17 Tips to Become A Better Swimmer at Any Age
August 26, 2016
You know what they say, there’s always room for improvement. Do you know how to become a better swimmer? Whether you are 4 years old or 40, following these tips will help you become a better swimmer.
- Stay Fueled: Make sure that you are eating and drinking the right kinds of foods before, during, and after your workout. Eat carbs (like bananas, yogurt, peanuts etc.) 3 or so hours before exercise. Sports drinks and easily digestible foods like sweet potatoes, apple juice, and grapes are great for during a workout. For recovery, drink plenty of water and eat protein and high index foods like potatoes, bread, cereal, steak etc.
- Catch Some ZZZ’s: When you are training so hard, you need to make sure to let your body recover properly so you can continue to progress. Sleep 8 hours per night so that you have the energy needed to swim your heart out.
- Make Each Stroke Count: Make sure that each stroke is helping you and is intentional. Aim to have the most efficient number of strokes possible and make conscious decisions about how many strokes that will be.
- Take Charge: It is better to maintain proper form than to frantically try and make your way to the end. You will be grateful to have this level of control over your workouts.
- Be Silent, but Deadly: Be the quietest swimmer in the pool. Do everything you can to work with the water, not against it. Being a quiet swimmer is often an indication of efficient swimming.
- Go For Your Goals: Always push yourself to be better by having various goals that are specific to you. Make sure that they are attainable and time-bound and hold yourself to them!
- Quality Over Quantity: Monitor your training to be sure you’re getting the most effective training . Sure, getting lots of practice is great, but you’ll be better off having less training that is more effective training than to have hours and hours of training that isn’t doing you much good. Look for competent and motivating instructors that can help you get the most out of your training.
- Quit Whining: Swimming can be a difficult sport, but whining is definitely not going to help you get better. Instead of complaining about a challenging stroke, try to find joy in it. Attitude is everything!
- Be Willing to Swim the Extra Mile: If you really want to become a better swimmer, you have to be committed. Be dedicated in your training and try to be the first one in the pool and the last one out. You may be surprised how much this commitment helps you progress!
- Consistency is Key : S et a routine of good habits. If you follow the tips listed here, you should be eating right, getting enough sleep, and taking care of any injuries in addition to training hard. Regularly keep up on these good behaviors to establish a great routine to become a better swimmer.
- Enjoy the Ride: At the end of the day, swimming should be about having fun. Don’t let your ambition or your drive prevent you from enjoying the journey of becoming a better swimmer.
- Find the Balance: Focus on how you float in the water. Make sure that you are properly balanced top to bottom, front to back, and left to right. If you have better balance, you will be able to swim much more effectively.
- Be Buoyant: Make sure that your body is floating and lifting in the water. You will have a difficult time swimming if you are torqued.
- Ride the Line: Line is the way your body cuts through the water. A weak or sloppy line with weak tonality creates more drag and causes you to move slower and work harder. If you improve your line, you will be able to swim further and faster with less work.
- Got Leverage?: Think of your arms and legs as levers that can pull your body forward in the water. For first class leverage, you want to lengthen those levers to connect the movement to the center of your mass, propelling you forward.
- Being Stable Makes You Able: Stability is how you capture the water. Focus on having stability and control in the water instead of frantic movements. If you can control your own body, you’ll be a much more powerful swimmer.
- Take Pride in Your Hardwork: As you strive to become a better swimmer, take pride in your efforts! Recognize that what you are doing is not easy, and that the progress you make is the fruit of your own labors.
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