Every weekday morning between 6.30 and 8am I watch swimmers go up and down the pool, some swimming front crawl, the majority swimming breaststroke with their head out of the water, and the occasional back stroker.
I have to say I am so impressed at the commitment of the swimmers to swim their number of lengths before work. But my concern is do they know that swimming incorrectly consolidates bad habits of movement and may set up problems for the future.
An awkward style, which is often the result of anxiety in the water, can mean that swimming actually does more harm than good. The common bad habit of swimming with the face held out of the water puts terrible strain on the muscles of the neck and back, which can lead to damage of the joints of the spine.
The majority of adult swimmers I imagine would have learned swimming at school and possibly have not had lessons since. They'll say, "I can swim, why do I need lessons?" It does not occur to most swimmers that they may need a refresher course. As with any other sport swimming has changed. The strokes have changed for a better-defined flow, and the focus is now on feeling at one with the water and swimming effortlessly.
Swimming should not be about ploughing up and down the pool, counting the lengths, but about being aware how you move through the water with ease and grace. To achieve a graceful and powerful stroke, you must practice simple exercises and learn to "feel" how you move through the water. Swimming more than most sports and leisure activity, needs to be technically correct if you are to avoid injury, especially, to neck and back problems.
So next time you swim, stop and think whether:
- You breathe well and easily
- Your stroke is symmetrical, streamlined and balanced
- Your main power is coming from the legs in breaststroke, and not the arms
- You rotate your hips and shoulders in front crawl, and not rely solely on the arms
- The quality of your movement through the water feels relaxed and good
- You swim with ease?
This is the first step to starting to become aware of your mind and body connecting with the way you move through the water. This will not only improve your swimming but also your health and fitness. The trouble is that although we may admire a really good strong sleek swimmer, most of us are unaware of how badly we are ourselves at swimming. Our feedback is inadequate and we are unsure anyway of what we should expect of ourselves.
Here is where a few top-up lessons can help (ideally with a Shaw Method teacher who is trained to understand and communicate the deep enjoyment of swimming well). With guidance you can stop struggling with your swimming which will actually do you harm, and connect with your own swimming talent. It's miles more enjoyable too.
Swimming is a wonderful exercise for everybody. Properly done, it can be most pleasurable, allowing the physical expression of fluidity, grace, power and stamina.
