Since Franziska van Almsick was a wavelength ahead of everyone in the Olympic pool, and her dream body went around the world in the media, we only want one thing: to swim like her!
Sure, just because swimming is a traditional Olympic sport and we admire star swimmers like Franziska van Almsick, or Britta Steffen doesn’t mean we all have to become high-performance athletes or tireless water rats. But there are still a few good reasons to go to the swimming pool regularly – or to the lake or the sea in summer because swimming is good for our health – and our line! Don’t you believe us? Then discover seven motivational reasons to plunge into the cold water here!
Table of Contents
7 Good Reasons To Go Swimming Regularly
- The Muscles Are Trained: All powers must work to move forward in the water and maintain their body position. That gives a slimline!
- The Vein Return Is Improved: As with all sports, the blood supply to the legs is increased when swimming because the muscles alternately tense and relax. The lying position, the cool water temperature and the pressure also contribute significantly to eliminating water accumulation in the body
- Swimming Makes You Slim: First, as mentioned earlier, when you swim, all your muscles are trained and lengthened. Second, increased calorie consumption is stimulated (200 to 600 Kcal / h). And thirdly, after about 40 minutes, the fat reserves are mobilized. So swimming is a perfect sport for losing weight!
- Breathing And The Cardiovascular System Are Strengthened: the heart is gently strengthened, and the lung capacity is increased simultaneously. Since there is enough water vapour directly above the water’s surface, even asthmatics are allowed to swim.
- The Joints Are Spared: In the water, you are almost in a state of weightlessness: there are no compression movements and, therefore, virtually no risk of injury when swimming.
- Coordination Skills Are Trained: Swimming requires good technique. In concrete terms, this means a motoric separation between arms and legs and a very specific inhalation and exhalation rhythm.
- Relaxed Swimming: There are several reasons for this: The happiness hormones endorphins are released, our body lies almost weightlessly in the water, and we find our human origins (in the amniotic sac).
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5 Disadvantages Of Swimming – And How You Can Master Them:
- Motivation: Let’s be completely honest: Who wants to plunge into the cold water in the middle of December instead of sitting comfortably on the cosy sofa? Give yourself a push: after the exertion, the hot chocolate tastes even better at home!
- Chlorine: There is also that: The chlorinated water smells terrible, attacks skin and hair and puts strain on the swimsuit! Our tip: Inquire about natural pools (e.g. with brine pools) in your area! And in summer .Let’s go to the nearest lake!
- Boredom: If you are always on your own, the time sometimes feels like a long time. Our tip: change your attitude! It can also be incredibly motivating to count the lanes and realize that you are improving every time!
- V-shaped Muscle Development: Admittedly, the upper half of the body ( arms, shoulders) are more strongly developed in competitive swimmers. Which doesn’t necessarily look feminine. But who says you should swim 4 hours a day?
- Back Pain: Anyone who does not master the swimming technique properly (and, for example, breathes with their head above the surface of the water) bends their body. This can cause lumbar pain. Is that the case with you? Then treat yourself to 1-2 swimming lessons with a professional. It doesn’t cost the world and is guaranteed to pay off: Instead of hurting yourself, you are doing something good for your back. In addition, with the proper technique, you will glide through the water much easier and faster – and that is super motivating!
The 4 Swimming Styles:
The sport is divided into four swimming styles: chest, butterfly, crawl (also called freestyle) and back (crawl). Each class is characterized by its technique, a certain rhythm and a specific breathing method.
- When crawling or back-crawling, the legs are beaten evenly up and down (kicking), just like diving.
- In the breaststroke, the frog push technique is used and
- In the butterfly style, both legs are waved together.
At competitions, the starting jump and (underwater) turn are also part of the compulsory program.
The four basic swimming types can be combined: for example, 100 or 200 m chest, back, crawl and butterfly.
By the way: an official Olympic pool is 50 m long, even if many swimming pools only have 25 m lanes.
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Practical Tips For Swimming:
- Don’t be afraid to sign up for a swimming course, even if you can stay afloat: It would be a shame to struggle through the water for hours without mastering the proper technique. After just a few hours of swimming, the training with the 4 swimming styles can be varied.
- Swim with aids: swimming board, flippers, webbed gloves … These accessories help you improve your technique and train different muscles in a targeted manner. In addition, you can spice up the swimming routine with exercises and cover the lanes in a more varied way.
- Stretch and straighten yourselves – especially your upper body. This elongates the trunk, which prevents the unsightly combination of a broad-shouldered swimmer figure and a rounded back. It is essential to warm up before training as with any sport: So, don’t forget to stretch before and after swimming!
- Combines water sports with other (vertical) disciplines to “harden” the muscles. For example, hiking, jogging or riding a bike.
- Drink enough! Because even in water, you sweat and have to make up for the amount of fluid lost!
Additional Information
A swimming pool is part of the basic infrastructure in almost every medium-sized or large city. Admission is relatively cheap, especially in urban spas, and subscriptions or ten tickets are usually available. Private swimming pools or adventure pools, on the other hand, are generally considerably more expensive.