Posted on July 16 2019
With temperatures already edging into the 90s, your local pool or a nearby lake has a whole new appeal. Whether you swim competitively or just enjoy a relaxing freestyle, summer is the time the water calls you. After that first bracing chill, the flow of the water all around you feels fantastic—your body is supported in the water and it’s intensely refreshing in the summer heat. But, like all sports, swimming works your body in asymmetrical ways, which can lead to muscle soreness, overuse, and even injury. However, your yoga practice can be fantastic for counteracting those tendencies and helping you jump in the water with trouble-free.
Yoga Journal notes that for most strokes your body is in much the same position. Your chest stays contracted and your lower back is fairly rigid. The backstroke works for the opposing muscle groups, but not enough to strengthen your back and release the pectoral contraction sufficiently. And, many people who come to swimming with a background in other sports, like running, may be so tight that they find it hard to move in a fully extended way that makes them efficient as they drive their bodies through the water.
These are some reasons why hitting your mat can pay off in the pool. Many movements in yoga require your body to work through a full range of motion. In a pose like Plank Pose, for example, your whole body is extended. For a counter-pose, you might come to Garudasana (Eagle Pose), with both arms and both legs bent and crossed. During your practice, you will bend forward, back, and to the side. You will stretch from head to toe, and strengthen not only your arms but your entire core and your legs.
Yoga also helps balance muscle development. Backbends like Ustrasana (Camel Pose) help release the muscles that can be tight from swimming. Like swimming, yoga requires you to work your body as a whole, so the two are complementary. Yogic breathing techniques also enhance the entire experience of swimming, allowing you to bring in more oxygen but also to coordinate your strokes with your breath. The music of that rhythm may enable you to swim longer and with less effort as you ride the waves on the water on the ebb and flow of your breath.
Before you dive in, try these poses to get in touch with the fluidity of movement.
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Urdhva Mukha Svanasana "Upward-Facing Dog"Benefits: This backbend helps stretch pectoral muscles that are tight from swimming.
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Baddha Konasana "Bound Angle Pose"Benefits: This pose helps stretch your hips, which makes the breaststroke more efficient.
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Paripurna Navasana "Full Boat Pose"Benefits: This pose strengthens your core, which will help you protect your back in the water. |
Back it up. As you practice, try to think of your arms always moving from your whole back, not just your shoulders. This will help prevent rotator cuff injuries.
Dip your toes in the pool. Your feet propel you when you swim, so make sure you pay attention to them in class—not only in toe sits but as you roll through your feet from one asana to the next. Yoga also uses the full range of your ankle, so take advantage of that.
As you practice, think of moving through water. Imagine the resistance against your arms and legs. See how that engages your muscles differently. Try to keep your body “long” as you move. Next time you go for a swim, remember that feeling. Then grab your swimsuit (and your YogaPaws to get a good stretch before and after) and go play.
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