an instructor.
A. The crawl
a. Also refereed to as freestyle, this is often the stroke swimmers learn first.
b. Most of your propulsion will come from the arms. Once your hand enters
the water, pull downward and then outward, tracing an "S" in the water.
c. One common mistake is to kick solely with the lower leg, but experienced
swimmers know this kick should be done with the whole leg, from the hip to
the toes. The heel of the kicking foot should just break the surface, and the
other should be no more than a foot deep. Kicking two to three times per
stroke is standard, but use whatever rhythm works best for you.
B. The backstroke
a. Keep your back and neck straight, but not rigid. Also try to keep your
head straight. Tilting your head too far aback will raise your hips, tucking
your chin in too much will cause your hips to sink.
b. The arm movements of this stroke can be difficult to master. Reach back
with your arm extended. Once your arm is above your head, bend the elbow
in 90-105 degrees angle and then straighten your arm again as it passes
your hip.
c. The kick is similar to the kick for the crawl. Try for two to three kicks per
stroke.
C. The breaststrokes
a. You may find the breaststroke to be the least complicated and least
strenuous of all. But it is still a great workout, firming the chest, arms and
thighs.
b. The arm movements are not tricky. Just make a large arc moving your
arms in unison. Start with your arms stretched in front of you and then pull
back in a large circle.
c. Your may have learned to do a frog kick with the breaststroke, but the
whip-kick is more efficient. With your feet together, bring your legs upward
until they almost touch your buttocks. Then snap them out in a "V" shape,
before bringing them together again while you glide.
d. While the movements are simple, it takes some practice to combine the
stroke and kick correctly.
3. Set swimming goals
a. Make a schedule. If this is your primary exercise, swim 20-30 minutes a
day, three to five times a week.
b. Because of the cooling effects of water, you won't know if you are working
up a sweat. Try to gauge how your body feels. Push yourself hard enough to
get a good workout, but not so hard that you end up exhausted.
4. Finding a pool
a. Standard pools are either 25 yards, 25 meters or 50 meters long.
However you can still get a good workout in a smaller pool.
b. The water temperature should be between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Warm pools are more appropriate for slow swimming and practicing, stroke
technique. Cooler pools are better for competitions as well as rigorous
workouts at faster speeds.
c. If you swim in a busy heath club or college gymnasium, you will likely
have to share your lane with other swimmers. Pool etiquette says to swim in
a counterclockwise pattern, keeping as close as possible to the right side of
the lane at all times.
d. All swimming workouts should be done under the supervision of a
qualified lifeguard.
5. Tools of the pool
a. Swim fins: While these frog-like fins may look funny, do not laugh at
people who use them. Fins let you get more from your kick, helping
swimmers to achieve a full-body workout. Also, fins help beginners swim
longer before they tire.
b. Pull buoys: These are canister-shaped flotation devices that attach to your
legs. Use them when you want to rest your legs and concentrate on your
arm movements.
c. Some pools require both men and women to wear a cap. Racing caps may
cut down on drag, helping you to speed through the water. They may also
help protect your hair from the chlorine in the pool.
d. Get goggles: The chlorine in pools can be irritating to your eyes, causing
burning, redness and tearing. You can protect your eyes with well-fitting
goggles.
6. Better breathing: For the beginning swimmer, even taking breaths can
be a chore. If swimming a few laps leaves you gasping, learn these
breathing tips.
a. When doing the crawl, do not hold your head too high. The water level
should be at your hairline.
b. Exhale completely into the water before you turn your head to breath
again.
c. To inhale, turn your head just far enough to breathe rather than lifting
your whole head out of the water.
d. Breathe once every two or three strokes.
e. Learn to breathe on alternate sides. This will make you feel more in
control and will reduce shoulder tension.
7. Water wear and tear
a. Chlorine is notorious for damaging hair. Before your swim, try putting a
small amount of crème rinse or conditioner in your hair and then wearing a
latex swim cap.
b. A post-swim shampoo with products designed to remove chlorine residue
will also help keep your hair soft.
c. Thoroughly dry your ears after swimming. Shaking your head vigorously
to one side may do the trick.
d. Those especially prone to ear infection should consider earplugs. Puttylike
plugs that mold to the shape of the outer ear canal are the most effective.
e. For longer wear, rinse your swimsuit with tap water after each use. This
will help wash out the chlorine residue.
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Learn powerful swimming techniques from the masters for fitness, training, and competition