Swim your way to fitness
Tips from the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming
Swimming has long been touted as an effective way to improve fitness. Exercise in the water causes less abuse to the joints than land-based exercise and is safe for all ages. But how do you get started in a swimming program if you've never done the sport before? The first step, of course, is to learn how to swim. We can't teach you that here -- swimming is a very technical activity, so you'll need hands-on help from a swimming instructor to learn the movements properly.
Assuming you can get from one end of the pool to the other without too much anxiety, the next step is to learn how to relax in the water. Unlike other forms of exercise, swimming with more effort is not necessarily better. In fact, elite swimmers make it look so easy that you wonder if they are really working hard. They are, but they've learned to relax the muscles that are not needed to move themselves forward. For example, when above water, the arms and hands are relaxed and look graceful. Below the water surface, where the action is, much of the body is relaxed even during the most ferocious pull. The fingers are not tense; they are straight, with a slight gap between the fingers that makes the effective size of the hand a little larger. The feet are relaxed so as to perform like flippers. If you were taught to point your toes when you kick, try relaxing them instead and they will point naturally. Relaxing the stomach muscles will give you an overall feeling of comfort in the water. That's the way the champions swim. In fact, after a record-breaking performance, if you ask an elite swimmer how she felt during the race, invariably she will say she felt really "relaxed."
So, to get started on a fitness swimming program, the first thing you need to do is learn to relax while you swim. Do this by swimming laps in the pool, one lap at a time, if necessary, relaxing as much as possible. Just swim straight, without being concerned with special training methods or devices. Enjoy the relaxing comfort of being surrounded by water.
A note about goggles -- they are essential and can become foggy when wet. A gentle lick followed by an immediate rinse is usually effective in preventing fogging. The key is to lick before the plastic gets wet. Once it gets wet, no amount of saliva will prevent fogging. It's important to rinse out the saliva so it doesn't get into your eyes. Keeping goggles clean is important because it helps prevent eye infections. You can clean goggles with toothpaste to take off the film that builds up on the inside. Also, some people have a reaction to the eyepiece cushion material. Experiment with other brands. Not all brands fit alike, so if a particular brand constantly leaks, you might try a different brand or model. Also, every face is shaped differently, so you can't expect one goggle to fit all of them. To prevent leaks, avoid facial expressions that produce a crease around the eyes. Unfortunately, that includes a big smile and laughing.
By Dave Tanner, Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming
