My biggest aim for this year is to keep up with swimming by going at least two times a week. So far this has been easy to achieve as I really enjoy going for a swim. I find it really relaxing and it clears my mind from stress. Not only does it make me feel better but it's starting to make me look better too. After just over a month of going swimming regularly my thighs and arms feel a lot firmer and I can tell that my posture has improved.
There are so many health benefits from swimming. It burns calories and builds muscle and it works out your entire body. An article I read in Women's Health magazine said that a steady swim burns around 500 calories an hour, while a vigorous effort can shed almost 700. Swimming can also reduce the risk of having a stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, swimming is an easy sport to keep up and keeping it up on holiday never feels like a chore. After all, there's no greater feeling than jumping in to a cold pool after being out in the hot sun. Open water swimming gives you a great sense of freedom and there are so many beautiful locations you can go to swim (for example the lovely beach in Santa Margherita, Italy pictured in this post).
With all these benefits, it's difficult to find a reason not to swim!
Here are my tips on how to have a successful swim.
1. Don't eat an hour before swimming and keep drinking to a minimum. There's nothing worse than getting a stitch after just a few lengths of swimming. To avoid getting a stitch try not to eat anything an hour before you swim and keep drinking to a minimum. I normally go swimming at midday so I eat my breakfast in the morning and don't eat anything again until after swimming. This gives me a two hour gap of no food before my swim. I normally feel like having a drink before I get in the pool but limit myself to just a few sips to avoid a stitchy situation (lol). If you do get a stitch however, swim to the side of the pool and stretch out your muscle until the pain goes.
2. Make sure you have a comfortable, well fitting swimming costume. A swimming costume that fits well will not only make you feel much more comfortable but it will make you look better as well - pick a costume that fits smoothly, something that doesn't press too tightly on the skin but that isn't baggy either. A good fitting costume means you are less likely to need to adjust yourself once you're in the water so you can glide through without the worry of it becoming out of place. I wear an all in one black swimming costume as I feel sportier in a swimming costume than a bikini and I don't have to worry about bikini straps coming undone.
3. Protect your hair. Chlorine is not good for your hair. It dries it out and can make dyed hair discoloured. The best way to prevent hair from being damaged is by wearing a swim hat. Alternatively, tie your hair up in a bun to keep it our of your face and prevent it from getting wet. Always wash your hair after swimming and if you're going to make swimming a regular thing, use a conditioning hair mask once or twice a week to give it a deep, hydrating treatment. (I'm yet to find one I really like but will keep you posted when I find one!)
4. Wear goggles and a nose peg. You have to be prepared to get water in your face when you go for a swim. If you don't like getting water in your eyes I advise that you wear goggles. Getting water up your nose is another swimming struggle and it makes it difficult to breath when you're in the pool. Nose pegs are an easy way to get around this. They may look silly but other swimmers will wish they had one when they get a nose full of water and you're breathing easily!
5. Find a comfortable speed/rhythm and stick with it. Once you find a speed you are comfortable with stick with it. Trying to swim as fast as you can will only make you want to rest more and may increase your chance of pulling a muscle. Once you get into a particular rhythm it is easier to relax, clear your mind and enjoy your surroundings.
6. Build up your distance slowly. Gradually increase the number of lengths you swim. The first few times I went swimming I could just about manage 40 lengths - it was a struggle and my arms and legs ached for days after! However after a couple of weeks the 40 lengths got much easier so I increased to 46 lengths (which is the equivalent of a mile in my local pool). I'm aiming to build up my distance to 50 lengths in the next few weeks. Swimming in this way makes you realise how much you've achieved and it's a great feeling once you hit your next mile stone.
7. Make sure you bring a bottle of water. All that swimming may make you feel thirsty. (I always find myself needing to down a bottle of water after a swim anyway!) Make sure you drink plenty of water after swimming to keep hydrated as you don't notice how much you sweat when you're in the pool.
8. Stretch. Stretching after a swim is important to try and reduce the likelihood of painful muscles the next day. I find that doing a few stretches in the shower really helps me unwind and calms my body down after an intense swim.
9. Bring loose fitting clothes to change in to. Getting changed after swimming is one of the biggest challenges of the sport. Wet changing room floors and damp skin make it difficult to slide clothes on easily. I advise wearing loose fitting trousers and a loose jumper, something that slides on and off easily and doesn't cling to skin. Shoes which are easy to slide on and off are advisable too.
Do you have any swimming tips? Let me know!
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