The Essential Tool for Improvement

The key piece of equipment you need is a swimming training belt. This belt fits around your waist and secures with a Velcro strap. The bungee cord attaches to a loop on the belt, and most products come with an additional length of rope to anchor it securely. You can attach it to a pool fence—like I do with a palm tree—allowing you to swim indefinitely without drifting too far.

Benefits of Swimming for Health

Swimming is primarily low-impact, which means that being in water alleviates the effects of gravity. This makes your body feel lighter and reduces stress on your joints, making it an ideal option for rehabilitation and recovery. The buoyancy allows for a greater range of motion in your joints, as all major joints engage—shoulders, hips, knees, and more. Different strokes can focus on various body parts, but overall, swimming activates the entire body.

The increased blood circulation during swimming helps transport oxygen and nutrients throughout your body while also flushing out metabolic waste products like lactic acid. This effect is further enhanced by hydrostatic pressure, which is the force water exerts on submerged objects. As you go deeper, this pressure increases, requiring your respiratory system to work harder. This means that what feels like a heart rate of 80 beats per minute on land can translate to 90 beats per minute in water.

In addition to this cardiovascular benefit, swimming has been shown to decrease inflammation, which can enhance future athletic performance. The improved blood flow from hydrostatic pressure helps remove inflammation, leading to reduced soreness and a more positive mindset, ultimately aiding in quicker recovery.

How to Optimize Your Swimming Sessions

While I don't claim to be an expert, I've found that applying standard training techniques can be beneficial in the pool.

HIIT Training

Swimming is an excellent avenue for High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It’s a low-impact alternative to sprinting, making it comparable to cycling. For effective tracking, you'll need a timing device and a chest-strap heart monitor (HRM) since wrist-based monitors aren't as reliable in the water. Both the Polar H10 and Garmin HRM-Pro are effective options.

You won’t be able to see your timer while swimming, so you’ll need to calculate your intervals by stroke count. For instance, I can complete 15 freestyle strokes in approximately 20 seconds. Once you're set up, perform your HIIT as you would on land—just set your smartwatch for a duration of 10 to 20 minutes and enjoy this refreshing workout approach.

Active Recovery Sessions

Alternatively, you can use your swimming time for active recovery. Aim for low to moderate-intensity cardio for 10 to 20 minutes. Breaststroke is particularly effective for this type of session, allowing you to swim at a comfortable pace while easily managing your breathing.

Take the Plunge

If you're fortunate enough to have access to a home pool, consider incorporating swimming into your fitness routine. Even at a commercial pool, the same principles and benefits apply. Personally, I aim for at least two sessions a week, using swimming as an active recovery method. The feeling afterward is invigorating and positively impacts my subsequent workouts.

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