Swim

As parents, we all want our children to succeed in every arena in life — academically, socially, emotionally and physically. That’s why we help them with their homework, encourage them to make friends and talk them through difficult emotional moments. But what can you, as an active and loving parent, do to promote your child’s physical health and development? We think one of the best ways to help them succeed physically is to encourage them to explore different physical activities that are fun while also being fantastic forms of exercise.

Swimming is just one of the many activities you might encourage your child to participate in. Swimming is fun for most kids, and it’s an ability that will serve them well their whole lives. It keeps them healthy, gives them the skills they need to stay safe everywhere from the beach to the pool and also gives them a great way to have fun and develop confidence in their physical abilities.

However, if the idea of your child in the water scares you, you’re not alone. Plenty of parents become nervous at the thought of their child — particularly if the child is very young — jumping into a pool. They envision all their worst fears coming true, and they may keep their child away from the pool. This decision results in a child who grows up without this crucial skill.

While fearing for your child’s safety around the water is understandable, it shouldn’t stand in the way of you giving your child the gift of swimming.

Why Should Kids Learn to Swim Early?

There are countless reasons why children benefit from taking swimming lessons at the young age of 4 or 5, as opposed to waiting until they’re older or never learning at all. If you aren’t convinced, here are some of our top reasons why learning to swim early is important.

1. Learn the Basics of Water Safety

Out of all the cases of accidental drowning in the United States in recent years, one in five of those deaths represents children under the age of 14. For many parents, this fact may be a warning to keep their children as far away from the pool as possible. But while these parents may feel they’re protecting their children from harm, the reality is that they’re actually putting their child in greater danger.

It’s inevitable that your child will find themselves around water at some point in our lives, whether that’s the pool, the ocean or even a small creek. If a child knows how to swim, they will be in no danger. Even if an accident were to occur, the child would know how to swim and rescue themselves from the water. The child who has never learned to swim, however, will be at a far greater risk of accidental drowning because they will be unable to rescue themselves.

Children who attend swimming classes learn how to swim and learn the basics of water safety. They learn how to behave around the pool in a way that will keep everyone safe. They learn who to go to if there’s an accident, and they learn what to do if they ever find themselves in a situation where they’re losing control of themselves in the water. Kids who never attend swimming lessons will learn none of these skills.

Not every child who takes swimming lessons will become an Olympic champion. But even if your child never learns more than a basic doggy-paddle, they’ll have learned the most vital lessons of all — the rules of water safety.

2. Experience a Boost in Confidence

For better or for worse, swimming is often a highly social activity. As your child grows older, they’ll inevitably be surrounded by friends and classmates throwing pool parties. There may even be swimming lessons and tests in school. Knowing how to participate in these activities enthusiastically will do wonders for your child’s confidence and self-esteem, making them feel they’re part of the group, as opposed to being the only child present who can’t swim.

Besides belonging in a group, swimming will also help your child to feel more confident and comfortable in their own body. They’ll feel surer of their physical abilities, making them more likely to try other sports in the future and more comfortable taking part in other challenging physical activities. Swimming can lead to further confidence and higher self-esteem down the road.

3. Enjoy Healthy Benefits and Promote Healthy Habits

Swimming is one of the very best full-body workouts a person can do. While plenty of sports and activities exercise specific parts of the body, none engage the full body as well as swimming. It promotes overall health and wellness, helps build strong muscles and improves heart-health and respiratory function.

One of the great benefits of learning to swim early is that children will get a great dose of exercise without it ever once feeling like work. Because swimming is fun, they’ll start to develop good habits regarding exercise and physical activity, viewing these activities as enjoyable rather than something to avoid. These habit formations lead to a greater likelihood that they’ll continue to maintain an active lifestyle for years to come, even if they never continue with organized sports.

4. Increase Physical Development

While learning to swim is a great idea for anyone of any age, it’s particularly beneficial for kids because of how it helps with their physical development. By learning to master the complex movements required to propel the body through the water, kids gain the tools they need to increase their hand-eye coordination, muscle development and physical dexterity. These are all skills and developments that your child would eventually gain, but participating in a form of exercise like swimming means your child has a greater chance to develop these skills sooner than a child who doesn’t exercise.

5. Learn When Learning Is Easiest

It’s never too late to learn how to swim. Even if you’re well into your adulthood and haven’t the faintest idea how to swim, you could still develop the skill if you had the time, patience and dedication. It wouldn’t necessarily be easy, but you could do it. Learning to swim is a lot like learning a second language, however — it’s much easier when you’re a child.

This has to do with the way the brain and body are still developing in young children as well as with the way we’ve trained ourselves to think. As an adult who has never learned to swim, you’ll have likely spent a lifetime learning to be afraid of the water. This means that to swim, you’ll need to learn the physical motions while also overcoming this lifetime of apprehension. Most kids don’t have this fear, however. They’re more than willing to jump into a pool, not yet realizing it’s something they should be afraid of. Because of this, their road to learning how to swim is much smoother.

6. Prevent a Future Fear of Water

The longer your child goes without knowing how to swim, the greater the chance that this will develop into a fully-fledged fear of water. They’ll spend every pool party and every trip to the beach lingering on the sidelines, afraid to get their feet wet. And if they do happen to have a scare where they accidentally end up in the deep end, this fear will grow, and could even lead to them having a major mental block against ever learning how to swim.

