Be A Lazy Swimmer – Swim Smart

Very few athletes that I see or coach are lazy. Quite the opposite! But, many swimmers work extremely hard and that excessively hard work does not pay off in expected gains. Instead of working harder to make small gains, why not think about working smarter. By training smart, and swimming lazily you should see more improvements. Many times, young and old swimmers get burned out with excessive training sessions. With smarter swimming, you will be more likely to enjoy your training and get more out of it. We all want to go as far and as fast as we can for each and every stroke, for minimal energy. That’s the ethos of swimming lazy

Swim Smarter with Mindfulness

The first, and best way to swim smarter is to swim mindfully. Think about what you are doing. Too many people will swim fast, but not pay attention to the quality of their strokes. If you are not using your body the right way, you will not better your strokes, your strength, and your flexibility. You might get a good aerobic workout, but you might not actually get much faster. It is better to swim slower, smoother and calmer while paying close attention to the technique of your strokes. Are your hips at the surface? Are you swimming from your core? Are you dragging yourself along? Are you connecting with the water with power? Are you kicking with more than just your calf muscles? Make smart adjustments to use less effort, and get the most out of your swimming. Swim lazy!

Swim Smarter with Drills During Your Workouts

No matter how often you swim and no matter how long you swim, it is a good idea to add some swimming drills. These can be sets of laps that should be completed in a certain amount of time, or it can be something as simple as using pull buoys or paddles. It is always a good idea to try to do something intentional while you spend time in the pool. Drills can help you focus on strength, speed, stroke, or breathing. Make your workout smarter by actually swimming with a purpose.

Occasionally, Take it Easy

Finally, give yourself some time to recover. Pushing hard all the time is like driving a car and constantly bashing against the rev limiter. To change gear, there has to be a drop in the revolutions of the engine. Use the easier swimming and recovery time to be aware of your stroke and take control. Then when your body is feeling a bit more refreshed, you can attack a few more sessions or sets again.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch; either by email, facebook or leave a comment on here! Remember, you can always get your swimming reviewed in the endless pool with our video swim analysis packages.

See what’s up next week for our #SwimTechTues tip!