Swimming is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world. It burns calories, builds muscles and improves heart health. It also helps people feel great physically and emotionally. Just 30 minutes of swimming three times a week can improve sleep, lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels. And for those who want to live longer, research shows that swimming can add as many as 10 years to your life.
If you’re not naturally a swimmer, learning to swim as an adult can be intimidating. But it’s never too late to learn – as long as you’re willing to commit time and effort, you can achieve your swimming goals. And once you’re a confident swimmer, you can take advantage of the incredible physical and emotional benefits of this sport.
For those with little or no experience, it’s best to start in the shallow end of the pool, where you can stand comfortably. You can practice moving your legs in a flutter kick, and get used to the resistance of the water on your body. This will help you build your confidence and prepare for a lesson with a qualified instructor, who can teach you the basic techniques of a freestyle stroke and provide tips for improving.
Once you’re comfortable in the water, you can move into deeper water and try swimming a lap or two. It’s important to focus on your form and make sure your movements are smooth, controlled and efficient. During the catch phase of your stroke, your hand should enter the water at its fullest extension, but your elbow should remain high, not straight down (this increases resistance and slows you down). It’s also helpful to roll your body from side to side when breathing, which activates more of the back muscles than just the chest, and can improve your endurance.
Another way to improve your efficiency is by using the “catch-up” technique, where you don’t move your leading arm until your recovering arm has caught up to it. This allows you to surf on the surface of the water, helping you move faster. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start to think about how to structure your sets. Try setting a goal of a certain number of laps to aim for and use an app that tracks your progress, or just count. Counting is a good distraction, as it focuses your attention on the activity at hand. It’s also a good way to make the time seem shorter, if you find yourself getting bored or frustrated.
While it’s tempting to look at the clock during practice, try not to. The clock is a devilish instrument of torture, and checking it will only increase your misery. Pretend it’s a sun, a gorgon or a basilisk (for you mythology fans), to give yourself a mental break from the pain.