Swimming for Exercise

Feb 17, 2023

People don’t always have to go to the gym to keep their bodies active. All they need to do is step into the water and become swimmers. There are several exercises that swimmers use in the pool that helps enhance their performance in the water.

Here they are:

Frog kick – Swimmers move their legs by bending at the knees and pulling their legs to their chest. They then need to kick downward and bring them back up.

Kick drills – Swimmers need tools like a flutter board or a noodle. They need to keep the device in front of them and extend their arms in front of them. They need to tighten their core and kick.

Build arm muscles – If swimmers have an inflatable ball, they can easily work their arms. Swimmers hold the ball out in front of them and push it underwater. Once it submerges, the ball should be moved in a figure-eight pattern. Swimmers should let go of the ball and repeat the method. Swimmers need to stand straight and not stress their back and shoulders.

Climb the pool wall – Swimmers need to stand by the pool wall with their arms out for stability then they need to run up the side as high as they can. They need to change the leading leg and repeat the exercise.

Balance on one leg – Swimmers get a good workout when standing on one leg and kicking the other out to the side. The key is to raise it as high as they can and hold it for a minute. Then they do the same routine with the other leg.

Flutter kick – In the water, swimmers extend their back legs behind and kick their feet up and down. This exercise is easy and works a lot of the muscles, especially the transverse abdominals.

Resisted Flutter kick – This is like the Flutter kick exercise including a kickboard, except swimmers will be holding the kickboard at a vertical angle. This position will create resistance from the water significantly and boost the swimmer's heart rate. Swimmers need to place their hands on the bottom sides of a kickboard and tip it so that it is standing up out of the water. They need to extend their bodies in a straight line. Swimmers should start kicking their legs having tight effective kicks in mind. Their toes must be pointed and turned slightly inward. The arms need to always remain straight out in front of the board.

Pool burpee – Burpee is a cardio exercise on land, but in the water, it can be a challenge because resistance is added to the lower body. If swimmers want more of a challenge, they can add body weights on their ankles into the exercise. Swimmers need to grab the edge of the pool and lift their bodies in a straight line. They need to pull one knee towards their chest and then switch with the other at a pace. Swimmers should do these 20 to 40 times.

Pool tuck jumps – Swimmers stand in the pool in waist to chest-deep water with their feet hip width apart. They should slightly bend their knees and their arms should be lifted horizontally in front with their elbows bent. Swimmers need to have their hands facing down and jump so their feet can reach their hands. This should be done 10 to 15 times.

Pool hacky sack – This is not an exercise that requires a hacky sack but doing this exercise will get swimmer’s blood pumping. Swimmers stand at chest height and lift their left leg with their knee bent. They rotate their hip open and bring their foot inward. They must stretch their left hand down diagonally to touch their right foot. The movement should be continued on each side lifting the opposite side. Swimmers should continue switching and tapping each side. There should be 20 to 30 reps of this exercise.

Skiers – Skiing in the pool may seem impossible, but there is another thought. This exercise builds cardiovascular endurance as the swimmers push through the resistance of the water. They must stand with their feet together in chest-high water. Swimmers have to jump a little and extend one leg out in front while the other one is behind. They should quickly switch legs in a skiing motion.

Swimmers can get a good workout in the pool. There is no need to waste away money and use heavy equipment at a gym when the water is a fun and relaxing environment to be in.

