Changing Your Workouts

Swimming can easily become repetitive. Not only do you get bored, but your body does too. If you swim the same thing day after day your body is no longer being challenged. Here are three ways in which you can maximize your workout experience.

1. Add Variety

One easy way to get out of a swimming rut is to add variety to your workouts.

When planning your workout try to use equipment such as a pull-buoy, paddles, or a kick board. You can also throw in a different drill or an extra set on the clock in order to keep your body guessing. Try to incorporate all the strokes in your workout, so you become efficient in all of them. Changing from stroke to stroke will prevent your body from becoming too comfortable in one stroke.

If you are having trouble coming up with ways to challenge yourself, ask a fellow swimmer or swim team coach for workout ideas. You can also look online for websites or blogs that offer ideas or suggestions for your workout.

2. Be Creative

Have fun with your workouts. You are in the water to stay in shape, but also to have a good time. Try to change-up your workout to be more challenging, but also more entertaining.

After a set, hop out of the water and do some push-ups or sit-ups, then jump back in. Do lunges around the pool, or see how far you can swim underwater without breathing. These exercises can help your body build different muscles and  expand your lungs, which will improve your breathing.

3. Break it Down

You can also break down each aspect of your stroke, trying to improve your overall technique.

Spend some time on your arms and your kick. Work on your flip turns or your streamline. Do some breathing exercising, focusing on breathing every three or five strokes. This will allow you to breathe on both sides and ensure that your stroke isn’t lopsided.

Don’t get caught up in yardage, but take time to refine your stroke and brush up on the basics.

Swim Technique

If you need personal swimming instruction, I recommend a class at the YMCA or a public swimming pool. There are also club swim teams, private coaches and online sources.

I would like to share some advice and information about the four main strokes in swimming: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and the butterfly.

1. Freestyle

• Streamline- your body should be aligned with your arms up over your head, hands together with your biceps squeezing your ears
• Rotation- rotate your body from side to side while keeping your head still like a pivot point
• Kick- straight legs, pointed toes, kick coming from your hips
• Arms- reach, extend your arms, elbows up, hands in cupping shape, then pull the water down on your side
• Head- keep your head down, looking at the bottom of the pool
• Breathing- turn your head to the side, keep your ear in the water, as you lift your arm for a stroke take a breath and the return your head face down in the water. Never lift your head straight up.

2. Backstroke

• Streamline- just as important in backstroke, but now it is done on your back.
• Rotation- Your entire body is rotating from side to side. You should see it most in your shoulders and hips.
• Kick- the kick is the same as fresstyle. Straight legs, pointed toes, kicking from your hips. Short fast kicks at the surface of the water. Don’t let your legs or hips sink under the water.
• Arms- Arms reach around backwards and enter the water. Similar to a backwards arm circle except the hand rotates. Your thumb should come out of the water first and your pinkie should be first back in the water. When the arm enters the water instead of doing an arm circle, bend your elbow and pull the water down along the side of your body.
• Head- your head should be aligned with your body and your chin sh0uld be up. Don’t look at your toes!
• Breathing- you’re on your back so you are free to breathe whenever you want.

3. Breaststroke

• Rhythm- the most important thing to remember in breaststroke is the rhythm. You must do each movement in this particular order every time- pull, breathe, kick, glide.
• Streamline- in breaststroke you go back into your streamline position every time you “glide”
• Kick- the kick is similar to a froggy kick except instead of bringing your legs up-out-together, bend your knees and bring your legs back-out-together.
• Feet- turn your feet out so they can grab the water and push you through the water.
• Arms- (pull) your arms are going to start out in front of you, hands together,  and then come around making a heart and then pushing them straight out in front of you again breaking the heart in half, having them end right where they started.
• Head- your head moves with your body. It is a slight bob with your head as it goes in the water during the glide (streamline) and pops up when you breathe.
• Breathing- you breathe every stroke in breaststroke. Every time you pull your arms down, then you take a breath. Pick your head straight up and breathe then duck your head right back in the water.
  (Don’t forget the order- pull, breath, kick, glide)

4. Butterfly:

• Rhythm- rhythm is very important in butterfly as well. You have to get the rhythm down or butterfly will be extremely hard. Your legs should do one small kick as your arms are pulling down in the water and then a big kick to launch your arms out of the water and around in front of you. It should be a smooth and fluid stroke.
• Streamline- same as all the other strokes. Hands up, body straight and head down.
• Kick- the kick resembles a worm or mermaid kick. Your feet and legs stay together as they roll together. The kick is what moves you forward in the water. Your kick should make your entire body roll through the water.
• Arms- your arms are straight as they reach behind you and then fly out of the water parallel to the surface of the water, just above the water, and then come together and enter back in the water directly in front of you. Then they pull the water down and back as they fly out of the water once again.
• Head- your head should stay straight down in the water until you need to breath, then you lift your head up as your arms are coming up, take a breath and put it right back in the water as your hands re-enter the water.
• Breathing- you should breathe at least every other stroke.

