You can see it at the beach or in the pool, while most folks will be splashing and thrashing to get a wave or make a timed swim – heart pumping, puffing and panting from the exertion, a lucky few just seem to glide through the water – hardly getting out of breath and ready for the next set of lengths (or waves).
Aerobic and cardiovascular fitness are certainly a factor – and we’ll be looking to target these in a later session – but they’re hard work! What if we could find a way to go further and faster from the same amount of effort?
The key to this is developing efficient technique.
Adrenaline often kicks in in a rescue situation but there’s no point thrashing out back to a casualty and being so stuffed when you get there that you can’t even speak, let alone effect a rescue. We need to find a way to preserve our energy, stay calm and be ready for the rescue phase.
If your paddle out is leaving you puffed, your not going to be getting so many waves per session or be ready for a bit set, a snapped leash or an encounter with a rip.
I can swim or paddle further without stopping, getting out of breath or requiring a rest. I can recover from high intensity exercises during periods of gentle exercise rather than having to stop to recover.
Board paddling & swimming are complex movements involving many muscle groups. If we’re serious about developing technique, simply putting in time on the water may not be enough.
Many top swimmers and surfers will deconstruct the activity into repeatable and improvable sections before putting it all together in the water.
We’d be working on long glides, reducing strokes per length (and per minute), buoyancy and streamlined posture. Controlling breathing whilst relaxing in the water and surface dives using posture to achieve depth.
There are things we can do at home to develop our in water technique. Although it’s not possible to recreate every aspect of swimming in your living room we can find exercises that both resemble elements of a swim and also exercise the same muscle groups.
Quick note: Take it slow and easy when starting any new exercise program. Dry-side activities can be higher impact that their water-based equivalents. If you are getting on a bit, or are recovering from injury you should probably seek professional advice.
This session is brought to you by none other than our own Wolfie (Matt Wolstenholme) who, when not serving tasty coffees or lifeguarding down the cove, can be found supporting our voluntary patrols, doing laps of the buoy in record time, and supporting others to develop their own confidence in the water with 1-to-1 coaching from Mor Swim Cornwall.
You’ll need
A water bottle.
Download and print the 1-page guide to this set.
Warm up
Jog on the spot for 30 seconds
10 star jumps x 2
Main set
Check out the video to see how these link together…
Beginner: Do each exercise for 30 secs then rest for 30 secs.
Advanced: Repeat each exercise x2.
1) Diagonal Extensions
2) Back Extension
3) Flutter Kicks
4) Pass the bottle
5) Reverse Superman
6) X-Lift
7) Plank
8)Mountain Climbs
9) Side Plank Raises
10) Sole Taps
Cool down
Lay flat on your back
Squeeze all of your muscles for 7 seconds as hard as you can and then relax into floor
Take 5 deep breaths and repeat once more
Stretch off any tense areas hold for 10 seconds