This fear is easily preventable by allowing your child to learn to swim early on. Once they understand how to move through water and rise to the surface, they’ll see there’s no reason to be afraid of the water. They’ll realize the only thing to be afraid of is a lack of knowledge about how to handle themselves in the water.

7. Learn a Lifelong Skill

Swimming is a wonderful activity for children, but it’s also a fantastic way to get exercise and have a little fun at every age. Even much later in life, swimming continues to be a relatively safe way to get some physical activity long after other options will need to be ruled out. Because swimming takes place in water, it’s a low-impact sport with little room for injury. Where biking, running or even using an elliptical machine at the gym carry the risk of falls as a person gets older, swimming doesn’t have these risks.

The enduring appeal of swimming means it’s great for kids while they’re still kids, but it’s also a great way to invest in their future. By helping them learn this critical skill at an early age, you ensure that they’ll have the ability to exercise and stay active throughout their whole life, thus helping them to lead happier, healthier and longer lives.

8. Get a Head Start Social Skills

Most kids will have their first experience in a truly structured classroom environment at age 5 when they enter kindergarten. While they may attend pre-school or other pre-school themed activities, these will likely be very loosely structured without a lot of true direction-following or expectations for the kids.

Swimming is different. Most experts agree that while every child is unique, many kids will be developmentally ready to start swimming lessons at age 4, a full year before they begin kindergarten. These swimming lessons will involve listening to the instructor, following directions, behaving appropriately around other children and learning to act in an instructional setting.

It’s true that your child will learn these same skills in kindergarten the following year, as well as every year for the rest of their childhood. The advantage of taking swimming lessons at this young age, however, is that they give your child a jumpstart on becoming comfortable in a structured class setting. This preparation helps set them up for success academically, socially and emotionally as they prepare to start their schooling.

9. Fuel the Brain

Kids who participate in swimming from a very early age are, on average, more cognitively and physically advanced than children of the same age who haven’t begun to swim. A study completed by the Griffith Institute of Educational Research in Australia tested a large group of children from ages 3 to 5 and found that those who had begun their swimming lessons had more advanced fine motor skills and stronger hand-eye coordination.

While these physical advantages might be expected due to the increased physical training from swimming, there was also evidence that these children who practiced swimming had more advanced levels of oral expression. These children also had greater literacy and numerical understanding, suggesting a strong correlation between these swimming lessons and increased cognitive abilities. This seems to suggest that children who start their swimming lessons at an early age will be better equipped to begin school than those who haven’t started to swim.

10. Relieve a Little Stress

Let’s face it — life is stressful. For many of us, we tend to associate stress with the pressures of adult life, such as holding down a job, caring for a family and managing money. But the truth is kids have a lot on their plates as well. The older they get, the more their school load grows. They’ll learn to deal with complicated relationships and friendships and figure out the basics of time-management as they attempt to juggle school, activities, friends and family, all while figuring out who they want to be in this world. While these things may not be concerning your 5-year-old, these are absolutely concerns that will weigh on kids as they enter their pre-teen and teenage years.

By giving them the gift of swimming early on in life, you provide them with a healthy way to blow off some of these emotions and deal with their stress as it comes into their life. The physical action of swimming helps clear the head and also promotes good physical health, which in turn promotes good mental health. In this way, a little exercise such as swimming can do wonders to help manage your child’s stress levels and lead them towards a more balanced and healthy life.

Purchase Swim Gear for Your Swimming Lessons

It’s never too late to learn how to swim. Whether you’re 10, 20 or 50, it’s always worth putting in the time and effort to learn this lifelong skill. Swimming can provide a fantastic workout for your body, and it can also lead to a variety of improvements in your mental wellbeing and stress levels.

Of course, learning how to swim is tricky if you don’t have the right gear for the job. From swimwear and goggles to pool floats and kickboards, there are plenty of items you’ll need to get your swimming lessons started off on the right foot. Not quite sure where to get started? Begin your swimming journey by browsing our product offerings here at The Lifeguard Store.

We stock hundreds of products at some of the best prices around, and we’re committed to making sure your experience as a customer is a good one. That’s why we offer hassle-free returns and free exchange shipping, as well as free shipping on all orders over $60. So why wait? Browse our full catalog today and get ready to start your swimming lessons.

Learn More Swimming Tips:

• How to Swim Like a Triathlete and Not Just a Swimmer
• Learning to Swim As An Adult
• Tips for Teaching Swim Lessons as a Lifeguard
• Introducing Children to Swimming
• 5 Tips for Training Recovery
• Why You Should be Doing More Kicking
• Distance Swimmers Struggles
• Swimming and Arthritis
• Choosing the Right Fin

A triathlon is a race that has three stages with different sports: Swimming, cycling and running all in one race. Once a stage ends, the athletes immediately start the next phase without breaks.

While many people typically know how to swim, cycle and run, they don’t have the best techniques to do them as fast as possible in a competitive atmosphere. Triathlon races are intense and demanding, and require a lot of specific training.

If you want to swim like a triathlete, you have to know how to pace yourself and mentally endure long stretches of each stage.

What Are the Different Types of Triathlons? 

The distances for triathlons vary on who sets the course and what kind of triathlon it is. The common types of triathlons are Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman and Full Ironman.

Sprint triathlons tend to have shorter distances and still incorporate all three stages — swimming, cycling and running. These types of triathlons are recommended for beginner triathletes because they’re more likely to have a positive experience and be inspired to work up to a longer triathlon.

What’s the Difference Between Triathletes and Swimmers?

Triathletes and swimmers have different techniques when it comes to swimming.

