Swimming is one of the most popular of all fitness activities. It can be pleasurable, allowing for the physical expression of fluidity and grace as well as of power, speed, and stamina. Swimming conditions the cardiorespiratory system and it tones and strengthens the body. As such, it can be an excellent tool for improving and maintaining lifelong fitness.
Improperly done, though, swimming can be an exhausting and excruciating struggle that makes you feel like you are almost drowning. It is estimated that fewer than two percent of Americans who call themselves swimmers are able to swim more than 500 yards without stopping. It is technique, not physical conditioning, that limits most swimmers. Their technique causes them to waste so much energy that they fatigue quickly and must stop long before they receive any aerobic benefit. For these people, swimming is more of a survival skill than a fitness tool.
Perhaps you can swim for extended periods but you still have room for improvement. Perhaps you currently swim for fitness, or to train for a triathlon or for Masters competition, or perhaps just for the pleasure of being in the water. Regardless, chances are that you envy certain swimmers who are faster, more efficient, or simply look more like real swimmers.
Swimming is a technique-limited sport. It is more like golf in this respect than running or cycling. As with golf, almost anyone who is willing to spend enough time and effort practicing can learn and maintain the skills necessary for fluid, graceful swimming. The fitness payoff for such practice can be enormous.
Few other activities offer a full-body workout that people can fully participate in even when they are well beyond the age at which participation in other sports is unthinkable. Few swimmers, however, reach the fluid, graceful stage without following the plan of a coach, an instructor, a video, a book, or a combination thereof. My hope is that this book will serve as a kind of road map that will start or keep you on course to a lifelong, pleasurable, and beneficial relationship with the water.
The information in the first three chapters lays the groundwork for your training. Chapter 1 introduces you to swimming as a lifelong sport and covers the benefits of making a habit of swimming. Chapter 2 helps you choose the proper swimming equipment to fit your needs and offers suggestions on finding the best places to swim. Chapter 3 defines what swimming fitness is and helps you determine your current swimming skill and conditioning level. The information in these chapters will help you identify where you are starting, give you ideas for where you might want to go, and ensure you have what you need to start the journey.
Improperly done, though, swimming can be an exhausting and excruciating struggle that makes you feel like you are almost drowning. It is estimated that fewer than two percent of Americans who call themselves swimmers are able to swim more than 500 yards without stopping. It is technique, not physical conditioning, that limits most swimmers. Their technique causes them to waste so much energy that they fatigue quickly and must stop long before they receive any aerobic benefit. For these people, swimming is more of a survival skill than a fitness tool.
Perhaps you can swim for extended periods but you still have room for improvement. Perhaps you currently swim for fitness, or to train for a triathlon or for Masters competition, or perhaps just for the pleasure of being in the water. Regardless, chances are that you envy certain swimmers who are faster, more efficient, or simply look more like real swimmers.
Swimming is a technique-limited sport. It is more like golf in this respect than running or cycling. As with golf, almost anyone who is willing to spend enough time and effort practicing can learn and maintain the skills necessary for fluid, graceful swimming. The fitness payoff for such practice can be enormous.
Few other activities offer a full-body workout that people can fully participate in even when they are well beyond the age at which participation in other sports is unthinkable. Few swimmers, however, reach the fluid, graceful stage without following the plan of a coach, an instructor, a video, a book, or a combination thereof. My hope is that this book will serve as a kind of road map that will start or keep you on course to a lifelong, pleasurable, and beneficial relationship with the water.
The information in the first three chapters lays the groundwork for your training. Chapter 1 introduces you to swimming as a lifelong sport and covers the benefits of making a habit of swimming. Chapter 2 helps you choose the proper swimming equipment to fit your needs and offers suggestions on finding the best places to swim. Chapter 3 defines what swimming fitness is and helps you determine your current swimming skill and conditioning level. The information in these chapters will help you identify where you are starting, give you ideas for where you might want to go, and ensure you have what you need to start the journey.
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