9 Reasons for Women to Love Swimming

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Emma

At times us women think of every reason why not to jump in the pool! But here are 8 reasons that we think will convince you otherwise!

1. Weight loss – Swimming is brilliant for burning fat and boosting your metabolism making losing weight much easier. Continuous exercise like swimming can burn up to 400 calories per hour if you push yourself (that’s a whole chocolate bar!!)

2. Tones muscles – Swimming tones your muscles rather than builds them up giving you a leaner, slimmer figure.

3. It firms your bust – the water environment gives more of a focus onto your breathing pattern as you can’t breathe when you would always want to, as you can do with land based sports. By working on your breathing pattern it helps to improve the muscles between your ribs and your pectoral muscles too which helps to give your bust a more pert, firm feel!

4. De-stress – Swimming is great fun and is proven to heighten your hormones so you enjoy the water. Not just does swimming help you to beat the stress it gives you time to think which you don’t always get a spare 5 minutes for in the day time.

5. Reverses your age – we all try to combat wrinkles and the ageing process and swimming can help that too. The pressure of the water works against your body the whole time and regular resistance exercise encourages your metabolism to work harder as well as give out hormones to reverse ageing. pregnant-bikini-200

6.Pregnant? – swimming is a sport highly recommended for pregnant women. The low intensity of the sport allows you to spend more time exercising without suffering any injuries. The water around you suspends your body, reducing pressure on your joints and helps you to feel weightless.

7. Quicker than other sports – Just half an hour of swimming is the equivalent of a 45-60 minute workout on land. The water puts pressure on your body so you are always working against a resistance, a little more challenging than the air. So career women or those who aren’t a fan of exercise will appreciate this!

8.Total body workout – Swimming doesn’t just work a few muscles in your body, it works all muscles! mum-and-baby-200 By working all muscles you tone your arms, legs, tummy and shoulders as well as everywhere else. It doesn’t just tone though, it improves your flexibility and mobility too.

9. Solo or social – you can take part in swimming on your own, with friends or take the kids down to the pool for family fun. This sport is so versatile, it doesn’t need to be a gruelling workout to make a difference to your life

So ladies, what are you waiting for? Grab your swimming costume and head to your local swimming pool!

Stretching Before Performing…Good or Bad?

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Emma

No swimmer would think twice about starting a race or tough training session with cold, tight muscles. You want to give yourself the best performance possible and at least a short warm up makes you feel like you are getting your body ready for what’s coming up.

But does all this stretching actually have any affect at all on your swimming performance?

At the University of Western Australia, researchers have examined the effects of two different types of warm ups to no warm up before a time trial. Now the results of this were pretty unexpected and found that their warm ups had no benefit on any sprint swimming at all. These swimmers performed no better than the swimmers without warm ups!

For me personally, even if physically it doesn’t make a difference to my performance, I would still stretch and take part in a warm up or stretching as I then feel more mentally prepared. It helps me to focus, ease my nerves, psyche myself up and as they say ‘get in the zone!’

So what do you do – stretch or no stretch?

How to swim with less effort

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Fiona

Jumping into the pool to swim with a group of triathletes some five or so years ago I knew the learning curve was going to be pretty steep. But I had no concept of just how steep it would prove to be. But since that first swim session – some months after which the coach revealed “you looked like clothes in a washing pool as you thrashed and splashed your way up the pool” – I have progressed.

Slowly but surely I have discovered the complicated art of swimming through the water and not against it. I have learned about the importance of the “catch” in freestyle, body positioning, core strength, leg kick, head rotation, and so much more.

The key to swimming in a triathlon is that you use as little effort as possible, so that after the swim section you still have enough energy to complete the bike and run sections of the race. Of course, you still want to complete the swim in as fast a time as possible, but it is still important to balance effort and speed.

A guide to swimming with less effort

What’s the temperature? A swimming pool that is too warm can be over-bearing and exhausting. A pool that is to cool will inhibit your muscle range and movement. According to the National Oceanographic Data Centre most people feel comfortable in water that’s between 70 and 78F. If the water is a little cooler when you jump in try treading water or jumping up and down to warm up your muscles.

Lift weights: Adding a session or two of strengthening work to your weekly exercise timetable will help to improve your swimming ability. Core muscles are key to keeping your balance so that you can swim in a straight line and go as efficiently as possible through the water. An alternative to weights would be yoga or Pilates.

