I'm a newbie, to swimming for fitness, but not to general working out.
I'm puzzled about how to make sure my aging bod is set for a good workout in the pool. I've always been under the impression that stretching cold muscles is not very productive, but I also don't think it's wise to drive to the pool, change, and hop straight in the pool and start doing laps.
Do you stretch before you get in the pool (or er, intend to, anyway, most times lol?). Or does a hot tub do any good before a swim workout?
It occurs to me that I'm beginning my swim workout "cold," and that it is maybe impeding my progress.
I do dynamic stretching before my workout (examples below) and yoga and static stretching (stretch and hold) after each workout.
My 15-minute dynamic stretching includes 10 reps of each of the following:
1. Start with small arm circles and gradually get bigger and bigger. Reverse direction and repeat.
2. Swing my arms back and forth (across my body), gradually increasing the range of motion.
3. Streamline stretches where my arms start in a "goal post" formation and go up above my head to where my arms straighten and my hands overlap. Bring back to goal post position. Repeat.
4. In the streamline formation, do side bends back and forth in a continual motion.
5. Start with goal post formation and bring arms together in front of you to where the elbows and forearms touch. Bring them back to goal post formation. Do these in continual motion.
6. Bring your arms behind your back with elbows bent and the back of your hands on each side of your lower back. Bring elbows towards each other and then back out again. Repeat in continual motion.
7. Bring your neck towards your chest. Rotate your neck and head the left with your neck bent, and then to the right. Continue back and forth in half-circles.
8. Bend over with knees slightly bent and hands resting on knees. Relax your back into a curve, and then reverse the curve. Continue back and forth from "sway back" to "hump back."
9. Stand next to a railing and hold the railing with your left hand for balance. Now, swing your right leg forward and back. Swing your right arm in the opposite direction. Repeat for the ten reps., and then switch sides.
10. Now, while hanging on to the railing, do leg circles without bending your knee. Repeat for each leg.
11. Stand with on leg straight and the other one bent out to the side with your foot resting on the inside of the straight leg. Rotate your bent leg to the front, and then back to the side with your foot still on the inside of the straight leg.
12. Do ankle and wrist circles in each direction.
I made up my routine years ago, and these are the exercises I found worked best for me to prepare my body-- especially my joints-- for the pool.
I do dynamic stretching before my workout (examples below) and yoga and static stretching (stretch and hold) after each workout.
My 15-minute dynamic stretching includes 10 reps of each of the following:
1. Start with small arm circles and gradually get bigger and bigger. Reverse direction and repeat.
2. Swing my arms back and forth (across my body), gradually increasing the range of motion.
3. Streamline stretches where my arms start in a "goal post" formation and go up above my head to where my arms straighten and my hands overlap. Bring back to goal post position. Repeat.
4. In the streamline formation, do side bends back and forth in a continual motion.
5. Start with goal post formation and bring arms together in front of you to where the elbows and forearms touch. Bring them back to goal post formation. Do these in continual motion.
6. Bring your arms behind your back with elbows bent and the back of your hands on each side of your lower back. Bring elbows towards each other and then back out again. Repeat in continual motion.
7. Bring your neck towards your chest. Rotate your neck and head the left with your neck bent, and then to the right. Continue back and forth in half-circles.
8. Bend over with knees slightly bent and hands resting on knees. Relax your back into a curve, and then reverse the curve. Continue back and forth from "sway back" to "hump back."
9. Stand next to a railing and hold the railing with your left hand for balance. Now, swing your right leg forward and back. Swing your right arm in the opposite direction. Repeat for the ten reps., and then switch sides.
10. Now, while hanging on to the railing, do leg circles without bending your knee. Repeat for each leg.
11. Stand with on leg straight and the other one bent out to the side with your foot resting on the inside of the straight leg. Rotate your bent leg to the front, and then back to the side with your foot still on the inside of the straight leg.
12. Do ankle and wrist circles in each direction.
I made up my routine years ago, and these are the exercises I found worked best for me to prepare my body-- especially my joints-- for the pool.
