Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise, and the body is benefitted in multiple ways with a slim chance of injury. Swimming is a low impact sport on the body, and while it helps to build and tone muscle, it also keeps your heart rate high and increases stamina, which in turn, leads to a healthy heart and lungs.
Swimming isn’t the easiest sport to pick up. It takes repetition and training to before you can begin to see the benefits of swimming. To help you get started, there are some swimming tips to consider which can help with recovery, performance and technique, here’s Horizon Athletics’ performance guide to help you start swimming.
Swimming Tips: Before
Though it might not feel as tiring as jogging, swimming requires a lot of energy, and if you are just starting out, it’s essential to have a balanced meal before swimming. Because the body is in a horizontal position in the pool, the symptoms of gastric reflex (feeling sick) can occur if you don’t eat at the right time. It normally suggests that eating 2-4 hours before swimming optimises performance, however, if you plan on swimming in the morning and don’t have that time to wait, eating a small snack 30 minutes before will give you a sufficient amount of energy for the workout.
Staying hydrated beforehand is one of the most crucial swimming tips to use. Novices can tend to feel fine while swimming and the feeling of water will make you feel hydrated, but drinking plenty of water before swimming will keep your energy up throughout your performance.
Doing all over stretches will also help warm up your body in preparation for the workout. It can be difficult to stretch while in the water for it’s best to stretch and loosen up legs, arms and back just before you begin.
Swimming Tips: During
It’s best to consider swimwear designed for performance training, swimwear can now be designed to offer UV protection, durability against chlorine/seawater and use a compression material to support muscles. Investing is a premium design means that you can rely on a swimsuit that lasts must longer and helps the body during the swim.
For anyone with long hair, tying it up or wearing a swim cap helps with your concentration, stray hair can be a nuisance very quickly. Everyone reacts differently while swimming and if you find that you have any discomfort around your ears or nose, earplugs and nose clips are very easy to come by. The final accessory that most people would suggest are goggles, eyes can soon become irritated in both salt and chlorine water, and a performance pair of goggles tend to fit much better and give you complete vision during your workout.
Depending on your history with swimming, it might also be worth investing in a few training sessions with a professional. It can be difficult to track your own performance and technique while swimming, and having someone watch and correct you will benefit your overall performance.
Swimming Tips: After
Cooling down might seem like an odd suggestion while you’re in a swimming pool, but if you’ve had an intense workout, it’s best to cool down with a gentler exercise to help your body relax in a better manner.
Most people will feel hunger after swimming as the full body workout causes you to burn more fat and food stores are depleted for energy. Both carbohydrates and proteins are best to eat after a swim, common choices include fruits, toast and spread and the majority of meats.
For a beginner, it’s suggested that you go 2 or 3 times a week to build up your endurance. As mentioned in one of the earlier swimming tips, it’s a low impact sport that won’t leave your muscles feeling sore after you might find yourself being able to go more after you build up your stamina.
Swimming tips and preparation are essential for optimising your workout, and the advice will also help you to enjoy the exercise more. Swimming is a low impact sport that you should look forward to doing, and if you’re feeling unwell during or after the training session, it’s best to alter your performance time, what and when you are eating to ensure you’re comfortable throughout.