Archive for category: Uncategorized

We are all aware of just how good swimming is but what are the real benefits of competitive swimming?

It is low impact

While competing will mean that you put in more effort than your leisurely swimmer, it is still a low impact exercise. Therefore, not only will you benefit from pushing yourself, you will also limit the damage caused to muscles and joints. Of course, this does depend on your technique but if you are swimming competitively then your technique is probably pretty good!

It keeps your brain active

Swimming competitively requires you to actively think about your stroke, your lengths and your times. All of these aspects of competitive swimming will keep your brain active and will give provide further benefits in other walks of life.

It improves your look

While many will go into competitive swimming for the chance to compete against others, not many go into it knowing that they will have a great physique. When you think about a swimmers physique it is lean, broad and strong and that in itself is a benefit.

Keeps you and others safe

If you are a competitive swimmer it essentially means that you are good in the water. You can probably swim long distances, using the correct techniques and that makes you safe around water. Between the age of 1 and 4, drowning is the biggest cause of death which is a staggering fact but being able to swim will give you the confidence to save someone should you see them in trouble in the water.

Swimming works for all ages

It does not matter how old you are, once you have learned the skill of swimming, you will be able to enter the pool and swim as much as your body will allow you. As a competitive swimmer now, it will give you the stamina and fitness to go on and continue swimming to a high level as you get older but even then, you will still be able to grace the water like a professional.

It is social

Taking part in swimming competitions and being part of a team will give your personal life real structure. It will also give you the ability to meet new people and form new friendships that stem from a sport you love and enjoy. When you are all training and working towards a common goal will bring you all closer together.

It gives you complete versatility

When you swim just to keep fit, you tend to stick with what you know but when you swim competitively, you will find that you will push yourself to try new things. This might be competing in a new stroke or even in a new competition but it will give you the chance to give yourself new targets as opposed to just standing still and playing it safe.

You can train in a way that suits you which means that you can either train for endurance or if you want to train for the shorter competitions then that is also possible.

 

If you want to enhance your training and become more efficient in the water then training fins are perfect. However, there are many out there to choose from but understanding which ones are right for you can prove difficult.

To determine which ones are right for you, you might need to speak with your swimming coach or even try out some that belong to friends, families or fellow swimmers. Fins are designed to give your ankles more flexibility in the water while also increase resistance all of which improves the strength in your lower body.

However, it is important that the fit properly and tightly without stopping your blood flow. If the fit is tighter then it will ensure that more power is transferred from the kick and through the fins.

Different brands are likely to have a different fit but they do fit in the same way as a shoe. So, with this in mind, what are the top five swimming fins currently available?

Aqua Sphere Microfin HP

This training fin is considered an all-rounder and is often the perfect choice for those of you who are having difficulty finding a fin that fits your feet. The foot pocket is ergonomically designed and that is why they are more suited to those with narrow feet.

They come with additional features such as raised rubber ribs to channel the water correctly as well as the right grip to improve your grip on the wall when carrying out a flip turn. These are great fins and offer excellent value for money.

Manu Training Fins

These are another set of all-rounder fins that are ideal for everyone. They are open-toed and have an enclosed heel while they 100% silicone offers comfort. These are perfect for beginners and can be purchased in three bright colours which makes them great for young ones.

Arena Powerfin Pro

These have been cleverly designed thanks to a surface that is sloping while the hydrodynamic slit at the top makes it possible to swim using a faster leg kick and a greater level of control. Ankle flexibility is enhanced through the open heel design and this provides a greater level of upwards motion and more power when carrying out the downward leg kick. This training fin is light and compact and comes with a number of features while also reducing the possibility of blisters.

Finis Positive Drive Fins

This swim training fin has been designed for all four swimming strokes which included the butterfly while also being lightweight and extremely comfortable. Due to their design, they are perfect for those who train using a number of strokes. It has a wide blade that is short and therefore, it encourages a natural inward supination style of kick for the Butterfly Freestyle and Backstroke.

Speedo Biofuse Fin

If you carry out basic training then this fin is perfect for you. The Speedo Biofuse technology means that they work with your body, giving you a sense of freedom and movement in the water. When compared to the Maru fins, they are heavier and feel more rigid which means that they are probably better suited for teenagers through to adults.

 

There is no doubt that Open Water swimming is exciting and fun but with it comes a wide range of benefits to your health. These benefits can enhance your wellbeing and make you feel great.

Improves your immune system

There have been many studies carried out on open water swimming and it has been found that it can improve your immune system. They found that those who swam in open water for an hour, three times a week benefited the most. They found that it constituted a shock or an attack to the body, which causes the body to react and boost the immune system.

It enhances circulation

Open water swimming can help to improve the circulatory system because of the change in temperature, it causes the body to pump more blood to the organs. This results in improved circulation and any impurities in the blood are removed easily. However, things are even better than that because it can also enhance your complexion as it can give your skin a healthy glow.

When it comes to boosting the skin, it has been found that swimming in the sea is the best option as it can improve certain conditions such as psoriasis. Alongside this, the British Association of Dermatologists has found that swimming regularly in the sea can help to decrease the symptoms that are associated with eczema.

Enhance mental health

In terms of mental wellbeing, it has been found that swimming in open water can help to improve it which can lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety. Removing yourself from the busy and hectic urban lifestyle and getting closer to nature will enable you to have more sunlight which can help to improve your levels of Vitamin D and serotonin, which work together to make you feel better.

