The swimming pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service and Repair in Scottsdale, Arizna understand that many of their pool customers use their pools to get in shape and to have fun with friends and family and they offer this information for those wondering at the benefits of a pool workout.
Swimming helps your core and your back
Good swim technique is built upon your having a strong core. Work on your core and you will improve your strength for swimming and will help your posture which is a win-win. “Core stability” is a topic of conversation that competitive swimmers have with their trainers, but it’s important for the family pool owner who simply wants to swim some laps to get healthy and have a healthier heart. Also, good posture, from a strong core, can alleviate back pain and other muscle and joint issues.
Here are exercises to strengthen your core.
- Engage lower core muscles — belly — when you swim. Stretch tall and long while you swim. Bring your rib cage away from your pelvis and elongate your entire body. When you stretch tall through your core you will strengthen your torso.
- If you work in an office or find yourself sitting more hours of the day than you do standing, you need to focus on your posture throughout the day. Sitting up straight will require you to engage your core muscles to keep you sitting straight and tall. Don’t slouch. Focus on keeping your shoulders held back and down. Good posture is great for your health outside of the pool and will help you swim with more stability when you’re in the water.
- To swim smoothly and add to your core stability you will want to work on your upper posture and strengthen your shoulders. To do this you will want to focus on the muscles between your shoulder blades. Pull your shoulder blades together and back, bring them in toward your spine. This is an important swim exercise as it focuses on your upper core strength.
If you don’t know why you should care about your posture, you should and here’s why.
- Better posture helps you swim straighter and helps with arm extensions. You will expend less energy when you’re swimming laps if you swim straight and have more arm strength which will keep you from “rolling” when you switch arms during strokes.
- A better body roll will develop when you have better core strength. Body roll gives you a more powerful swim stroke.
- When you have a strong upper body and strong inner core strength your arm strokes are more in tune with your body movement. This means you are using your whole body to propel yourself through the pool instead of just your arms and legs.
Ask us if you’re looking for workout tools to use in your pool.
