Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for a variety of reasons, including burning calories and reducing your risk of developing chronic illnesses. It is also a great way to cool off and refresh in summer. It can be done at home or in a local pool, and it is low impact on the bones as well as muscles.
It can also be very enjoyable for all ages and abilities, and it is one of the best forms of exercise to do on your own or with friends. There are many ways to learn how to swim, and the more you learn, the faster your progress will be.
A good place to start is a community pool or a public beach. Often, these facilities will run lessons for children and adults, so it’s never too late to get started with learning how to swim.
There are a number of strokes you can try, but freestyle is usually the first one that beginners learn. It can be a fun and relaxing experience, and you’ll be amazed at the amount of power you can build up by doing it regularly.
The hand entry phase and arm recovery are critical to your stroke and help you develop the timing that will make your stroke fluid and efficient. You want one arm to enter the water just as the other begins pulling. It will create a streamlined position and maximise your distance per stroke, says Bullock.
During the hand recovery, use your core and hips to drive your hand forward. This is called a coupling motion, and it will boost your power output significantly.
Once you’ve mastered this, you’ll have a huge reservoir of muscle strength that can power you through every lap of the pool! It is also a great full body workout, as your shoulders and lats get an intense challenge while your core and lower back work to stabilise you in the water.
You’ll also have improved your lung capacity and stamina from taking large, controlled breaths. This will not only be a fantastic fitness benefit, but it can improve your performance in other sports too!
It’s important to remember that learning to swim is a process, so it’s vital to keep up with your lessons and pool visits. Keeping these consistent will massively accelerate your progress.
Aim to take a lesson or two every week. This will ensure you develop new skills at a rate that is faster than someone who only has a lesson once a month.
Consider changing your stroke on different days of the week, too. This will give you a chance to try other strokes and mix up your workout routine.
For example, if you are a breaststroker, try a few laps of freestyle on the same day as your sessions of breaststroke. This will keep you interested in your training, as well as ensuring that your muscles don’t get too worn down from doing the same thing every day.