As lockdowns start to ease, especially in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe, pools will soon reopen for the public. However, after many months of not swimming, it's important to use these tips in order to make sure that you are prepared to get back in the water.
1. Mobility Work
Unless you live by the coast or have had access to an open-water swimming venues, it's unlikely that you have actually been swimming. Because we haven't been going through the exact paterns that you would when you swim, it's likely that your upper-body has become tighter. Especially if you have been adding in land-based swim-training or strength training. It's therefore very important to do some mobility work before getting into the water as it will help ease your body back into swimming.
This is because swimming requires a lot of flexibility, especially in the shoulders and the upper-body. Mobility exercises will help to regain some of that mobility that you may have lost during lockdown. Try adding in a couple of extra shoulder mobility exercises after a dryland training session or a yoga session, for example.
2. Getting The Feel For The Water Back
No matter how much dryland training you have been doing over the lockdown period, it will never be quite the same as actually swimming in the water. Therefore, it's going to take some time to regain that feeling - this time, however, we are hoping that you would have been able to maintain the strength in your arms. Even if you have lost the feeling for the water, it's important that you are able to maintain your strength.
When you do get back in the water it's super important that you are dialed in with your technique so that you can keep up your good habits while you relearn the muscle-memory that you once had. GB Pro Kieran Lindars suggest trying some skulling drills to try regain the feeling for the water. Kieran suggests using the front skull technique with your hands reached out in front making small skulling motions. He also suggests the under the body skull technique where you have your arms bent in a high-elbow position in the water.
3. Maximising Your Pool Time
If the reintroduction is anything like the first lockdown in the U.K, there will be a very limited amount of pool times and a strict schedule. One of the best ways Kieran maximises his limited pool time is by warming-up on the ZEN8 Swim Trainer at home before going to his pool swim-session. By being able to warm-up at home it allows you to maximise your swim time by cutting out a warm-up in the pool. If you only have 45 or 60 minutes in the pool, skipping the warm-up will save more time for specific swim-workouts and main-sets - thus maximising your time in the pool.
