Swimming is one of the greatest exercises you can do. It’s low-impact, heart-pumping and muscle-building all rolled into one. You name it, swimming has got it. If you love to swim and are ready to amp up your workout, try out some specialized swim gear. Swim gear is designed to increase resistance, which helps you to isolate and build certain muscles. Here are some popular tools that swimmers love.
Pull Buoys
Pull buoys are contoured foam devices that keep your legs afloat while you work on your arms. They are great for increasing your arm strength while keeping your legs properly aligned at the surface of the water. You can also concentrate on your hand and arm motions, from beginning to end. Feel that pull!
Hand Paddles
As the name suggests, hand paddles attach to your hands with rubberized cords. Like swim fins for your feet, hand paddles create resistance, causing you to use more force in your stroke. You can even use the hand paddles at the same time as the pull buoys, to give your arm workout an added boost.
Drag Socks or Swim Fins
Having a strong kick is essential to becoming a powerful swimmer. Drag socks and swim fins create added resistance around your feet. They force you to work your kick harder. Specifically, swim fins help with the upward motion of your leg, or the “up-kick.” Try a pair of fins and feel how they activate your hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles.
Swimmer’s Snorkel
You might think a snorkel is only for your next tropical vacation in the Caribbean. But swimmers who are serious about improving their stroke can use a specially designed swimmer’s snorkel. The snorkel allows you to focus on refining your movements and aligning your body correctly–without having to worry about turning to breathe.
With all exercise gear, it’s important to use it correctly to avoid injury. Be sure to ask a coach or mentor to see if your technique is correct. Once you get used to it, you will love the way your new swim gear improves your strokes and spices up your workouts.
Other Swim Gear to Remember
As you’re organizing all your swimming supplies, don’t forget to add high-quality swimwear to your list. You’ll want the perfect fog-resistant goggles, with a comfortable rubberized gasket that won’t leak. And for a cap, go with a durable silicone one. Is your hair too long to fit in a cap? You can even find special caps designed for swimmers with long hair.
Frequent swimmers also love chlorine resistant swimwear. If you’re tired of your swimsuits looking old and faded after just a few wears, you might want to try a chlorine resistant swimsuit. Chlorine resistant swimsuits keep their elasticity and color 5 to 10 times longer than regular bathing swimsuits. What’s not to like about that?
So next time you’re ready for an intense, muscle-building workout, grab your swim gear and your chlorine resistant swimsuit and head to the pool. You’ll be amazed at how powerful you are!