Rhythm of your breath: Breath too little and you’ll end up dizzy. Breathe too often and you’ll upset the rhythm of your stroke. The aim when swimming is to breathe every third stroke, and on alternating sides. Breathe by lifting one side of your face out of the water rather than picking up your whole head.

Minimise the drag: To swim effortlessly through the water you might want to consider becoming a dolphin! If you think about how streamlined these creatures are, you’ll realise that the reason they can swim so fast and efficiently is because they create very little drag in the water. The more your body creates drag in the water the slower it will be when swimming. So make sure you are swimming as smoothly through the water as possible. Join a coached session or ask a friend to video you while swimming. You will see all sorts of problems, such as a hand or arm that isn’t propelling you smoothly enough, a bent back or a raised head. Now you can work on correcting these small misdemeanours!

Different strokes: While freestyle (or the crawl) is the choice for most triathletes and competitive swimmers, breast-stroke or back stroke might suit you better. Try all of the strokes to work out which one you prefer. Remember that you still want to achieve some speed, but you also don’t want to burn up all your energy on your first lap.

Make a big splash for Swimathon

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Fiona

The UK’s biggest swimming charity event, Swimathon, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The nationwide event, launched by model Jodie Kid and former champion swimmer Duncan Goodhew, takes place on the weekend of April 27 to 29.

Swimathon Weekend participants can raise funds for swimming for Marie Curie Cancer Care by choosing to swim the individual 2.km or 5km or the team/corporate 5km challenge. Others, who opt to raise money for the Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief can take part individually or as part of a team.

At the recent launch of the annual charity swimming event, Jodie said: “I‘m delighted to help launch the 25th Swimathon – and in such a special sporting year for this country.

“With all the talk of being inspired to take up exercise in 2012, it’s events like this that give us all that sometimes necessary goal to aim for. Whilst I can’t claim to be a fish in the water exactly, diving into my local pool is something I definitely enjoy. And even more so now that I can take in my little boy with me.”

Duncan, who is the Swimathon president and a former Olympic swimmer, added:

“We all know that 2012 will be a very special year for sport in Britain. In our 25th Anniversary year, we’d love to add to the half a million people who have taken part in the event over the years to dive into pools up and down the country. Teaming up with the Big Splash is not only a great way to help make this happen, but should also boost the total funds raised for two important charities; Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sport Relief.”

Be one of the first 10,000 people to sign up online for a Swimathon Weekend session before 31 January 2012 and you’ll enjoy half price entry. Swimmer entry is open until 25 April 2012. We are planning to swim a couple of Swimathons with my eight year old promising to swim the whole 5Km by himself! You can enter here.

marie-curie-150 Swimathon Weekend participants can raise funds for swimming for Marie Curie Cancer Care by choosing to swim the individual 2.km or 5km or the team/corporate 5km challenge. Others, who opt to raise money for the Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief, can take part individually or as part of a team.

At the recent launch of the annual charity swimming event, Jodie said: “I‘m delighted to help launch the 25th Swimathon – and in such a special sporting year for this country.

Duncan, who is the Swimathon president and a former Olympic swimmer, added: “We all know that 2012 will be a very special year for sport in Britain because of the Olympics. In our 25th Anniversary year, we’d love to add to the half a million people who have taken part in the event over the years to dive into pools up and down the country.

“Teaming up with the Big Splash is not only a great way to help make this happen, but should also boost the total funds raised for two important charities, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sport Relief.”

Image courtesey of QuietLaughter

Swimmer Aimee qualifies for Olympics

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Fiona

Almost three decades after her dad swam in the Olympics for Britain, teenager Aimee Willmot celebrated as she took her place as one of five qualifiers for the London Olympics.

Nineteen-year-old Aimee could not have looked more delighted as she swam home in second place, behind Hannah Miley, in the 400 metres individual medley at the new Olympic Aquatic Centre recently.

Aimee, of Middlesbrough, also pulled of a personal best, with a very impressive time of 4min 37.48sec.

Swimming history repeats itself

It was 28 years ago that dad Stuart finished 15^th in the men’s 400 medley in the Los Angeles Olympics. After qualifying, Aimee laughed and said: “Hopefully I can do better than him.”

Aimee is currently taking a year away from her education to focus on swimming and it’s clear her efforts have paid off with her Olympic place.

She is reported as saying: “’I stayed at home and was just training all the time. I have been in the gym in the middle of the day and just stepped everything up. I knew I could do it. It was just whether I could get in and do it on the day.”