Triathletes are completing one part of their three-part race, so they want to conserve energy over shorter distances. Swimmers usually swim longer distances and are always trying to improve their time.

• TriSwimCoach states that triathletes swim about 2500-4000m, while swimmers cover 5000-6000m in one practice.
• Swimming doesn’t have as severe an impact on your body. That’s why swimmers recover quickly and can get back to racing. Triathlons take a lot out of triathletes, so they cannot race as often.
• Swimming Stroke. While triathletes focus on the freestyle to get them through choppy open waters, long-distance swimmers practice a variety of strokes:

  • Breaststroke: The swimmer propels forward by making half-circular movements with their arms and using a flutter kick. Beginners and casual swimmers use this stroke.
  • Butterfly Stroke: This stroke is more advanced and has a strict technique. It also requires a lot of stamina. The swimmer’s arms are symmetrical and make circular motions out of the water, while they use a dolphin kick with their legs
  • Backstroke: The swimmer alternates which arm goes back in circular motions and a flutter kick to move them through the water on their back.

• Triathletes don’t consider themselves swimmers. They usually identify as one of the other sports in the triathlon, cyclist or runner. As a cyclist or runner, they often see swimming as something they have to improve. It’s the first stage of the race. Swimmers often identify with the stroke that they excel at, but most stick to the term “swimmer” as an identity.

Transitioning to Triathlon Swim Training Practices 

If you’ve trained in swimming before for competition or general fitness, you might think you don’t need to focus on the swimming aspect of a triathlon. But triathlon swimming has a different set of skills than swimming in a regular pool:

• Swimming in Open Water. Triathletes swim in a variety of environments. They can swim outside in lakes or oceans in different weather conditions. Their environments require specific techniques that won’t be picked up by training in a pool because pools are too controlled. A swimmer will face a greater challenge in a choppy ocean with strong currents than an inside pool.
• Breathing Technique. Triathletes with a swimming background should not bring their low-profile breathing strategy to the triathlon. Swimmers breathe close to the water, which works in a calm pool. Triathletes who try this in an ocean are going to get a mouthful of salt water. They need a high-profile style of breathing, so they’re not as close to the surface when they take a breath.
• Effective Kicking. Swimmers can kick more while they swim because they’re trying to beat records and be as fast as possible. Triathletes still want to be speedy, but they have to consider the cycling and running portions that are still ahead in the race. Too much kicking will tire you out. Triathletes might have two-beat kicks for this part of the race so they still have energy for cycling and running. Try and adjust your swim style to kick less frequently.
• A higher stroke rate per minute helps you swim in outside water conditions. Turbulent waves could upset a swimmer’s rhythm. Higher stroke rates help you adapt to choppy waters.
• Build Endurance. When swimmers want to improve their stamina in the pool, they’re given advice to run. Going for runs provides a full-body workout. Triathletes who want to better their swimming stage of the race already have to train with running. They should focus on improving their technique and mechanics so they can move efficiently through the water.

Triathlon Swimming Techniques

Swimming like a triathlete means you have to train to stay balanced, efficient and focused on getting better with each day. If you’re a swimmer, this might require moving away from what you know.

It’s more than getting faster or building your endurance. When you’re swimming like a triathlete, you have to think about all the separate mechanics of swimming and how they combine to propel you swiftly through the water without overexerting yourself. According to Active.com, you should pay attention to these main points to improve your swimming.

• Work on staying balanced in the water. When you’re off balance, your body will compensate by overworking to correct itself. This could be kicking too much or throwing off your rotation. When you’re balanced in the water, you’re able to conserve energy.
• Body Position. Your head should be kept down while swimming. One problem some swimmers get into is turning their head when they rotate each arm. Practice keeping your head straight down while your body rotates.

Hand entry is technical skill that you might not think about but improving it could make a big difference in your swimming. Instead of bringing your hand all the way around and up for each rotation, bring your hand to your sightline and go through the water. Reducing the time your hand is in the air is more efficient. Your stroke should be pushing you forward. If you’re pushing up and out of the water, your balance and position are probably off.

• Weakness Improvement. Identify the areas you’re struggling with and make them your priority. Even if it means slowing your pace so you focus on fixing technical errors that are holding you back. As you develop muscle memory and gain better balance and body position in the water, you can increase your speed.
• Keep Practicing. Avoid long periods of time out of the water. Try and swim every other day. Your body needs to get used to being in the water on a regular basis. You’ll also have better habits for practicing and being in the water will be a familiar place.
• Bilateral Breathing. Most swimmers breathe on one side. You want to learn how to breathe on both sides because it suits outdoor swimming conditions. Your muscles improve equally and you reduce the risk of injury from overworking one side. Bilateral breathing also lends to your mentality. If you’re swimming in the ocean, you won’t have given lanes like a pool. Another competitor can choose to swim right next to you. If you can only breathe on one side and they’re on that side, you’re going to be watching them the entire race. This can be intimidating and make you focus more on them than what you’re doing. But a swimmer who can breathe bilaterally can simply choose to breathe on the other side and never have to look at the competitor for the remainder of the race. To help improve your bilateral technique, these tips should help you out:

  • Relax Your Muscles: Keep your neck and shoulders loose. Stretch every time before you swim so you don’t strain or pull muscles while rotating.
  • Time Your Breathing: If you feel like you’re not getting enough air on your weaker side, breathe earlier in the stroke cycle. When you start to extend your hand forward you should begin to rotate your head.
  • Know Your Arm Position: Keep your arm strokes even and at a steady pace. This will keep your balance and you won’t have to worry about pulling yourself under water and not getting a full breath of air. 

