Swim conditioning involves heating and cooling, practicing a variety of strokes, and maintaining correct form. Swimming is better for cardiovascular conditioning and stamina enhancement than weight conditioning. All muscle groups are needed to support each other, and a variety of strokes should be practiced. Proper execution of each stroke is important, and swimming conditioning can be improved through other activities.
Swim conditioning, a specialized type of sports conditioning, develops a swimmer’s skills as well as their ability to take full advantage of the health benefits of the sport. A good swim conditioning workout consists of three key elements. First of all, time must be allocated for heating and cooling. Next, a variety of strokes should be practiced to train all muscle groups. Finally, maintaining correct form should be prioritized over gaining speed.
Weight conditioning may beat swimming for rapid muscle growth, but swimming wins in terms of cardiovascular conditioning and stamina enhancement. As with all resistance exercises, proper warm-up and cool-down periods are of great importance. These prepare the body for changes in activity level and can help prevent roadblocks like cramps. Good warm-up and cool-down sessions can consist of stretching underwater and a round or two of easy hitting.
A common mistake made by novice bodybuilders is to train the muscle groups they most want to see grow while ignoring other areas. This is a mistake because all the muscle groups are needed to support each other. Large pectoral muscles, if not balanced by an equally strong back, will strain the entire body. Swimmers can make the same mistake by focusing their swim conditioning routines on a preferred stroke.
One of the great benefits of swimming is that it trains all muscle groups, but particular strokes are better for targeting certain muscles. For optimal strength training conditioning and to improve the total body ability to execute any stroke, a variety of swimming conditioning strokes should be practiced. Common strokes include the front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, and side crawl. The butterfly stroke is probably the most challenging, so it’s best done only after one has mastered the others.
Amateur swimmers sometimes try to track their progress based solely on how fast they are moving through the water. Swimming conditioning should first focus on perfecting the proper execution of each stroke. Poor form can allow a person’s stronger muscles to take the load off weaker ones, even when those weaker muscles are best suited for a particular stroke. By preventing the development of these muscles, the swimmer’s progress in both speed and overall strength is ultimately hampered. Improper technique can also cause injury.
Swimming conditioning doesn’t just happen in the water. Just like many other types of athletes cross-train with swimming as part of their sports conditioning, strength and endurance from swimming can also be improved through other activities. It is always good for one to use the muscles in different ways, because development comes from shocking them to grow. Running, climbing, cycling, and strength-training exercises such as dips, push-ups, and push-ups can be useful additions to a swim conditioning routine and can increase a swimmer’s performance.
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