In the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Aimee took fifth place in the 400m individual medley, which was won by Scotland’s super swimmer Hannah.

London Olympics 2012 Swimwear and Swimming Equipment

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Emma

Here at Simply Swim we have got a fantastic range of swimwear and swimming equipment all in celebration of the huge event hitting England this year – the London Olympics 2012.

These products are all from the very top swimming brands including Maru, Speedo and London 2012, so take a look at our favourite items to complete your kit bag…

This Speedo holdall is perfect for holding all your swimming equipment in as well as representing your country. The huge space will hold everything from fins to towels to kickboards as the breathable fabric will allow everything to dry out in style.

Wanting to up your training so you could possibly make the Olympic team in the future? Why not try out the Maru Reversible Union Jack Drag Shorts to create more resistance whilst swimming!

This Maru swimsuit is the way to get yourself noticed in your next swimming training session. A sparkly, metallic finish and Union Jack print is eye catching and totally stylish for the water. Pay tribute to the England swimming team with this fabulous swimsuit.

Don’t worry guys, there’s swimwear for you too! The Union Jack Pacer Trainer from Maru is perfect for regular pool use and swimming training for all aspiring Olympic swimmers. The chlorine resistant fabric ensures these trainers will last you incredibly well.

A swimming cap is a must have piece of equipment for all those with slightly longer hair as they help to keep the hair off of your face and under control. This Union Jack Cap is made from soft and durable silicone ensuring you have total comfort and a great fit.

Be part of Team GB with this London 2012 towel! Soft and luxurious, this swimming towel will make a fantastic piece of your swimming essentials this year.

Keep all your swimming equipment together in the Union Jack Mesh Bag from fantastic swimming brand Maru. A mesh bag allows all your wet equipment to dry out quickly as well as lightly protecting against knocks, loss and damages.

Why filming will boost swim technique

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Fiona

Frustrated by your swimming speed? Unsure what it is – exactly – that you are doing wrong in the pool? Trying to improve you kick, or pull, or catch, or body position or any one of the numerous parts of the swimming technique that you need to master to become faster?

Many swimmers now swear by underwater videoing. For most it’s not a case of knowing what to do to improve their swim technique, it’s more that they can’t see exactly what they are doing wrong. And even the smallest adjustment of leg position, head and catch action can make a huge difference to overall speed and efficiency.

For amateur triathlete Jo it wasn’t until she actually saw her swimming technique on video that she could begin to understand the myriad adjustments to be made to improve her swimming speed.

She says: “I had been attending coaching sessions for about six months and I had listened and learned a great deal. My swimming was really improving but I still couldn’t grasp exactly what I was suppose to be doing with my leg kick and my arm catch.

“I really thought I was doing all that the coach said but I wasn’t. Seeing my swim technique on video highlighted some of the areas in which I thought I was good but in fact I was lacking.

“For example, I had no idea that my left hand was entering the water with the fingers pointing upwards instead of down. I could also see that my arm catch was falling way short of where I thought it was. And I wasn’t pushing through to the end of the stroke at the side of my body so you could actually see bubbles in the water where I was creating drag. And, as swimmers all know, drag is not good!”

Rise and rise of swim filming

Swimming film sessions are becoming more popular at swimming and triathlon clubs across the country. The decreasing cost of an underwater video camera makes it possible for more clubs to invest in the technology.

Many of these high-resolution video cameras combines an underwater lens and an above the surface camera to monitor it.

Out of the water, the camera is linked up to a computer or TV screen to give coaches and swimmers instant feedback in helping to refine swimming technique.

The benefits of viewing a swimmer underwater, rather than above the water, are as clear as the pool water itself.

As one coach said: “It’s one thing for me to tell a swimmer how to do their stroke, it’s another to actually see what they are doing. They may think they are doing the right thing, and then they see, ‘Oh I’m not doing that at all.’ ”

Do you suffer with foot cramp during swimming training?

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Emma

After a sharp freestyle turn, quite often us swimmers suffer with muscle spasms and pain in the sole of the foot. Even after a good stretch it still feels impossible to continue. This isn’t just relevant for pool swimmers, but often open water swimmers suffer too. Here we take a look at the reasons why we get foot cramp when swimming and have some handy suggestions to help prevent it.

Why do we get cramp?