Swimming for Triathlons: Open Water

The ocean is not a controlled environment. While you might be prepared to deal with choppy waters and cold temperatures, you also should be aware of what other aspects of the ocean you can encounter during your race.

Training in distance and simulating ocean conditions will help you prepare for the swimming stage of the triathlon, but you should also mentally prepare for how triathletes race in the water.

• Open Water. Swimming in open water means you can swim into anything in the ocean. You might have to swim through clumps of seaweed or deal with the sound of boats in the distance. One particular event that triathletes need to think about is swimming through jellyfish.

Jellyfish are unpredictable. The water could be crystal clear the day before your race and the next day they’ve washed up. Wearing a long-sleeved wetsuit deters stinging, and athletes can usually go on with a mild sting. If you think you’ve had a serious injury from a jellyfish, you should go back to shore and talk to the lifeguard about getting proper medical attention.

• Swimming Without Lanes. Everyone is swimming to the same location and there aren’t individual lanes for each swimmer. You’ll be part of a pack of swimmers and could experience some occasional kicks or jabs. If the person in front of you kicks you, or if you’re touching them as you swim forward, give them space. The same goes if you’re stuck swimming next to someone. Stay calm and remember any hits or touches are not intentional. Focus on your swim and either let swimmers pass you or try and find more space.

If you want to try and avoid the pack swimming, you can swim out in front or hang back at the start and allow other swimmers to go first. Swimmers who have a strong speed and experience in high-intensity conditions have a good chance of getting to the front. But there is nothing wrong with letting the crowd get ahead of you if you’re stronger in cycling or running.

During your training, practice swimming with a pack of swimmers in a pool. This will simulate the noise and confusion that could overwhelm you if you’ve never been in that situation. Then, practice this same scenario in open water. When you put yourself in this position, you get used to being surrounded by swimmers and in rough currents. You’ll be able to develop techniques for keeping yourself calm and focused with all of the commotion around you.

Practice can prepare you for the triathlon, but some athletes do experience panic attacks. If you have a panic attack during the race, swim away from the pack and float so you can calm your heart down. When you feel better, you can start your race again. If you don’t feel better or are light-headed and weak, do not resume the race. Seek medical attention. Your health should be your top priority. There will always be time for another race.

• Directional Awareness. Make a habit of checking your direction every four strokes. You can look for buoys that make up the course. If the water is choppy and blocks your sightline from the buoys, you can use natural landmarks like surrounding mountains so you know where you’re going. There’s no guarantee the swimmers ahead of you are checking their direction, so use those physical markers to stay on track.

Strengths From Triathlon Stages

Triathletes are aware of how the stages of their race are so connected. All of these sports help build on the other. Whether it’s improving cardio, flexibility or strength, balancing your training between the three sports will have positive impacts on the others.

When participating in these sports, you are gaining the benefits from each one:

• Running

  • Cardio
  • Muscle Strength
  • Lungs

• Cycling

  • Cardio
  • Muscle and Bone Strength
  • Flexibility
  • Joints
  • Lungs

• Swimming

  • Cardio
  • Recovery/ No Impact
  • Muscle Strength
  • Breath Control and Pacing
  • Balance

If you want to improve one sport specifically, don’t let yourself get bogged down in doing the same workouts over and over again. It’s okay to switch sports and workouts.

Let the crossover benefits inspire you to change up your workouts if you’re getting bored or stuck as you train to be a triathlete. If swimming is giving you trouble, try cycling to improve your flexibility and strength. After a difficult and high-impact training with running, let your body recover by switching back to swimming.

Triathlete Swimmers

Triathletes swim in open, rough water and still go on to cycle and run for hours. Proper training in the right environments, practicing situations you might encounter and building mental strength are all crucial to being a successful triathlete.

As you make these changes and put in the time to practice, you’ll swim like a triathlete and will be ready for a triathlon.

Learn More Swimming Tips:

• Learning to Swim As An Adult
• Tips for Teaching Swim Lessons as a Lifeguard
• Introducing Children to Swimming
• 5 Tips for Training Recovery
• Why You Should be Doing More Kicking
• Why Your Child Should Learn How to Swim
• Distance Swimmers Struggles
• Swimming and Arthritis
• Choosing the Right Fin

The importance of core strength and proper posture in swimmers has rapidly gained attention in recent years. Your core consists of the muscles that run from your glutes to your upper spine along with your abdominal muscles, and those of the upper and lower back and shoulders. Building core stability helps you engage your whole body while swimming, rather than just using your shoulder muscles. Having a strong core helps you swim faster and straighter.

One of the biggest enemies of core strength is bad posture. Improper posture, caused by sitting or sleeping in a hunched or slouched position, can wreak havoc on your core muscles. Office jobs and those that involve sitting for extended periods of time can cause you to develop hunched shoulders and a curved neck. Bad posture results in the shortening of your pectoral muscles and lengthening of your back muscles. This, in turn, affects your swimming by impairing your catch technique, causing crossovers and even increasing shoulder injuries. Bad posture in the water results in a sloppy technique that often leads to injuries.

Many swimmers develop shoulder and knee injuries in their swimming career. A study of both collegiate- and master’s-level swimmers showed that 47 percent of collegiate-level swimmers and 48 percent of master’s-level swimmers experienced shoulder pain lasting three or more weeks. This same study listed strengthening of the shoulder muscles as an effective way to reduce fatigue and the occurrence of shoulder injuries.