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Swimming Injuries

12 Sep, 2023

Swimming Injuries and Treatments for Them The water is a great place to work out. Exercise keeps the body healthy, but while exercising injuries do occur, here are four common swimming injuries and how to treat them: Swimmer’s shoulder – This occurs after repeated energetic sessions as the tendons are being pressed against the bone and eventually get sore. This stretches down to the rotator cuff tendons. If it is ignored, it will result in tears. Treatments include: Resting for long periods after exercising. Icing to reduce inflammation. Warming up before sessions and stretching as a weekly treatment. Lower back pain – The butterfly and breaststroke lower back pain occurs because of vigorous body jerking with the wrong swimming technique. This lower back pain can transform into a stress fracture in the vertebrae. This injury is also commonly found in weightlifters. Treatments include: Avoiding sitting positions because they apply pressure. Gentle stretching to relieve strain in the spine. For acute pain caused by a stress fracture speak with a medical professional. Bicep Tendonitis – This comes with swimmers’ shoulder and is caused by long periods of overexertion. Taking long rest periods can prevent this injury. The symptoms include pain in the shoulder that gets worse when lifting the arm, a shooting pain moving down the upper arm, at times there is a noticeable bulge in the tendon, a warm feeling moving from the point of the pain, as well as a snapping sound coming from the shoulder. Treatments include: Icing the pain to remove swelling. Gently stretching the scapula, posterior capsule, and rotator cuff areas. Taking anti-inflammatory medication provided by a doctor. Swimmers Knee – This is known as a strain in the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL). It mostly occurs by extreme use of the breaststroke technique, which puts repeated strain on the knee. Symptoms of this injury include swelling, muscle spasms, decreased strength and movement, as well as pain in the quads or the knee. There may be a rough feeling when moving the knee. Treatments include: Gentle stretches to bring back movement. Taping the knee. Icing to reduce swelling. Exercising is the key to keep the body functioning, but doing too much or doing the technique the wrong way can lead to injuries like these. It is important to know how to treat them to get the body back in shape and keep it healthy.

Our kiddos progress thru our child centered curriculum while learning survival skills and having fun

By Melissa Taylor • 27 Jul, 2023

Our kiddo’s progress thru our child centered curriculum while learning survival skills and having fun. Children retain what they learn when they become passionate and enjoy themselves and with repetition. At Small Fish Big Fish Swim School “Small fish become BIG fish by swimming in schools”.

Tips for Getting Your Baby Ready For Swimming Lessons

By Melissa Taylor • 27 Jul, 2023

Splashing water is one of the most enjoyable things for babies to do, whether it is taking a bath or in the pool. But do you know when your baby should start learning how to swim? Children should start learning how to swim as early as possible. Some babies start swimming even at the age of two months. So, if you want your baby to learn how to swim at an early age then here are some tips to prepare them. Make bathing an enjoyable event Whether your baby is interested in playing in the water or not, if you want them to learn swimming as soon as possible then you will have to make it more enjoyable when they are near water. A great way to start is while taking bath. You can increase their interest in water by providing them with a warm environment and water so that they can feel more comfortable than playing with cold water. In order to make bath time a fun experience, you should enjoy it with them so that they can replicate you. To make bath time more fun for your child you can use some rubber or washable toys so that they can enjoy them while taking bath. Splash water Unexpected splashes of water are one the oldest ways to develop the interest of your child towards the water. Though it can be a bit startling for them when water enters their nose, mouth, and eyes but with time they can get used to it while taking bath regularly. You can encourage them to splash water from the bathtub in response to your splash so that they can easily understand its effects and fun. You can also expose your baby to shower nozzle by bringing it down and spraying water on their face as well as on their belly or arms so that they can experience the water’s effects more closely. Make fun after a bath After finishing the bath, instead of rushing out, you should take some time to wrap your baby in a warm towel so that they can enjoy that moment before getting dry. Now pat them gently with a towel to dry them from top to bottom and make them relax with your soft voice or a song. It will give your baby a unique experience after getting out of the water. Blowing Bubbles It can be difficult for children at a young age to understand that they have control over their breathing, making it hard to teach them how to hold their breath while swimming. The best way to show your children how to begin regulating their breathing is by blowing bubbles in the water. Demonstrate the different ways the bubbles appear depending on how hard you exhale and encourage them to do the same. Buoyancy Lessons When bathing with your child, you have an excellent opportunity to safely show them the effects of buoyancy on their body, allowing them to learn how to float. Place your child in the bathtub before it is filled with water, and then begin filling it so they can feel the water start to lift them up. Keep them from sliding under at first, and soon they will figure out how to float on their own without your assistance. Swimming lessons After introducing your baby to water in the bathtub and they feel comfortable it’s time to get some formal swimming lessons. At Small Fish Big Fish Swim School, they can get lessons from experienced Aquatic educators that specialize in working with babies. All instructors are participating in continuing education and will be taking part in an 8 hour workshop given by the United States Swim School Association. But it doesn’t stop there, we teach self-confidence, discipline and well-being through the lifelong sport of swimming. Want your baby to learn how to swim? We offer free classes for babies 6 months old or younger. The free lessons do not include cost of Small Fish Big Fish annual membership fee. Membership is required to qualify for Free lessons. You can also sign up for our Free Trial here https://www.smallfishbigfish.com/free-trial