Whether you’re training for a triathlon or want to take up swimming as your new sport, these swimming tips from the pros will elevate your stroke and help you get more streamlined – and faster – in the water.
Why swimming is such a great workout
Swimming is cardio and strength, all in one
From the ocean to the pool, the water serves as a powerful tool for wellness. Not only is it a potent all-over body shaper (core, legs, arms and back, whew!) but it’s also a clutch aerobic workout that’ll help you reach your cardio goals.
Swimming is low-impact
Plus, it’s a low-impact sport, so it’s perfect for when you’re benched due to injury. You’ll boost your lung capacity, lower your blood pressure and per one study, it lowers your mortality risk when compared to walking, running or being sedentary. It’s also perfect for any age, given the low-impact nature of the sport.
It’s great for mental health
From improved mood and sleep, you’ll find yourself much calmer after a few laps in the pool. It’s also a relatively low-cost sport, since all you need is your costume, a few nifty tools and a strong will to get better. These swimming tips from coaches will elevate your experience.
Perfect your swimming technique
Relax in the water
“Swimming is all about being supple,” says Kishan Kalan, a swimming coach at Stars Swimming School in Cape Town. To loosen your bod, try deep breathing to relax and get into a looser frame of mind before hitting the water. Learning to not panic in the water will enable your body to relax so you can get the most from each stroke.
Keep your head in neutral
“This is a common problem that affects the body position in the water and causes the swimmer to drag their body through the water rather than float horizontally on the surface,” says Jonathan Guy, swim coach at Stellenbosch Aquatics in Cape Town. Focus on making sure your spine is in neutral without poking your head out excessively. You want to create a straight line that sits on the water with no drag.
Get like an arrow
In the water, you want to be as streamlined as possible, says Kalan. Pretend you’re a sharp arrow, with arms above your head squeezing inwards and engaging your core to lift your bod and get that straight line that cuts through water.
To practise this, try holding onto the wall in the pool and kicking your legs behind you, engaging your core. Keep kicking (straight knees) and become familiar with the feeling of your body being in one straight line. To practise while swimming forward, use a kicker board.
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Try these drills
Consistently practising these moves in the water can help perfect your technique and create faster strokes.
Find a breathing rhythm
“Breathing consistently is very important throughout the session. Finding a rhythm is key to becoming comfortable while swimming,” says Guy. To find your rhythm, try breathing in on every third stroke (turn your head very slightly to poke your nose out the water) and exhale throughout when your head is underwater.
Use a pull buoy
Isolate your legs and build arm strength with a pull buoy that is placed between your legs as you swim. You’ll find your core and arms working much harder, says Kalan. Make sure you split your session so that half of it includes tools like the pull buoy. Again, make sure that although you’re not kicking, your body remains in one straight line – no sinking legs.
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Use hand paddles
Using hand paddles, you can perfect your stroke and learn how to properly position your arms and hands in the water. “It increases the surface area of your hands, which allows you to either perfect your stroke or get a lot more distance per stroke,” explains Kalan.
The swimming workout
Try this swimming workout, devised by Guy, to get endurance, speed and fine-tune your technique.
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Michelle October
Michelle is the features editor at WH. She’s immensely curious about the world, passionate about health and wellness and enjoys a good surf when the waves are good. Find her on Instagram here.