Knee injuries are the second-most common source of pain in competitive swimmers, with 86 percent of breaststroke swimmers reporting knee pain related to their swim technique. While injuries due to repetition are common for swimmers, injuries caused by recurrence of improper technique are enough to cause damage.

Remembering to sit and stand up straight, and doing exercises to strengthen and stretch the core and shoulder muscles, can keep bad posture from becoming a long-term habit. Strengthening your core not only helps your swimming technique, it also prevents you from getting common swimming injuries of the shoulders and knees. Many swimmers are aware of the importance of building core strength to improve their swimming speed and technique, although they may not be sure how to incorporate it into their workout routine.

Fortunately, there are several core-building exercises you can do in the pool, on dry land or at the gym, with most requiring little to no equipment. Doing these exercises a few times a week can significantly improve your speed, propulsion and technique while helping you avoid injury.

Core Strength to Improve Swimming

Having increased core strength can greatly improve your performance in the water. An engaged core results in more powerful strokes and faster swimming. While coaches used to advise swimmers to swim flat in the water, the best swimmers now swim with their whole body. A full body roll is recommended with rotation of the torso, hips and shoulders. Having a good body roll technique improves your stroke by making it longer and stronger.

Some of the other benefits of improving your core strength include:

• • Helping keep you straight and aligned in the water

    —Your core is the center of your body and helps keep you stable and balanced. Having straighter posture in the water helps your arm extensions stay straight. This, in turn, decreases the amount of energy expended while swimming.

• Assisting you with pulling, pushing and kicking

  — Since all your arm and leg movements originate from your core, having a stronger core will help with you both your stroke and pull technique. This can help you gain traction and speed in the water.

• Helping you swim faster

  — When you engage your core muscles while swimming, your body becomes more streamlined. This results in better propulsion through the water and reduces drag.

• Helping you avoid knee and shoulder injuries

  — Bad posture is a common cause of injuries in swimmers. Having a strong core can improve your posture. When your body is aligned, there is less stress on your joints and muscles. Having a more flexible trunk allows your body to easily bend, thus lessening the chance of sustaining injuries. A strong core provides a stable platform for your arm movements, helping you avoid swimmer’s shoulder.

• Helping you keep your technique together for longer

  — Having a strong core will help you keep going when you are fatigued. It also keeps your arms and legs going strong, which results in more powerful kicks and pulls. For freestyle swimmers, developing core strength makes breathing easier.

The benefits of having a strong core even extend outside the water, as you will also see a difference in your other athletic endeavors, such as lifting and running. A strong core also results in improved posture. Working your core helps combat the bad posture that results from sitting and hunching for extended periods of time.

Core Exercises for Swimmers

Core exercises for swimmers consist of both water and dry-land exercises. Core activities in the water usually consist of swimming with one arm at a time to develop the core muscles that support your spine and internal organs, as well as visualizing the core areas while strengthening and stretching them. It’s easy to incorporate core exercises into your existing swim workout. Since it’s not always possible to be in the pool, dry-land exercise can be done before, after or in place of a water workout.

Swimmers benefit from doing core exercises in the water in a few different ways. In-water exercises are excellent for resistance training. Most swimmers find it easier to fully bend and flex while in the water, and since in-water exercises aren’t weight-bearing, there’s little stress on the joints, thus eliminating some of the aches that occur with dry-land exercises.

You can do the following exercises that focus on core awareness while swimming:

• Stretching Your Core

  — While swimming, visualize a piece of stretchy elastic running from the top of your rib cage to your pelvis. Stretch your rib cage away from your pelvis and imagine pulling the elastic tight. Continue fully stretching as you swim to keep the elastic taut. This engages your core and strengthens your torso and lower core muscles.

• Squeezing Your Glutes

  — To strengthen your glutes and develop a more efficient kick, imagine you have a large coin that must stay in place. A light squeeze of your glutes is all you need to engage this area and straighten your body properly.

Dry-land exercises for swimmers consist of those that focus on strengthening and stretching the core muscles. The goal is to increase your core’s flexibility, stability and strength to increase control of the pelvis and improve your posture, while also increasing your endurance. There are many dry-land exercises recommended for swimmers, though they may go by different names.

Your dry-land training technique will vary according to the type of swimming you do and your goals, since each exercise targets slightly different muscles and areas of the body.

1. 1. Planks

      — Planks are the ideal core-strengthening exercise, since they target all the abdominal muscles at the same time. There are many possible variations of planks. However, this is the basic technique:

1. 1. • With your elbows directly under your shoulders, and your feet pressed into the ground, raise yourself up on your forearms.
      • Be sure to keep your body in a straight line from ankles to shoulders, and don’t allow your back to arch or your bottom to stick up. Squeeze your glutes and abdominal muscles to engage your core and ensure a straight spine-line.
      • Try to hold the position for at least 30 seconds, gradually increasing your time as your ability increases. Be sure to breathe.

   2. Scissor Crunches

      — Scissor crunches strengthen the muscles from your lower back and abdominals down through the glutes and legs. They can help you develop a powerful kick.

      • Lie on your back and raise your opposite arm and leg off the floor until your hand touches your foot. Your active leg should be raised toward the ceiling while keeping your other leg a few inches off the ground.
      • Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
      • Aim for three to five sets on each leg.

   3. Russian Twists

      — Russian twists are particularly beneficial to freestyle swimmers, since they combine the rotation of the upper torso with the stable hip position needed for this kind of swimming.

