All Ages

Posted in Uncategorized on 12/19/2011 11:04 am by admin

All Ages
All+Ages

Masters swimming is for all ages. by Guven Paternoster

Start swimming.
Is your body starting to struggle with the high impact and joint stress of running and jogging? Are you finding it more and more difficult to motivate yourself to keep up a training routine which was once easier on the body? Have you ever considered joining a masters swimming club? Swimming is one of the most healthy, challenging and low impact forms of exercise you can participate in. You are never too old to start, regardless of your level of experience or ability, swimming is an exercise which caters for all ages. It is important that as we age, we choose exercises which are low impacting on joints and a good form of aerobic activity. Swimming is the ideal exercise to cater to your need.
Questions have been asked of swimming's influence on weight loss. Skeptics say it is difficult lose weight swimming. Well truth be told, it is difficult to lose weight full stop. Swimming as an exercise can benefit in weight loss. In conjunction with a healthy balanced diet, swimming regularly can help people lose weight, much the same as other physical activities, such as running. If you are overweight, swimming is perhaps the best way to exercise because it alleviates stress on the leg joints, which can result in injury if participating in land based exercises such as running or jogging. Swimming is also one of only a few exercises which work out the majority of the body's muscle groups so therefore is considered a total body cardiovascular workout.
Start a swimming routine.
The first thing to consider before starting a swimming routine, is to know your own body and it's limitations. Consult with a physician to make sure that you are in good physical condition before undertaking any training routine. Start slowly and increase your limits sensibly. Remember,the speed and distance is not as important as the amount of time you swim. According to the American Heart Association, just 30-60 minutes of physical activity 3-4 days per week can help reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A regular physical activity program can also help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
It is also a good idea to monitor your heart rate while swimming. The easiest method is to determine a maximum heart rate. In healthy adults, the maximum heart rate commonly recommended by physicians is the number "220" minus the age of the individual. For example;
Max heart rate minus age of participant equals determine maximum heart rate
220 - 54 = 166
Therefore the determined maximum heart rate is 166 beats per minute, check routinely while exercising.
First Consideration - Equipment
Swimsuit. Make sure you feel comfortable wearing your swimsuit. Most people don't even get over the first hurdle as they feel uncomfortable wearing their swimsuit in public and as a result never manage to get to swimming. So make sure to find a swimsuit you are comfortable wearing which fits properly and is durable. Several of the swimwear manufacturers offer fuller cut suits for swimmers who desire the less youthful styles.
Goggles. It is important to protect your eyes swimming especially with most pools busing chlorine. See everything more clearly with goggles as several manufacturers now make prescription goggles for people who need them. Swimming goggles should be snug, yet comfortable. Try out a few different pairs till you find the brand and style which best suits your face.
Pull-Buoy. I recommend using a pull-buoy as a training accessory. This piece of equipment is usually made of foam and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is placed between your legs above the knees and allows your lower body to float more while isolating your swimming to the upper body. It is a great way to work out your upper body whilst giving your lower body a chance to rest.
Kickboard. The next piece of training equipment I would recommend is a kickboard. This piece of equipment is usually made of foam and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. It allows your upper body to float while you kick with your legs. It is a great way to work out your lower body whilst you rest your upper body.
The kickboard is great to use in tandem with a pull-buoy. Swim one length with the kickboard followed by one length with the pull buoy and then a normal length. These training aids are great to help train different regions of the body.
Waterproof MP3 Player. Swimming can become monotonous especially swimming length after length. Try out the latest training aids such as waterproof MP3 players and Headphones. Music is a great way to motivate you whilst training and just because you are in the water does not mean you cannot train with sound.

Planning your swimming routine
Slowly slowly. We have all heard the adage slowly does it? Well starting any exercise regime, no truer word of advice can be adhered to. During the first week try swimming for 30 seconds and resting for 30 seconds. It is important that you don't push your body too hard as the first weeks of a training regime are the most common for injuries. Make sure you ease into your training.
Add Variety: Try varying the length of swimming/kicking time in relation to the resting time. When trying to increase the amount of time exercising, start by making the 30 second swimming time into 45 seconds while making the 30 second rest period into 15 seconds. Also, try different strokes, such as backstroke, breaststroke and get adventurous and try butterfly!
Watch the clock. It is important to keep time in your training regime. Make sure you are able to keep track of your swimming times, rest intervals as we need to be able to increase swimming time and decrease rest intervals to fully benefit from out swimming regime. Consider a sports watch.
Build your routine. Start with two or three days a week, and build your routine to include more days, if you are comfortable. Make sure to take enough rest to catch your breath in between repeats. If 30 seconds rest is not enough between swims, adjust your rest interval.
You can't swim too slowly. It is important that you swim to your capabilities and remember that training is not a speed race with other swimmers in the pool. You are swimming for yourself so therefore don't compare your effort, lengths swum, time taken and speed to other swimmers as swimming is an individual challenge.
Moving Ahead
Consider the "ten percent rule" that runners often use. Avoid increasing your weekly distance by more than ten percent over the previous week. This may sound overcautious, but it works. If you follow it, you should avoid injuries due to over-training.
Set realistic goals. Aim for the attainable and you won't get discouraged. There are many ways to set goals in swimming. It could be as simple as learning to do the stroke better, or counting your laps. The most important thing is to have fun with it.
Technique. Swimming is far more technical than most of us realise. Even Olympic swimmers continue to improve by refining their technique. The best way to do this is to have an instructor or a coach look at you while you swim. People who teach swimming often have suggestions about how to make your swimming more efficient and more enjoyable.
Train for a Fitness Event. Keeping motivated to swim is as easy as training for a fitness event, such as swimathon. It is a great way to set goals and targets as well as keep you motivated to train. Just make sure you have plenty of time to increase your fitness levels to help you achieve your target of completing the fitness event.

About the Author

Guven has been heavily involved in health and fitness for the past 25 years and is more than happy to share his vast experience in the field of weight loss, getting fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you are interested in more weight loss and fitness tips, check out his personal website, http://www.swimtoslim.com.

Get fit, lose weight or get healthy trying!