In the same light as this, open water swimmers often say that they have a feeling of exhilaration, which is also backed medially as it is believed that it enhances the release of adrenalin and promotes a feeling of positivity. To see whether this is true, it could be worth finding out for yourself by heading off to your nearest lake, river or outdoor swimming pool.

You can burn more calories

Swimming is know to help you burn off all those unwanted calories and can help you get fit but Open Water swimming takes it even further. Swimming in cold water helps to burn more calories than you do when you swim in a normal swimming pool. This is down to the fact that you are not only burning calories by working hard in the water but also because the body is constantly working hard to keep your body temperature stable in a cold environment. It is a workout that targets the whole body.

Clearly, there are many benefits that come with open water swimming. If you enjoy being in the water or want to try something new then now could be the time to start swimming outdoors.

 

 

With summer fast approaching and more time spent outdoors, it is time to consider the best swimming toys that are available for children. We all know that children can spend hours in the pool, whether that is during a summer holiday under the blazing sun or in an indoor pool at home. Whatever it might be, keeping them busy in the water while ensuring that they have fun and continue to learn to swim can prove tricky but luckily, there is a solution! In fact, there are toys available that are both educational and fun at the same time, which means that your little swimmers will be able to enjoy their time in the water even more.

Intex Sea Turtle
This inflatable turtle has been designed to give your children plenty of hours of amusement in the water. They can ride it, float around on it or hold onto the easy-to grip handles to give them stability and security in the water. Whatever they choose to use it for, it will provide them with hours of laughter and are a great way of enhancing their swimming skills. 

SwimWays Disney Dive and Catch Game
This is the ultimate in water fun because this game will keep your children entertained for some time! For kids who love Disney, instantly this will be a hit with them but it will allow them to swim through the water and compete to see who can catch all of the fish the quickest in their net. Some of the creatures will float on the surface and others will sink which makes this a great motivational swim training tool.

Water Sports Swim Thru Rings

Swimming underwater takes practice but these Swim Thru Rings will encourage those children who are more confident in the water to take a peek at the underwater world while trying to swim through these rings. They can compete with friends to see who can swim through the most rings or to see who can swim through the deepest ring. With adjustable underwater depths and great colours, kids will really love these.

Zoggy Dive Sticks

This can involve you as a parent or it can simply be left to the children to enjoy but the Zoggy Dive Sticks will provide hours of fun. Again, this is a toy that is aimed for little swimmers who are more confident in the water but again, it can help them to feel comfortable swimming underwater. Either you or the child can throw the sticks into the pool, allowing them to sink before the children head off for an underwater treasure hunt. They can have races, see who can pick up the most sticks or simply practice their diving.

Splash Balls

For little ones who are still yet to get used to being in the water, Splash Balls are a great way of allowing them to have a feel of the water but they are not just limited to really small children. This is because older children can use them to play catch with in the pool or to throw and swim after as part of a fun race to see who can collect them all first.

 

As with any form of exercise, having something to inspire you and make you work harder can make the world of difference. Many people love to listen to their favourite music when it comes to training because it gives them something to focus on but also helps them to feel good. For decades, swimmers always lost out on being able to listen to music while they swim but technology makes this possible and so, they can now listen to their favourite tracks while swimming lengths but when it comes to choosing an MP3 player, it is important to determine how you plan to use it.

If you swim infrequently and do not spend a huge amount of time in the water then you could opt for one that is partially waterproof but all of this changes if you swim in deeper water on a regular basis. This is because you will require one that carried the right rating for the depth that you swim at or else it could become damaged. Once you understand what you require, you can then choose your waterproof MP3 player. The following five waterproof Mp3 players will certainly give you the chance to listen to your favourite songs when you are in the water.

AudioFlood iPod Shuffle

This is a waterproof version of the original model but this comes in six different colours to suit your needs. It has a capacity of 2GB which gives you plenty of space for your music and it comes with 15 hours of battery life. If you are familiar with iTunes then this is a great option. Short-cord headphones, a swim cap included and a depth rating of 200 feet should make this a great choice.

WaterFi 8GB

This has more storage than the shuffle as it can hold 2,000 songs, which is a large amount of music to choose from while exercising in the water. It can be submerged in up to 20 feet of water and there is no software required to use this. A one year warranty will also give peace of mind should anything go wrong.

Swimbuds Syryn

This is a great waterproof MP3 player that offers a shuffle feature for those of you who like to mix things up. Along with that, they come with adjustable goggle, a tube of FitGoo and a hair product that is designed to protect your hair. The manufacturers have also acknowledged the fact that everyone has different needs when it comes to their earphone tips and so, it comes with several handy different sized ear tips.

Sigomatech 8GB Swimming

This is waterproof to a depth of 10ft, which is ideal for those who do not dive to extreme depths. It comes in standard colours such as black, blue and pink and is durable which means that you do not have to worry about how you handle it. It is light when attached to goggles and delivers an excellent sound while a full charge takes around two hours.

AGPTek 8GB S66

A neat MP3 player that supports a wide range of file formats. The headphones are particularly useful as they have coiled sections that have just enough stretch in them to fit comfortably without wires getting in the way of your stroke. Again, these come with three ear tip sizes and has enough of a capacity to hold a large volume of tracks.