Learn to swim before you can crawl.
Before getting in the pool, it is incredibly important that you nail down the basics of your swimming skills. Even if you are a very experienced swimmer, it is crucial that you perfect each of the basic swimming skills.
Using a swim trainer can help you become more confident before stepping into the water. The ZEN8 swim trainer is ideal for all levels of swimmers, from beginners to experts. Wether you want to increase your confidence before you get in the pool, or wether you want to perfect your strokes. Using the ZEN8 swim trainer alongside the following tips presented by SwimUp will increase your confidence in the pool or help you shed seconds off your time.
1. Kicking
Kicking when swimming is very similar to kicking a football. SwimUp recommends that with every kick, imagine you are giving a football a small kick, but not too big or you will start to sink. In swimming, you start with your leg up towards the surface and then kick downwards. Make sure that you are activating your entire leg, from pelvis to toes. You can practice this while lying down on the ZEN8 inflatable swimming bench.
2. Arm Stroke
First, make sure your arm is flat and pointing out straight. The next step, according to SwimUp is to face your elbow outwards; up towards the sky with your palm facing downwards. Then, keep your elbow up and your arm at a 90 degree angle and try to catch as much water as possible. Imagine that you are pushing a chair away behind you. As you pull back, make sure that your other arm remains pointing straight forward. The ZEN8 swim trainer is ideal for practicing and perfecting your arm stroke before you get into the water.
3. Arm Recovery
After performing a swimming stroke the most important way to bring your arm back to the front, before performing another stroke, is to use your shoulder. SwimUp suggest bringing your arm fully out of the water in between each stroke, using your shoulder and never dragging your arm through the water. Remember to raise your elbow out of the water as much as possible.
4. Correct Body Position
Maintaining the correct body position during the entire swim in essential, as it will reduce drag, make you more streamlined and quicker in the water. Keep your body parallel to the water, your eyes facing down and your face fully submerged. Try to stretch your body out as much as possible from fingers to pelvis to toes. The ZEN8 swimming bench allows you to maintain a flat and horizontal position whilst you perfect your swimming strokes.
5. Breathing
Breathing is one of the most important and difficult aspects in swimming. Timing is everything. When exhaling, make sure your face is underwater. Exhaling whilst your face is turned out of the water will slow you down and give you less time to breath. Breathing during swimming is a rhythm that needs to be maintained.