Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for people of all ages and physical abilities. Because it's not a weight-bearing activity, swimming offers a low-impact workout to those with joint pain and serves as a cross-training activity in an existing workout schedule. The benefits of swimming include a whole-body workout, cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strengthening and endurance. Lap swimming involves four basic strokes. Although some are easier to perform than others, they should all be included to create a varied workout.
Freestyle
Freestyle tends to be the main stroke used in lap swimming. It is performed facing forward and moves along one plane. It is the easiest to learn in that the movements are the most natural for a person to perform. Technique is important in maintaining an efficient stroke, but once proper technique is learned the stroke can be used for long periods of time.
Backstroke
Backstroke is perhaps the next easiest stroke to learn because the body is still moving along a single plane. Technique involves proper rotation of the core and an awareness of body position within the lane. Swimming backward through the pool adds an element of challenge. Lane lines help a swimmer stay on a straight path, while flags placed 5 yards or meters from the wall help a swimmer know when he is approaching the end of a lap.
Breaststroke
Breaststroke is a difficult stroke to learn because it is a very technical stroke. Technique takes precedence over power in a successful breaststroker. Chris Colbourn, coach of Academy Bullets Masters Swim Team, notes that the best swimmers in the world are constantly training to improve and master the technique of breaststroke. The head and shoulders break the water's surface with each stroke while the movement of the arms and legs underwater provide power and movement.
Butterfly
The most physically demanding stroke is the butterfly. Nate McBride, a U.S. Masters swim coach, emphasizes the challenge in teaching an adult to swim the butterfly. Most adults have lost ankle flexibility, core strength and lack rhythm, all of which are necessary components of the butterfly. McBride teaches the stroke in a five-stage approach that takes about six workouts to master. Technique aside, the energy required to complete the butterfly results in earlier fatigue than other strokes. Despite its difficulty, it is a great way to work different muscle groups and build endurance.
Member Comments