1. 1. • From a seated position, raise your feet and ankles off the ground, bend your knees and lean back slightly.
      • Turn your shoulders 45 degrees to one side and touch the floor.
      • Repeat from side to side with controlled movements, making sure to keep your legs still and balanced. For an added challenge, try this exercise while holding a dumbbell or medicine ball.

   2. Hip Bridges

      — This exercise works your lower abdominal muscles, along with your hip flexors and hamstrings. You can also add weight to increase resistance.

      • While lying on your back, put your arms by your side and plant your feet firmly on the floor.
      • Raise your trunk until your spine is in a straight line. Don’t overextend your spine, as this can cause injury.
      • Hold the position for three seconds, then slowly bring your trunk back down.

   3. Superman/Superman Planks

      — This exercise helps improve your posture by strengthening your shoulder muscles, glutes and back. Good posture is important for all swimmers to prevent shoulder injuries.

1. 1. • Lie face-down on the ground, with your legs straight out and your arms over your head.
      • While tightening your abdominals and glutes, lift your left arm while raising your right leg for about three seconds. Alternate with the opposite arm and leg.
      • Keep your arm and leg movements raised and controlled.
      • A variation on this exercise is the Superman Plank, which involves similar arm and leg movements while maintaining a push-up position on the toes or knees.
      • After extending the opposite arm and leg, pull both into the body until your elbow touches your knee.
      • Complete five to 10 reps on each side before switching.

   2. Flutter Kicks

      — Flutter kicks work your lower abdominal muscles and legs and simulate the kick used by freestyle and breaststroke swimmers.

      • Lie on your back with your hands at your sides or supporting your rear end. Your legs should be extended straight out about two to eight inches above the floor.
      • With legs straight and toes pointed, flutter your legs up and down several inches without touching the floor.
      • Aim for 30- to 60-second intervals. To increase difficulty, raise your head to look at your toes.

   3. V-Sits/V-Sit Kicks

      —This exercise develops abdominal and lower back strength and helps improve the pull phase of your swim stroke. It is a variation of the flutter kick.

1. • From a sitting position, raise both legs up to a 45-degree angle.
   • While keeping balanced, raise your arms straight out in front of you and try to reach your knees.
   • Aim to hold this position for about 10 to 30 seconds, and repeat from a starting position three to five times.
   • A variation on this is the V-Sit Kick, where you start kicking your legs out in front of you from a seated position.
   • Raise your arms over your head in line with your legs and use your core muscles to stay balanced.

An effective core workout routine not only develops a toned midsection, it also increases the power of your stroke and allows you improve your swim technique continually. Incorporate core exercises into your regular exercise routine several times a week to improve your overall strength and endurance.

In addition to the above-mentioned dry-land exercises, swimmers can also benefit from taking yoga and Pilates classes to improve both their core strength and breathing technique.

Find All Your Swimming Needs at the Lifeguard Store

At the Lifeguard Store, we have everything you need to help you develop your swim technique. Browse our swim shop to view our extensive selection of swim gear, including training equipment, hand paddles, goggles and kickboards. We have thousands of items in stock, from swimwear and swim fins to training books and videos, to assist in your fitness and swimming endeavors. We’re proud to offer competitive pricing, fast shipping and no-hassle returns.

Learn More About Aquatic Fitness:

• How to Stay in Shape as a Lifeguard
• Sustaining Strength
• Cross and Strength Training Tips for Swimmers
• The Benefits of Aquatic Therapy
• Benefits of Weight Lifting
• Benefits of Yoga
• Improve Swimming Flexibility
• Off-Season Training Tips

Swimming is the fourth most popular recreational activity in the United States. Adults, teens and children love to cool off and swim in indoor and outdoor pools, as well as natural bodies of water. Although swimming is so popular, only 56 percent of people have the five basic swimming skills. These five skills, determined by the Red Cross, include:

• Stepping or jumping into water over your head
• Swimming to the surface and treading water for one minute
• Turn around in a full circle in the water and locate an exit
• Swim at least 25 yards to the exit
• Safely exit the water — with or without a ladder if you are in a pool

If you are not confident you could do all of these things or any of these things in the water, you aren't alone. Learning to swim as an adult can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. Dip your toes in the water by checking out these great tips on learning to swim as an adult, including why it is a great skill to learn at any age.

Why It Is Never Too Late to Learn How to Swim

"It's too late."

That's one of the most common excuses adults give for not learning how to swim — among other things. Many people are held back by reluctance stemming from a fear of looking foolish, a fear of water or pure disbelief that they will be able to master the skill. However, you can overcome all three of those obstacles:

• Fear of Judgment: It might have been easier to learn how to swim during your childhood, but it's far from impossible to learn how to swim as an adult. Most of us deal with some level of insecurity when we decide to learn something new. It can be tough seeing kids and teens swim circles around you, but don't worry. There are plenty of adults who do not know how to swim. Taking the plunge and deciding to tackle a new skill takes courage. We would never learn anything new if we let doubt get the better of us. Find an instructor you're comfortable with, and they'll help you ease into the world of swimming with compassion and guidance.
• Fear of the Water: Nearly half of Americans — 46 percent — are afraid to swim in the deep end of a pool. So, if you find yourself hesitant to start swimming because of a fear of water, it may help to know this a common issue. Like any phobia, you can overcome your fear of water. Start by getting comfortable with the idea of getting in the water. Tell your instructor about your fears. Practice different strokes and breathing techniques outside of the water. Pick a pool — skip the lake or ocean until you feel comfortable in the controlled environment of a pool — where you feel comfortable. When you feel ready to get in the water, try walking around in the shallow end. Get used to the feeling of moving through the water with both feet firmly planted on the ground. From there, you can slowly introduce more movement and swimming techniques. Go at your own pace, and accept it may take time to move past your fear. With time and practice, it will happen.
• Uncertainty That You Will Be Able to Learn: You might not be afraid you'll look silly or even be particularly afraid of the water. Instead, you may think trying to learn will be a wasted effort because you won't be able to. But, that simply isn't true. You do not have to reach the graceful, Olympic-medal-winning levels of Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps. Learning to swim means mastering the basics of staying afloat and moving through the water safely. What your body can do might surprise you — it just takes some motivation and dedication. Don't get discouraged if you aren't zipping up and down the lanes after one lesson. Stick with it, and you'll find that you're making steady progress. Always celebrate the small milestones, like the first time you tread water or the first time you swim on a lap on your own.

The Benefits of Swimming

Now you know you really can still learn to swim, you may be wondering why you should take the time to get in the water as an adult. Swimming has a ton of benefits that can help motivate you to keep learning, including that it:

• Can Save Lives: Plenty of people who do not know how to swim still enjoy spending time out on the water, whether that's on the beach or out on a boat. It might seem unlikely, but swimming can be an essential survival tool in an emergency situation. Plus, knowing how to swim can come in handy when you take your kids or grandkids swimming. Lifeguards are trained, but sometimes you might just be closer to one of your little ones who's struggling to stay afloat. Thinking of swimming as an essential life skill can help motivate you to take the time to learn.
• Is a Low-Impact Exercise: As we get older, our bodies — and particularly our joints — are more prone to pain and injury. Maybe you participate in other sports that put a good amount of stress on your joints, or perhaps you haven't tried any regular exercise and are worried about how swimming will affect your body. Good news: the water does a lot of the work for you. Buoyancy helps keep your body afloat, which means a lot of the stress you would feel on land is eased in the water. Your whole body gets a great workout, but you won't feel it in your knees the next day like you would after pounding the pavement on a run. So, you can swim with little worry of sustaining a sports-related injury.
• Builds Muscle Mass, Endurance and Flexibility: Swimming works nearly all of your muscles, too. When you start regularly swimming, you'll notice changes in the muscles of your arms, legs and core. Working those muscles also positively affects your posture and balance when you're out of the pool. As you spend more time swimming, you'll also find additional benefits, like improved endurance and flexibility. These types of physical changes are significant for us, no matter our age. Plus, seeing and feeling those physical changes in ourselves can push us to keep up the good work.

• Is a Great Cardiovascular Workout: The older it gets, the more we seem to hear about heart health. We have to watch what we eat, track our cholesterol levels and, of course, add regular exercise to our routine. Unfortunately, many of us are not big fans of cardio workouts. Swap out traditional cardio routines, like running on the treadmill, for swimming. It's a fantastic way to keep your heart and lungs healthy. Plus, regularly swimming has been shown to reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your blood pressure. Boast about those reduced numbers next time you head to the doctor for a checkup, and remember managing those aspects of your health are great for your entire body and its overall health.
• Is a Stress-Management Technique: Stress is a fact of life. We all have busy lives full of work and family obligations. While we can't change many of the stressors in our lives, we can change how we manage the resultant stress. Exercise, like swimming, is an effective way of shedding some of that worry and giving our bodies and minds a break. Swimming releases endorphins, which give us a natural mood-boost. Plus, being submerged in water reduces the amount of sensory information your body takes in every day. No more honking horns in traffic, and no more conference calls. Of course, you'll hear some splashing, but you can ignore that. Focus on your breathing and the movement of your body as you clear your mind of all the clutter that inevitably gathers throughout the day. If the idea of swimming isn't all that appealing, think of it as a way a relaxation tool. The feeling of calm can be worth it.

• Can Be a Fun Family Activity: As we grow older, trying new things helps break up our routines and keep our relationships fresh. If your spouse or partner knows how to swim, get them involved by asking them to do a little teaching outside of your regular lessons. If they don't know how to swim either, try to get them to take lessons with you. Learning something new together makes a great couples' activity. Once you know how to swim, you won't feel left out when your kids and grandkids jump into the pool. Instead, you can join them, and maybe even do a little teaching of your own.

Reasons to Learn to Swim as an Adult

So, you know there are plenty of benefits of swimming, but you might still need a little more motivation to jump into the pool. Here are a few more reasons adults should learn how to swim:

• For Safety: You never know when you'll be near or on a body of water, particularly during the summer months. If you're invited to the beach, to the pool or out on a boat, knowing how to swim is an essential skill for you and the people around you. Think of swimming as a safety exercise.
• For Exercise: There are plenty of ways to exercise as an adult. You can run, lift weights, hike and bike. All of these options are great, so why add swimming to the mix? Remember, swimming works out your entire body without putting a lot of stress on it. Running, lifting, hiking and biking can be tough on your body as you get older. Give your joints a rest in the water while still getting all the muscular and cardiovascular benefits of working out.
• To Discover a New Hobby: It's easy to fall into a routine as an adult. You go to work, go home, fall asleep and repeat. That's a big reason time seems to move so much faster as we get older. Trying and mastering something new injects some excitement into our lives. We still need to challenge ourselves as adults, and the sense of satisfaction when we accomplish something is a great feeling. Swimming can be that something new, and eventually it can become that activity you look forward to every week.
• To Meet New People: You can sign up for one-on-one swim lessons, or you can join a group class. Going to class every week can be a great way to meet new people and expand your social circle. Plus, you can help one another learn and celebrate victories together.

