Swimming is one of the healthiest sports. Here are some fun ways to incorporate swim workouts into your student athlete routine.
Working out is paramount for your health and well-being, no matter your age. But staying fit takes its time – and it’s a scarce resource when you’re a student. So, if you’re submerged in homework, you may be wondering, “But who can do my assignment for me? Perhaps, someone can do my assignment online while I’m at the pool?” The answer is yes!
Swimming isn’t just great for boosting your strength, stamina, and cardiovascular health – it can also be fun! So, once you make time to take your athletic routine to another level, below are the five ways you can add swimming to it.
Underwater Rugby
For this activity, you’ll need an object that sinks – and teammates, of course. The more, the merrier, but you can play underwater rugby even when you’re just two. While it helps build lung capacity, be careful if you decide to try underwater rugby: make sure everyone knows their limits and doesn’t stay underwater for too long.
Here’s how this game unfolds. You’ll need two teams with an equal number of players. The sinkable object is your ball; it should be placed in the center for the start of the game. Each team’s goal is to bring the ball to the end zone. However, swimmers can hold and move the ball only when they’re underwater.
The Guessing Game
Can you predict how fast you will finish a lap? This game will show you! The rules are simple: before jumping into the water, you need to write down your time estimate. You get points based on how accurate it turns out to be:
- Within 0.5s – one point;
- Within 0.2s – two points;
- Exact to the tenth – three points.
The goal is to collect six points in total. What’s great is you can play this game both with your workout buddies or on your own.
Tag, You’re It!
Who said you have to have your feet on the ground to play tag? Yes, you can use the swimming pool as your playground! It’s not just fun: this game builds your endurance – and encourages you to be fast, too.
However, you will need someone to join you to make this work. This game is perfect for groups with the number of players divisible by three or four (that’s how many swimmers occupy each lane).
Let’s say you work out in a group of four. Here’s how you can incorporate playing tag into your routine:
- Take your positions: one person at each end and two – in the middle of the lane.
- Start swimming: everyone goes in circles, trying to tag the person in front of them.
- Eliminate others: tap the person – and they’re out.
- Keep going until the winner emerges!
Sharks and Minnows
Another beloved childhood memory for many, this game is akin to tag. It encourages players to swim fast to avoid capture (or to catch minnows, depending on the role) – and to build endurance, too.
In case you’re not familiar with this game, here’s how it goes: you select one or two players to be the sharks, while the rest become minnows. Minnows’ task is to reach the other side of the pool without getting snatched by the sharks. If they do, they become sharks themselves – and have to hunt their former brethren.
Amazing Race
Think of this activity as a duathlon that switches running for swimming and cycling – for an activity of your choice. It works great when you work out both on your own or in a group. When you have someone to race against, it adds a competitive flair to the whole workout.
Here’s how to incorporate this activity into your workout:
- Stand at the edge of the pool.
- Dive into the water and swim to the opposing end.
- Get out of the water and do a specific exercise (e.g., 10 squats).
- Jump back into the water and go to the other end of the lane.
- Get out and do another exercise (e.g., 10 pushups).
- Repeat as many times as you want.
In Conclusion
Swimming is a versatile activity that you can use to lose weight, build muscle, do cardio, and more. And, of course, it doesn’t have to be all about reaching the opposite side of the pool. As you can see, it can be fun, too!
If you’re a beginning swimmer, we’d like to leave you with several common pitfalls you should try to avoid from day one:
- Going too deep. Avoid extra resistance by remaining as straight as possible.
- Not controlling your breathing. Keep your inhales and exhales regular and deep.
- Keeping your body flat. Rotate your entire body with every stroke you take.