Once you’ve started working on each stroke, be patient. Every little improvement in technique translates into huge improvements in speed and efficiency, but it takes time. Remember that professional swimmers spend hours swimming lap after lap, fine tuning the smallest details. You will improve every time you hit the water, but it will take a great deal of repetition to feel the changes, so keep swimming.

Nutrition

Before you get in the water you should start monitoring and altering your diet to help you perform at a higher level. Here is a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help you improve your daily diet provided by fitness expert Mark Verstegen.

Do

1. About 1-1.5 hours before you swim eat good carbohydrates
2. After your workout, drink 8-12 oz of chocolate milk (believe it or not it does help you)
3. Continue eating good carbohydrates after your workout along with proteins and fat

(See list below of good carbohydrates)

Don’t

1. Drink sugary/caffeinated drinks
2. Eat high fat foods and candies
3. Stuff your face with too many carbohydrates
4. Drink too much chocolate milk

Carb Loading

Along with the basic nutritional tips, it is important to clarify a few misconceptions about carbohydrates. “Carb loading” is a familiar term among amateur athletes, but it is not healthy to consume every carbohydrate you see. Knowing the difference between “good” and “bad” carbohydrates can help prepare you for your swimming workouts.

Good Carbohydrates:

• Breads- pumpernickel, rye, sourdough
• Cereals- cheerios, Kashi, oatmeal (not instant)
• Starches- brown rice, couscous, quinoa
• Root vegetables- beets, sweet potatoes, yams
• Other vegetables- bell peppers, carrots, celery, eggplant, mushrooms, soybeans, squash, tomatoes
• Green vegetables- asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cucumber, field greens, green beans, romaine lettuce, snap peas, spinach
• Fruits- apples (green), blackberries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapefruit, grapes (red), honeydew, kiwifruit, mangoes, oranges (whole), papaya, peaches, plums, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon.

Bad Carbohydrates:

• Baked goods: bagels, cakes, cookies, dough nuts, English muffins, white bread.
• Sugary cereals
• Dairy products: frozen yogurt, ice cream
• Snacks/treats: dried fruit, french fries, granola bars, potato chips, trail mix
• Salads: Coleslaw, creamy sea food salad, potato salad

Dry Land

Once your nutritional habits and diet have been adjusted to adequately prepare you for your desired intensity of workout, you are ready to swim.

Finding a Swimming Location

There are many local swimming pools available in the Phoenix area. The trick is finding the one that fits you and your schedule and fitness goals. Whether you want to start swimming on your own or you want to bring your kids, here are a few ideas of where you can go.

Mesquite High School Swim Team practices at a community pool.

LOCAL SWIMMING LOCATIONS

City or Town Aquatic Facilities

Municipal swimming pools offer an affordable, fun way to get in the water and start your workout. Typically these facilities have one or two lanes of varying depths for swim development as well as classes and instruction. Unfortunately they are only open for the summer months (May- August).

Gym Locations

Cost and amenities vary greatly from gym to gym. Some gyms require members to sign a contract and others allow you to pay month to month. Many facilities offer child care, but some have age limits. Some gyms are open 24/7, 365 days a year and others are only open during the day, with less hours on weekends. Many facilites have both indoor and outdoor pools with lanes and equipment for member use. Locker rooms, showers and towels may also be available.

Swim Schools

Privately owned swim schools provide high quality facilities and equipment to people of all ages. Classes are offered for children as well as adults. Swim teams are also available for beginning to advanced swimmers. Swim school instructors are privately trained on methods and technique. These facilities are open year round regardless of the weather.

YMCA

YMCAs offer an affordable range of facilities that provide a connection to the community. Locations vary from indoor to outdoor with lanes of different size and depth. There are many locations around the valley making them an accessible and convenient option.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Each facility provides a different atmosphere, the challenge is to determine what is right for you. Feel free to share your feedback on the best locations and why they meet your swimming goals.