20-minute swim workout for active recovery days

 20-minute swim workout for active recovery days

Swimming is a popular activity around the world for people of all ages and physical abilities. In fact, because it reduces the risk of developing musculoskeletal problems, it is a safe form of exercise for most people.

In addition to its cardiovascular benefits, a Swim England study found that swimming can reduce the risk of premature death and that exercise helps people stay mentally and physically fit. The same report found that swimming has a positive effect on anyone with joint and muscle problems, given how "light" the body is in the water.

Other benefits of swimming include:

Increases Muscular Endurance - Continuous propulsion in the water during strokes helps build stamina over a longer period of time.

Body Tones: Whether it's moving your whole body or focusing on upper and lower body exercises, swimming has the ability to work many muscles to strengthen and build strength.

Cardio training or HIIT: Swimming can increase your heart rate during regular laps and increase it even more during a sprint. Both can promote cardiovascular health.

JOINT SAFE: Low-impact water environment reduces stress on joints and risk of injury.

What is active recovery?

There are two types of recovery. Passive, which is complete rest after exercise, and active, where you do a low-intensity type of exercise. By definition, active recovery is a technique of performing activities that are lighter than your usual training (such as swimming or running) to improve recovery.

Active recovery is important for several reasons, including reducing fatigue, improving blood flow to muscles and joints for better recovery, and preventing overtraining.2 Active recovery often occurs immediately after a training session during the recovery phase, such as a slow jog after a run. . This can also include techniques such as massage and automatic facial release with foam rollers.

Is swimming a good form of active recovery?

Associated with most of the population, swimming is an ideal sport for active recovery days. “Swimming is a great form of active recovery because you can easily move forward or backward, maintaining a horizontal flow so the blood can reach your upper body more efficiently,” says Zvika Zelinger, a swimming coach and speaker from Israel.

A study of 21 swimmers who performed a series of swimming exercises found that vigorous exercise after recovery increased the rate at which lactate was dissipated in the blood, which means that the swimmers' physical performance improved.

These active recovery sessions give the body time to get rid of lactic acid, a byproduct of your body that converts glucose into energy, which helps us recover faster.

Another study focused on 11 competitive swimmers who performed two swimming exercises to a maximum of 100 meters, followed by a 15-minute rest: 15 minutes of passive recovery; 5 minutes active and 10 minutes passive recovery; Or 10 minutes of active recovery and 5 minutes of passive recovery

The main finding is that a 5-minute active recovery followed by a 10-minute passive recovery improved their performance, and it was concluded that a five-minute active recovery was sufficient to reduce serum lactate concentration and positively influence subsequent performance.

"Recovery benefits from swimming include comprehensive, low-impact training with multiple ways to move every muscle group and joint that you might not be able to do on land," says Life Time Swim Head coach Terry Fritsch. North Carolina.

“Water provides a buoyancy factor that allows for a training movement that can be less stressful on the body, and you can better control your heart rate for exercising for a longer period of time.”

20 minutes of active swimming for beginners

Here are some important terms when talking about swimming exercises:

Peripheral position: arms straight in front of you, hands crossed, arms directly above your head (biceps close to the ears). This position creates the least resistance.