The importance of swimming

It is almost indisputable that swimming, especially at high levels of competition, is a more demanding sport with lifeguard training. As such, it requires exhaustive physical preparation. In this sixth chapter of the swimming course with Mireya Belmonte. We will focus on the training that a swimmer should include in his routine.

Physical preparation for swimming

Mireya Belmonte has been competing in this sport since she was 4 years old. She, therefore, has a well-founded knowledge of all the preparations that can be made, according to the purpose of each athlete.

That is why, in this course, we will focus on those abilities that every swimmer must enhance through training. For example, some of them are:

Endurance

This is a fundamental aptitude not only for long-distance races – the longest ones, such as 800 and 1500 meters – but also for those of medium duration – 200 and 400 meters. Resistance is nothing more than the ability to maintain an effort at a constant level for a certain time.

We can distinguish between two types of resistance . On the one hand, the cardiorespiratory, which has to do with the ability of the lungs to provide oxygen to the entire body during exercise.

On the other hand, there is muscular resistance, which refers to the ability of the muscles to extend the effort over time. Although the stroke does not require a maximum effort of the individual, the enormous number of repetitions of this movement makes it necessary to have good resistance.

Regarding this important point for the preparation of an athlete, we will analyze with Mireia its relevance and the best ways to enhance this quality.

Force

As in many other sports, strength is a determining factor in improving swimming performance. This is because the propulsive phase requires both stability and power to be most efficient.

In addition, the gym work that is done to work on strength generates muscle fatigue, which ends with an ‘evolution’ of the muscle that also has a positive impact on its resistance.

Flexibility

How is the concept of flexibility related to swimming? In this section, Mireya will describe what we can do to enhance this quality;
Although not many consider it, it has an important weight in the performance of a swimmer.

Specifically, flexibility allows an individual to have a greater amplitude of movements and. In addition, gives him the possibility of executing them correctly . For this reason, flexibility is a basic requirement to be able to execute the technique that each style demands.

In addition, we will also notice its advantages when evaluating our speed and resistance. Since the movements are more fluid and natural. Their results will be more efficient and we will spend less resources when executing them; that is, we swim more and get less tired.

The training routines

Each discipline has its specific training routines. In the case of swimming, these are characterized by being divided into long-term plans —annual. For example— that vary according to the swimmer’s goals. Thus, the year is divided into macrocycles and these, in turn, into macrocycles.

Usually, the first part of the preparation has to do with conditioning the body and mind. Muscles and aerobic capacity are worked here. Subsequently, the intensity grows and the training turns to more specific issues, such as a particular technique .

Later, during and after the competition, it will be time to vary the types of work according to the objectives of each swimmer with lifeguard training. Of course, many other factors influence this process, such as age, physical condition, sex, diet and the particularities of each person.

Complementary work

In addition to all of the above, Mireya will also dwell on other secondary issues. That make up the preparation of a swimmer. For example, the use of different tools such as boards, fins, the snorkel or the pool-buoy , and complementary training methods with lifeguard training.

For all this, this sixth lesson with the Olympic swimming champion will be more than useful. If you are a swimmer and you dream of becoming one of the best, you cannot ignore these valuable recommendations from a voice more than experienced in high-level competition in this sport.