The main muscles which are used in the foot when you are in that excellent streamlined position which you have been practising are the plantar fascia. These muscles cramp up and cause us pain for a number of different reasons:

You become tired
Your muscles are over-worked
You are dehydrated
You have an electrolyte deficiency

How can it be prevented? happy-feet-200

The first thing we suggest is ensuring you stay hydrated. This doesn’t mean just drinking normal water, it means using drinks that contain electrolytes so you replace the components that are lost when you sweat. Common drinks that contain electrolytes are Lucozade sports drinks.

One tip a swimming coach once suggested to me, was to add a pinch of salt to your drink. This doesn’t sound too pleasant I know! But salts are also lost a lot when you sweat and you really can’t taste a small pinch.

Eat the right things before and after you train, an hour or two either side of your training session. These meals should be made up of foods which are high in protein and carbohydrates.

Stretching is a very important part of maintaining your muscle flexibility so should be included in warm ups, cool downs and also any land based training you do. We often forget how important it is that our muscles stay flexible as we often put our body into positions that no other athletes do.

Seafolly Girl – The Top Picks

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Emma

From Australian swimwear brand Seafolly comes Seafolly Girl, a swimwear brand which sets the standards and trends around the world.

This collection is designed for girls aged 0-16 years of age and features gorgeous prints, bright colours and completely unique styles. The eye catching designs don’t just look great but are ideal for ensuring you can keep an eye on your little one amongst others.

Seafolly don’t just feature swimming costumes for girls they also have some fantastic accessories and clothing too here at Simply Swim which are just perfect for wearing to and from the beach or swimming pool.

Our top picks…

The Lulu Smock from Seafolly Girl is perfect for slipping over the top of a swimsuit or for wearing with shorts/leggings this summer for a perfect summer outfit. The fun floral print and gorgeously girly colours will be a smash hit with little girls. The Smock also gives great coverage when they have spent enough time out in the sunshine and need a little protection from the sun on their skin. Being an Australian brand, Seafolly know how important it is for fabulous style as well as practicality for children.

In need of the perfect girls two piece for the summer or a winter sun holiday? This Vintage Vacation Singlet Bikini is totally irresistible for young girls!! The bright Hawiian print and floral detailing is perfect for young girls ages 2 – 7 years of age. Adjustable straps ensure this tankini gives the best possible fit and comes with a matching gingham bikini pant giving you a complete set. The briefs have adorable lace trims around the leg and also allow your little girl to move as much as she could possible want to.

Seafolly Girl dress is the Fairytale Cindarella Dress. Crinkle voile fabric is so soft and comfortable against the skin and the smock style gives a loose fit and breathability in the warmer weather. Pom Pom detailing and sparkley sequins will ensure that your little girl will feel like a Fairytale Princess whilst playing in the sunshine.

This adorable swimsuit from Seafolly Girl is the Vintage Vacation Ballerina Tutu. This girls swimsuit is right on trend this Spring Summer season with the gingham print, pastel green colouring and crochet flower details. Available in size 0-6 years, the Seafolly swimsuit is perfect for your little ballerina this summer.

The benefits of cold water swimming

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Fiona

Middle of winter. Time for a dip in the local lake? Er, we think not! Indeed, swimming in an ice cold lake doesn’t seem like a particularly safe option, unless you are going with a group of experienced people and your heart is in good health.

However, according to research – and a few hardy individuals – cold water swimming is exactly what the doctor should be ordering.

People have been cold water swimming in eastern Europe and the Netherlands for thousands of years. And many people believe that taking a dip in an ice cold pool is good for pain relief.

In fact, research reveals that taking a plunge in cold water increases norepinephrine, which is a natural painkiller. And, over time, this can stimulate the immune system.

Which is why cold water swimming – or a cold water plunge pool – is recommended for people with arthritis or injuries.

The research reports: “People experience sometimes two or three days of feeling better after just two or three minutes in the cold plunge.”

Plunging several times a week can also strengthen your immune system. But it’s recommended that people build it up. The feeling of such extreme cold can be overwhelming (and is definitely not for those with health problems.)

But one fan of cold water swimming says the endorphin rush is like nothing else. He describes the feeling: “It’s one heck of a shock. My skin just comes alive. I’m beaming inside.”

Make your own cold water plunge pool

Not everyone has access to a cold plunge pool or the ability to go for a swim in the safe environment of a cold water lake. Instead, you could try this at home:

Fill your bath with ice and water. Then get into the water and try to sit in it for at least a minute… building up with repeated cold water bathings to three minutes. Three to four times a week is apparently the required number of times for effective pain relief and an immune system boost.

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