Gaz92
27-Mar-2011, 03:40 PM
I have spent a bit of time reading the cardio section of this forum. And a few times, i have seen people say, Swimming is good, no resistence on the joints. - Which isnt always true. By reading this through im hoping that you will learn there is a bit more to swimming than doing freestyle (frontcrawl) I will cover;
Benefits
Equipment
Aerobic training (inc examples)
Anaerobic training (inc examples)
Muscle groups worked by each stroke
Now Although swimming is a very technique driven sport, I will say you feel the burn with incorrect technique. If you do wish to correct your technique there are lots of swimming clubs in almost everywhere in the world, Other than that there is youtube.
Benefits:
Why choose swimming? In which ways is it more beneficial than other forms of cardio. A big one and a major selling point has got the to be its benefits on the joints. When you swim it puts less pressure on your joints than most forms of land cardio such as skipping/Jogging and even cycling. Beware of Breaststroke, whip kick (Google) It is more racing technique where the knees are closer together which will place excessive pressure on your knees. Google breaststroke Wedge kick. Another benefit is that it is great for working muscular endurence! full body, Swimming will make you work muscles you have never worked before. Because of the repitive nature of swimming and the constant pulling an pushing, your muscles are worked. And you will feel the burn! Which is always good. Flexibility is another good point of swimming, When you kick your ankles are always stretching flexion/Extension you are always strectching oyur arms reaching out, this will gradually help with flexibility. Injured? Use your equipment and isolate your workout, You will still get the benefits! And last but not least. Its different! and slightly more fun! In my opinion, I love the the feeling after going for a swim, feeling clean, healthy, energetic.
Equipment:
There a 4 main peices of equipment that are useful (and cheap) which will significantly effect your routine.
Float (the most commonly seen - Used for concentrating on your kick)
Pull Bouy (Used for concentrating arm pulls)
Hand Paddles (For Building strength, Be careful they can hurt your shoulders)
Fins (Refinement of kick technique, and help build strength)
Each of these can be used to benefit your routine.
If you find during your swim your arms get too tired you can grab a float. If you want to add a bit of instense work you can throw fins on and sprint. I only wanted to briefly cover these. As most people will not use them.
Aerobic training: (with oxygen)
Im not going to cover why aerobic training is good for you, or the benefits. As im currently watching scotland lose to brazil and being a scotsman it hurts! and I don't have too much time.
This will be slower paced swimmming. We will come to the sprinty speedy stuff later.
Keep the speed combfortable, Breast stroke, Frontcrawl and Backcrawl are your better ones for this Avoid Butterfly. When swimming frontcrawl ensure you are breathing ever 2 pulls. There is no point of me covering distance here. A beginner may struggle to swim half a length where as swimmers will combfortably swim 120 lengths frontcrawl. Work within your limits. Keep it slow. If your Arms get too sore? grab the pullbouy, arms get sore? grab a float. Its all down to your ability and what your body tells you.
Example routine for a beginner; (25m = 1 length)
100m warm up (Slow pace)
If you cant do butterfly or anystroke, Substitute it for frontcrawl
take a 1-2 minute rest
50-m Frontcrawl Kick (with a float - head out the water)
take 30 seconds
50m breast stroke kick (with a float - head out)
take 30 seconds
50m Backcrawl kick (with a float)
take 30 seconds
25m Butterfly kick (Streamline position - Google it. Can be subsituted with 50m frontcrawl kick)
take 30 seconds
50m Frontcrawl Fullstroke SLOW!
take 30
50m Breastroke fullstroke Slow
take 30
50m Backcrawl Fullstroke slow
Take 30
25m Butterfly Slow
Cooldown: Take a walk around the poolside, stretching arms stretch legs if you feel comfortable
Ive ran out of time!!! Ill Finish the rest of this tonight/ Tomorrow
Any quesitons feel free to ask, and sorry about my terrible writing
Benefits
Equipment
Aerobic training (inc examples)
Anaerobic training (inc examples)
Muscle groups worked by each stroke
Now Although swimming is a very technique driven sport, I will say you feel the burn with incorrect technique. If you do wish to correct your technique there are lots of swimming clubs in almost everywhere in the world, Other than that there is youtube.
Benefits:
Why choose swimming? In which ways is it more beneficial than other forms of cardio. A big one and a major selling point has got the to be its benefits on the joints. When you swim it puts less pressure on your joints than most forms of land cardio such as skipping/Jogging and even cycling. Beware of Breaststroke, whip kick (Google) It is more racing technique where the knees are closer together which will place excessive pressure on your knees. Google breaststroke Wedge kick. Another benefit is that it is great for working muscular endurence! full body, Swimming will make you work muscles you have never worked before. Because of the repitive nature of swimming and the constant pulling an pushing, your muscles are worked. And you will feel the burn! Which is always good. Flexibility is another good point of swimming, When you kick your ankles are always stretching flexion/Extension you are always strectching oyur arms reaching out, this will gradually help with flexibility. Injured? Use your equipment and isolate your workout, You will still get the benefits! And last but not least. Its different! and slightly more fun! In my opinion, I love the the feeling after going for a swim, feeling clean, healthy, energetic.
Equipment:
There a 4 main peices of equipment that are useful (and cheap) which will significantly effect your routine.
Float (the most commonly seen - Used for concentrating on your kick)
Pull Bouy (Used for concentrating arm pulls)
Hand Paddles (For Building strength, Be careful they can hurt your shoulders)
Fins (Refinement of kick technique, and help build strength)
Each of these can be used to benefit your routine.
If you find during your swim your arms get too tired you can grab a float. If you want to add a bit of instense work you can throw fins on and sprint. I only wanted to briefly cover these. As most people will not use them.
Aerobic training: (with oxygen)
Im not going to cover why aerobic training is good for you, or the benefits. As im currently watching scotland lose to brazil and being a scotsman it hurts! and I don't have too much time.
This will be slower paced swimmming. We will come to the sprinty speedy stuff later.
Keep the speed combfortable, Breast stroke, Frontcrawl and Backcrawl are your better ones for this Avoid Butterfly. When swimming frontcrawl ensure you are breathing ever 2 pulls. There is no point of me covering distance here. A beginner may struggle to swim half a length where as swimmers will combfortably swim 120 lengths frontcrawl. Work within your limits. Keep it slow. If your Arms get too sore? grab the pullbouy, arms get sore? grab a float. Its all down to your ability and what your body tells you.
Example routine for a beginner; (25m = 1 length)
100m warm up (Slow pace)
If you cant do butterfly or anystroke, Substitute it for frontcrawl
take a 1-2 minute rest
50-m Frontcrawl Kick (with a float - head out the water)
take 30 seconds
50m breast stroke kick (with a float - head out)
take 30 seconds
50m Backcrawl kick (with a float)
take 30 seconds
25m Butterfly kick (Streamline position - Google it. Can be subsituted with 50m frontcrawl kick)
take 30 seconds
50m Frontcrawl Fullstroke SLOW!
take 30
50m Breastroke fullstroke Slow
take 30
50m Backcrawl Fullstroke slow
Take 30
25m Butterfly Slow
Cooldown: Take a walk around the poolside, stretching arms stretch legs if you feel comfortable
Ive ran out of time!!! Ill Finish the rest of this tonight/ Tomorrow
Any quesitons feel free to ask, and sorry about my terrible writing