Swimming corrects poor posture, reduces stress, trains strength and endurance – and all this with a very low risk of injury. When swimming, the body appears weightless, which protects cartilage and bones, while almost every muscle is trained. But only with the right technique and the right swimming style – front crawl, breaststroke or backstroke – can complaints be reduced in a targeted manner with lifeguard course near me.
Intensive training in the water
Training in the water has several advantages:
- The stress on the joints drops by around 90 percent in the water. For this, the muscles have to work against the resistance of the water and are trained much more.
- The high energy expenditure helps to lose weight : the body burns calories by giving off heat to the water and by the movement of swimming. A swimmer burns about 300 to 500 kilocalories per hour.
- The movement of the water stimulates blood circulation in the skin.
An even rhythm when inhaling and exhaling strengthens the respiratory muscles .
Beware of heart failure - Exercising in the water improves blood flow from the legs to the heart. This can overwhelm people with limited heart pumping power.
Breaststroke tips
Half an hour of breaststroke training is about as effective as an hour of cycling. It is also suitable for people with osteoarthritis or overweight who find it difficult or painful to move on land. Important:
70 percent of the power in the breaststroke should come from your legs .
The face belongs under the water surface during the exhalation. Only when the arms are stretched forward do the head and chest rise briefly to take a breath. If you keep your head permanently above water, you can get problems with your neck and neck and overload your back with the hollow back.
Crawl style tips
Freestyle swimming is particularly good for people who have problems with their hips or knees. The crawl style is not suitable if an open bypass or heart valve operation has only recently been performed: lifting the arm and head puts too much strain on the sternum.
Important for freestyle swimming:
- The arms pull and push the swimmer through the water. The mouth and nose only appear every two arm strokes to take a breath.
- The legs remain stretched when crawling. They stabilize the torso and shoulders. The muscles from the navel down are spared.
Backstroke tips - Done correctly, the backstroke is the healthiest swimming style for those with back problems. The spine is completely spared, all supporting muscles are trained.
- However, many swimmers perform the style incorrectly: the body is curled up and sags downwards. If the swimmer looks where he is swimming, he stretches his body and swallows water.
Important for backstroke:
- The whole body should form one level.
Arms and legs are moved like crawling, but the mouth and nose stick out of the water. - Start swimming training slowly
If you start swimming training, you don’t have to keep going for an hour at a time. It is just as effective to swim briskly for six sessions of ten minutes each, taking a break in between. - If you are unsure whether you have mastered the technique, you can ask a lifeguard or swimming coach for advice.
