Swimming Basics

By Barbara C. Bourassa

Winter is an ideal time to take up swimming as a form of exercise, especially if you're looking for a cardiovascular routine that's easy on the joints. What's more, developing a water-based routine doesn't require much: All you need are a few pieces of equipment, an understanding of how to maximize your time in the water, and familiarity with a few "pool rules."

To get started, you'll need a swimsuit, a cap, and a pair of goggles. "A swimsuit should fit snugly but comfortably," explains Nancy Ridout, past president of United States Masters Swimming (www.usms.org), a national organization that oversees and organizes workouts, competitions, clinics, and workshops for adult swimmers. Your suit should also be plain and simple, as "decorations such as a skirt, ruffles, or other frills create drag and will inhibit your ability to maintain a streamlined position on top of the water while you swim," she adds.

Ridout advises new swimmers to try on goggles before purchasing, if possible. "Hold them up to your face, without the strap around your head, and press the eye pieces onto your eyes," she suggests. "If they stick for a moment without the strap, this means they fit your face correctly and won't leak. If there's no suction and they don't hold, there's a good chance they're going to leak." She also recommends buying a swimming cap to keep your hair away your mouth and eyes as well as protect it from the pool's chemicals.

Beyond that, most beginners will benefit more from a good set of lessons or working out with an expert than they will from fancy equipment such as fins, pull buoys, kickboards, or hand paddles. These devices, which are designed to increase resistance in the pool, are best added once you've learned proper stroke technique, according to Fabio Comana, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise. He also stresses the importance of knowing your limits. "It's essential that you feel comfortable in the water," he says, especially if the pool is deep or you're swimming in a lane that's not close to the edge. "Before you get into a specific area, be sure to ask yourself if you're at the proper skill level," he warns.

It's also important to understand your heart rate. "Measuring your rate in the pool is not the same as measuring your rate while running on a treadmill," says Comana. "Because you're in a prone position, the blood returns to the heart faster since it doesn't have to fight gravity. This means your heart rate will be 10 to 20 beats lower than with ground-based efforts." For this reason, swimmers should focus more on perceived effort than heart rate, he says.

Being prepared for the water also means being well-versed in pool etiquette. For starters, keep in mind that lap lanes are usually organized by ability and speed. If you're not sure which lane has been designated for beginners, just ask the lifeguard. "It's important to swim in a lane of compatible abilities and speeds," Ridout explains. "If you're a beginner, don't get in a circle with an accomplished swimmer. Also, if the lane is being shared by two people, stay on the same side of the lane—and don't drift toward the middle or swim down the middle of the lane. If you join in on a circle of swimmers, circle counter-clockwise, and position yourself where you can keep up with the pace. This way, you won't bump into the person ahead of you or impede the progress of someone behind you. Lastly, if you need to rest between laps, be sure to stay to the far side of the lane so that others can easily turn."

Ridout suggests that beginners gradually progress through these five steps:

1. Start by seeing how many laps you can swim without stopping.
2. Try to increase the duration of your swim. If you're able to swim one lap without resting, swim it as many times as you can, stopping 30 to 45 seconds between laps.
3. Try to swim two laps without stopping. Another suggestion: Swim two laps, rest, swim one lap, rest. Continue with this sequence until you get tired.
4. Once you can swim two laps without stopping, try building up to four or even eight laps at a time.
5. When you've made it to this point, consider investing in pull buoys (which fit between the thighs and let your legs float so your arms do more work) or fins (which work your legs and add power to your kick).

For more information about swimming for fitness, visit www.usms.org.