Yoga For Swimmers

Every year for the last three years I’ve made a commitment to myself to introduce at least one activity I enjoy or always wanted to try into my regular routine and stick to it for the entire year.

In 2016 I wanted to learn how to Salsa so I joined the Karen Hardy Studio and not only learnt how to Salsa but to Cha Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Samba and Waltz! Last year I wanted to try Boxing and I can honestly say that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I had no idea when I started that I would love it so much and now it’s turned into a real passion. This year in 2018 I’ve decided to revisit an activity I used to dread as a child, swimming. The dread wasn’t so much about the actual swimming but swimming classes at school were never much fun and although I love water I did have a fear of drowning so I would always try and steer clear of the deep end.

I love swimming when I’m on holiday and can happily swim in the sea and the hotel pools for hours on end so this year I wanted to incorporate swimming into my weekly exercise routine. Swimming is a great form of exercise and has a myriad of health benefits. Not only does swimming give you a full body workout and exercise muscles that you may not use on a daily basis it also counts as cardio and strength training. Just 30 minutes of swimming two or three times a week can really increase your energy levels and because water supports the body it’s a great way of exercising even if you have any minor injuries.

When it comes to general wellbeing swimming can help you de-stress and relax and that makes it a perfect partner for Yoga. There are many yoga poses that can help prepare your body for swimming. As yoga helps build muscle strength poses that build strength and provide more flexibility in our shoulders upper back and legs can really help us when swimming. As with yoga the use of breath is very important especially when your head is under the water so learning to synchronize our breath with movement is very helpful.

Here are some yoga poses that I use to help me prepare for my weekly swimming sessions:

Cat/Cow Pose

• Lower your knees to the floor and put your hands in front of you so you’re on all fours.
• Keeping your arms straight, place your palms directly under your shoulders maintaining a neutral spine.
• Inhale, drop your belly and roll your shoulders back into Cow Pose, gazing straight ahead.
• Exhale, press your palms into the floor and arch your back, dropping your tailbone into Cat Pose.
• Repeat this sequence a few times to help relieve tension in your shoulders and upper back.

Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

• Start in a table top position with your feet parallel and hip distance apart.
• On an exhale walk your hands out in front of you and bring your chest to the floor and rest your forehead on the mat.
• Spread your fingers out and press your palms firmly into the mat, keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your elbows off the mat.
• As you inhale deepen the stretch by pointing your hips and back behind you.
• With each breath you will feel yourself nestling into the mat a little more and should feel a soft and gentle stretch in your back, your chest and your shoulders.
• Stay here for a few breaths and then bring yourself out of the pose by going back into table top position.

Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana)

• Lie on your belly, with your forearms flat on the floor and elbows under your shoulders. Keep your legs together and place your chin on the floor.
• Press your forearms down into the floor, inhale and lift your chest and your head off the floor.
• Making sure you don’t put any pressure on your neck keep your neck in line with the spine.
• Letting your legs find their natural width squeeze the thighs and buttocks and engage the mula bandha, pressing the pubic bone down into the floor.
• If this is comfortable for you stay here, if you want more of a backbend keep the elbows close to your sides and use your arms to lift you higher.
• Drop the shoulders down and back and press the chest forward.
• Breathe and hold for a few breaths.

Plank

• Start on all fours with your arms straight.
• Tuck your toes under and step both feet back, straightening your legs.
• Inhale and raise your chin and head so you’re looking straight in front of you.
• Making sure your body is parallel to the floor, engage your core and extend your chest.
• Exhale and push your body weight onto the palms of your hands evenly.
• Gaze towards your fingertips
• Take a few breaths here then bring your knees back down onto the mat so you’re on all fours again.

Downward Facing Dog

• Starting on all fours with your knees hip distance apart and your hands shoulder width apart and fingers facing forward.
• Move your hands a little further forward, tuck your toes under, lift your hips to the ceiling and straighten your legs.
• Press your fingers into the mat and drop your heels down towards the mat. Your heels don’t have to touch the floor just pulling down towards the floor will give you a good stretch.

Upward Facing Dog

• Lying on your front with your legs hip distance apart, place the palms of your hands on the mat close to your ribs ensuring that your elbows are over your wrists.
• Place the tops of your feet on the mat and then press your palms firmly into the mat.
• Lift your body off the floor by straightening your arms but keep your toes and your palms on the mat.
• Looking ahead roll your shoulders down and bring your shoulder blades together.
• Stay here for a few breaths then bend your arms and lower your body back onto the mat.

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

• Sitting in a comfortable seated position lower your right knee and bring your left foot under your left knee and by your left hip.
• Cross your right leg over the left, stacking the right knee on top of the left.
• Lift your left arm up and then bend your arm so it touches your left shoulder blade
• Swing your right hand up your spine until it meets the left hand and clasp your hands behind your back.
• Repeat on other side.

Locust (Salabhasana)

• Lie on your stomach with your body in a straight line and your arms relaxed by your sides, palms facing upwards.
• Place your chin on the floor and slide your hands under your body resting on the fronts of your thighs.
• Inhale and lift your legs keeping your pubic bone on the mat.
• Exhale and bring your legs together. Contract your buttock muscles and raise your legs as high as you can.
• Hold the posture and breathe normally.
• To come out of the pose on the next exhale lower your legs to the floor and relax your arms by your sides, palms facing upwards.
• For more of a stretch in your arms you can clasp you’re your hands or stretch your arms behind your back or alternatively stretch your arms out in front of you.

Seated Twist

• Begin seated with your legs together and stretched out in front of you
• Flexing your feet and placing your palms flat on the floor, arms close to your sides and roll your shoulders back.
• Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee, keeping your foot flat on the floor.
• On the inhale sit up tall and reach up with your left arm.
• On the exhale, twist toward the right and drop your left arm to the outside of your right thigh so your hugging your thigh.
• Then bend your left elbow and point your fingertips up to the sky
• Roll your shoulders back opening your chest and lifting from your lower back.
• Repeat on other side