Seven Tips to Learn to Swim as an Adult

Learning a new skill like swimming is a lengthy process, but it doesn't have to be stressful or complicated. Here are seven helpful tips to help you learn to swim.

1. Start Out Slow

The first adult swimming for beginners tip is to take all the time you need to get comfortable first. Find a pool and instructor you feel are the right fit. Talk to your instructor about any concerns you might have. From there, you can ease yourself into the water.

Start in the shallow end, or spend time sitting on the edge of the pool getting used to just the feeling of the water on your legs. Try walking up and down your lane in water that goes no higher than your chest. This will help you get a sense of the type of resistance your body will experience will moving through the water.

When you feel ready, put on a pair of goggles and dip beneath the surface of the pool. Eventually, you can start to add some of the fundamental movements that make up swimming.

2. Practice Floating and Kicking
Floating and kicking are two main components of swimming. You can efficiently practice both of these while holding onto the edge of the pool. Face the side of the pool and place both hands on the edge. Let your legs float up behind you, or ask your instructor to hold your hips gently as you extend your legs. Once your arms are fully extended, and you're floating on your stomach, you can begin to kick gently. This movement will be half of what propels you through the water as you swim.

Wear your goggles while you do this so you can practice getting used to putting your face in the water. Practice this until you feel comfortable with both floating and kicking.

3. Try Different Strokes

Different people prefer different kinds of swim strokes — even experienced swimmers have a preference. A few popular choices include:

• Freestyle: This is the most basic stroke. When swimming freestyle, you will kick your legs just like you did when you were holding onto the edge of the pool, and your arms will pull you forward with an alternating movement. Turn your head to the side to breath.
• Breaststroke: Breaststroke is a slower style of swimming. Your instructor might start out by teaching you this stroke. Your legs will frog kick, also known as a whip kick, behind you. You can also practice this on the wall before you add the circular arm movement. Be sure to learn the arm and leg movements before you add dipping your head beneath the water.
• Backstroke: Backstroke is precisely what it sounds like. You float on your back, kick your legs and use alternating movements of your arms. Backstroke can be a great exercise if you're experiencing back pain. The butterfly is an advanced stoke you've probably seen Olympic swimmers do. This one will likely not be included in a beginner's swimming class.

4. Use Equipment
Being in the pool without anything to hold on to can be a little scary. That's why using equipment can be a big help when you're first learning how to swim. You can use a kickboard to become accustomed to moving through the water, holding it with your arms while you use your legs to kick and move through the water. This is a great way to learn the leg movements for freestyle and breaststroke.

You can also use pool noodles to help you keep afloat as you learn. Rest your hips or stomach on the noodle as you combine the arm and leg movements of the stroke you are learning. Feel free to use whatever equipment you prefer until you feel ready to try swimming without it.

5. Learn Pool Etiquette

Pool etiquette is not too much of a concern when you're taking lessons. You'll probably be in semi-private part of the pool with your instructor, but once you think you're ready to try swimming laps, it's helpful to know the proper etiquette.

A lot of pool etiquette is common sense, like:

• Do not splash other swimmers
• Make sure you're clean before you enter the pool
• Do not swim with band-aids or open wounds on your body
• Wear appropriate swimwear

However, what you might not know about are the unspoken rules that oversee the pool lanes. Many pools have lane lines, but some do not. If there are lines, the general rule is to pick a lane and stay in it. If there are no lines, watch the other swimmers and select one of the lanes they have created. Try to pick a lane with swimmers that are at a similar skill level. Pass other swimmers politely, and allow others to pass you. One rude swimmer can ruin the pool experience for a lot of people — don't let that be you.

6. Be Patient and Stay Committed

It can be easy to become frustrated if you don't feel you're making immediate progress. Try to be patient. Learning something completely new takes time, and it takes regular practice. When you sign up for lessons, make sure you show up. If you can, you should also practice what you've learned between lessons. The fastest way to learn how to swim is to become comfortable and spend as much time as possible in the pool.

7. Buy the Right Suit
Swimming is a sport, so you'll want to pick a formfitting suit. If you're a woman, leave the cute bikini for the beach and opt for a one-piece suit. If you're a man, ditch the swim trunks for more form-fitting compression shorts, as a close-fitting suit will allow you to move through the water more efficiently. The last thing you want on your first day of swim class is for the ties of your bikini to come undone, or the fabric of swim trunks to slow you down. Even though a plain suit is a better option for swimming as a form of exercise, you can still find fun patterns and colors that you like, too.

Find an Attractive, High-Quality Suit and Gear From The Lifeguard Store Today

Being confident in your suit, gear and equipment is a big part of feeling ready to learn how to swim. Browse the swim shop and water aerobics section at The Lifeguard Store to find the right swimsuit and equipment to get you in the water to start learning how to swim.

Learn More Swimming Tips:

• How to Swim Like a Triathlete and Not Just a Swimmer
• Tips for Teaching Swim Lessons as a Lifeguard
• Introducing Children to Swimming
• 5 Tips for Training Recovery
• Why You Should be Doing More Kicking
• Why Your Child Should Learn How to Swim
• Distance Swimmers Struggles
• Swimming and Arthritis
• Choosing the Right Fin