Have you had swimming lesson but still unable to swim very well?
Well, I’m going to point out 6 steps of how to run your swimming lessons correctly. What I need you to do is to follow step by step, do not skip any step because swimming is about body coordination. You don’t just depends on your hand or leg to swim but most importantly your body coordination. I will use freestyle as a training style in this article.
Step #1 - Do Your Stretching Before Entering the Pool
Stretch before you swim is very important. It helps to warm all your muscles up so that you will not feel tired or body ache after the swim. It also prevents you from getting muscle cramp during the swim. A friend of mine, Leon, who is a Malaysia Johor State Swimmer will know this very well. He used to swim without stretching, and sprint all the way when he enters the pool. He changed his mind after losing in a swim event. He is also suffering from bad muscle cramps every time he swim now. Even though he did his stretching well now, he will still suffer from muscle cramp once in a while.
Step #2 - Warm Up Before Training
Swim at least 200 meters (if you can) with your normal swim speed before proceed to your training. Kick and Pull at the same time and maintain the speed. If you feel good about it, you may swim another 200 meters until you feel yourself warm. Warming up yourself also prevents you from getting muscle cramps and bone fracture.
Step #3 - Train Your Leg Muscle By Kicking The Water With A Kickboard
Kickboard is also known as swimboard or floatboard. If you do not have a kickboard, you may want to consider to buy one. Purchase it from either sports equipment retailer or online sports shop. Hold the board with your two arms straight and stretch to the front. Keep your head above the water and looking forward. Keep your body straight all the way while doing this exercise. Do not put the board underneath your body or hug the board as your leg muscles will start to be “lazy”. Keep on kicking and maintain a certain speed. Kick the water for an approximately 500meters before you stop for a rest. If you are a beginner to this, I would suggest you do only a set because you wouldn’t want to end up with “weak leg” the next day. For intermediate or advance swimmer, I would suggest you to go for at least 3 sets of 500 meters leg kicking if possible.
Step #4 - Train Your Hand Stroke With Swim Paddles And Kickboard
Gear up with your swim paddles on one hand and hold a kickboard on the other hand. Now I want you to pull using only one hand to pull the water, you may use your leg to kick as well. Now I want you to start with your hand straight pointing forward. Pull and “catch” the water toward and body and push it all the way back to your leg. You would now ask me where is the maximum length I should push to? The answer push as far as possible with your body straight. The best is if you can touch your thigh with your thumb. Next, lift up your hand into the sky with your elbow bend a “L” shape and finger pointing into the water. Now, enter the water with your middle finger first and stretch your arm forward as far as possible once your hand get into the water. Swim for at least 500 meters before you change to another hand. Repeat the same thing on the other hand.
Step #5 - Body Coordination
Now this is the critical part where you can get a gracefully stroke. While doing the handpulling and leg kicking together, you must have this in mind, “Keep your lower body straight while you kick, do not turn it to left or right”. As for your hand, you only require to turn slightly to your left or right when you breath in the fresh air. While breathing in the air, maintain your finger level 2 inches above the air and point your elbow up in the sky. Swim slowly if you are not use to it.
Step #6 - Warm Down
Finally, remember to do your warm down part so that you will not feel tired after the swim. Do not take swimming as a shower. Remember to take your shower as soon as possible after the swim to clean away the chlorin. Chlorins are harmful to our skin and hair.
Good luck and have a good swim.
Tan Jian Yong is the founder of the Singapore Largest Private Swimming Academy LearnToSwim.biz. For more information please visit http://www.LearnToSwim.biz
Tan Jian Yong is also a former Malaysia State Swimmer.
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