Outside of the thrill of competition, swimming lap after lap in a pool can become a bit monotonous to say the very least. Staring at that blue line an the pool’s tiled floor, or gazing upward at the ceiling can lose its appeal after the first five or ten minutes. Unlike other cardio activities, such as running where the outside environment is ever changing or pedalling on a bike across a steep mountainous trail, swimming lacks distractions that can make the time pass quicker.
In answer to that there has been headway in supplying those with an aquatic affinity a means to mix things up, keep themselves motivated to swim longer than it takes for the boredom factor to take over, and also pump you up at the same time. The remedy is waterproof music players, with will allow you to stroke away to your heart’s delight to the sweet tunes of your favourite music.
Music is not only a wonderful distraction and also a way to get you into the zone or more in tune with yourself and your body, but it is also a proven source of motivation. Clinical studies have shown that when working out to the pulsing beat of an up tempo song exercisers have been able to go longer and more intensely in their workout bouts. What this means is that your swimming strength, endurance, and overall fitness could benefit as well!
These studies found that especially in moments when one’s focus could wane or fatigue starts to set in, music was able to help one block out the pain and they continued onward. Outside of improving your performance, listening to music while in the pool is nothing short than a brilliant way to tick off those minutes and make your time all that more enjoyable.
Yet critics aren’t too keen on the idea as they say that swimmers tuned into their MP3 players and headphones aren’t going to be able to be as aware of their surroundings. The music may block out the sound of a lifeguard’s whistle and could potentially become a safety hazard.
They do have a point, but one could argue that there is a sound dial for a reason. Is it not possible to still have the music playing in the background but not have it up so loud that you are blocked out from any outside noises?
Secondly, if you plan on doing the majority of your swimming in a lane and are away from the path of others you shouldn’t pose a threat to any other swimmers in the pool. It seems that the benefits of swimming with music, beating the boredom factor and improving your fitness, outweigh the potential pitfalls. This is because you can combat those by listening at a reasonable level and just remaining conscious of the area around you.
You might have seen the myriad articles about Michael Phelps’ ‘unique’ dietary habits – reports range from 10 egg omlettes to French toast with powdered sugar – but one thing which crops up again and again is his use of sports supplements.
Yet not to be overlooked are the amazing islands of Gozo, Comino and Malta, where you can get in a cool 6 km each day in true island hopping style! There are excellent tours at this locale where coaches can help you perfect your form and technique to ensure that with each stroke you are most efficient.
With the recent announcement of London coming out on top for the hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympics, already preparations are being staged for this grand honour. For athletes however, the meticulous planning, rigorous training, and childhood dreams have been put in place years before 2012 may have entered the thoughts of many. Yet, that does not mean, that with the impending summer games, and notably the Olympic swimming events, the hopes, aspirations, and competitions riding on them has captured the intrigue of swimming fans as well as regular men and women around the world.
In fact, despite being from different countries, backgrounds, and varying experiences, fans and swimmers alike can come together and be pulled into the purity of the competition. Untainted by biases, or partial judges, in swimming races there are clear winners. The sport inspires hope and demands the respect of not only the contestants but any who witness. As speedo swimwear works to stay at the forefront of aquatic technology, in doing so it is no coincidence that in the later decades performance times have drastically improved. With the developments that speedo swimwear has been able to add to its swimwear lines, water resistance has been reduced and times have dropped.
