It might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to getting fit. You can burn up to 400 calories per hour and increase your metabolism without putting too much stress on your joints or melting into a sweat puddle. Proper form and technique are essential to reap the benefits of head-to-toe.
How do you fix it? First, practice on dry ground. Start by taking a deep, inhaling through your mouth. Next, exhale slowly through your nose. As you do, hum, suggests Bay. Bay says that if you hum as you inhale out of your nose, it will help you keep a steady pace. You’re forced to take it slow and not rush. Next, you need to inhale the water. Once you have taken your deepest breath and placed your face into the water, exhale slowly through your nose. Then, lift your face from the water as soon as it is time.
How to fix: Keep your head down and your chin at your neck. Take a deep breath and place your head on the side that is not in the water.
Make #3: Your hips are too low.
This creates more drag in the water. This creates more drag, which eventually slows you down. Corbin states that the goal is to “stay flat, float on top and glide across the water,” not drop in it. Many beginners fall into the trap of letting their hips sink, such as allowing their feet to sink below the water’s surface. This makes it harder for their bodies to get to their destination.
How to fix: Get a snorkel or take the one you have on your last Caribbean trip. She says that wearing a snorkel will allow you to stop focusing on your breathing to the sides. Instead, you can concentrate on your arms moving through the water and your breath while keeping your hips high.
Make #4: Keep your hips straight.
Rotating your hips is another common problem. Many swimmers depend on their upper body or legs to propel them through the water. Corbin says that most of your power is generated by your hips, as they control the upper and lower bodies. This movement will slow down your momentum if you don’t have this movement.
How do you fix it? Start with visualization. Corbin suggests that you imagine your belly button extending to the pool walls with every stroke. Then think about rotating with your core muscle. Your core will help you move through the water more quickly by rotating your trunk.
Make #5: You point your feet.
Bay states that this is a common error because it’s easy for people to forget about the tiny guys at the bottom of their feet. They play an important role in your speed and direction, Bay says. Pointing them out is like kicking and not going anyplace because it tightens your ankles. Swimmers want flexible ankles in water to help accelerate their pace.
What to do: Curl your toes as if picking up a penny from the floor. Bay says it keeps your ankles open and helps you to keep your foot in the correct direction.
Swimming short and fast is better than swimming slow and long.
Mistake #6: You rely too heavily on your upper body.
Corbin says, “Swimming requires your entire body.” “Most people mistakenly believe swimming is just for the upper body.” However, if you rely on your arms, shoulders and lats to complete the stroke, it will not only exhaust your muscles but also cause you to be unable to cut through the water as fast.
Mistake #7: Don’t stop working on your strokes.
Bay says, “Unfortunately, many people pull their hand out from the water before it reaches their hips because they want to get to the beginning of a new stroke too fast.” Bay says, “That’s counterintuitive.” You are wasting your energy by not getting the best out of the work you have just done.
How do you fix it? Simply put, complete the work that you started. Corbin says that your forearm is a paddle to propel water forward while swimming.
