How to Train for Swimming without a Pool
Would you like to know how to practice swimming without a pool?
It is possible, you know!
Billions of people in the world cannot swim! In the US, half of all the adults who can swim cannot swim well. Thus, if you know you cannot swim well, you need more practice. But perhaps you do not have a pool.
And you might be far away from a water body such as a lake, lagoon, or river. Even if you have access to a public swimming pool, you might want to know how to practice swimming outside of the pool to perfect your skills.
As a swimmer, you might also find it hard to access a swimming pool when there is a countrywide lockdown, as we saw with the COVID-19 pandemic.
If this is the case, you need not worry too much because there are a few things that you can do to practice how to swim out of the swimming pool.
Exercises to practice swimming without a pool
Here, we shall look at a few practical exercises that you can undertake to practice swimming outside the pool. You know you cannot stay without action if you are a swimmer. By the time you access the pool again, you will be in great shape.
Stretches for swim training no pool
The good thing is that stretching exercises work out the same muscle groups that swimming would work out. When you swim, your whole body gets a workout.
This is a minimal-equipment exercise since you will only need the stretch cords. Stretch-cord exercises are so effective that they are referred to as dry-land swimming.
Stretch cords are also ridiculously easy to use. Once you attach them to the wall or the door frame, you can get to pulling right away. But you also have to do it right.
Start light in the first few days. For instance, you can start with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching and see how that makes you feel.
However, as you get more into the stretching workout, you can extend your workout time to 25 minutes.
There are different ways of working out with the stretch cords. For instance, there is a technique for every swimming stroke.
Thus, you should vary your stretch workouts for swimming without water to practice every swimming technique.
Plank exercise for swimmers
This is one of the ways to practice swimming without a pool. When you swim, your core muscles are involved a lot. Thus, you need to strengthen your core, and one way to do that is to do the plank exercise for swimmers.
To start, you need a workout mat, such as the Sunny Fitness and Health Mat, which you can buy on Amazon.com. You also need to go on all fours and, with your hands at 90 degrees to the floor, stretch out fully until your legs touch the mat with the tips of your toes.
Now, support yourself with one arm and stretch out the other. Lift the alternating leg off the floor until it forms a straight line from the heel to the wrist.
If you stretch out the right arm, lift the left leg, and so on, repeat as many times as you can.
Flutter kicks for swim training with no pool
Flutter kick exercises are easy to do. All that you need to do is lie down on your back on the mat. You should then bunch up your fists and slip them under your bum.
With your head lifted from the floor, your legs lifted, and the bum area acting as the pivot, start lifting the legs one after the other. You can keep a count so that you work at it for as long as possible.
Flutter kicks are very good for improving your freestyle swimming technique. It is a tiring exercise, and it also works out the ab muscles.
Start lightly, taking rests between 60-second sessions. If you can do longer than that before you rest, do it.
Repeat as many times as you like, but do not overdo it.
Overhead Press
How to practice swimming at home without a pool cannot be complete without one or two shoulder exercises. In this case, the overhead press workout is very good for your shoulders.
The good thing is that it not only works out the shoulders, but that it is also very good for the arms. You need to start with 10-pound weights, but if you can do 15 pounds, that is fine too.
To start, do 2 sets of 10 reps. That should be enough for the first and second days. However, on the third day, you can gun for 12 reps.
You can use a mirror to help you position your arms just right. You need to hold the weights beside your head, but at shoulder distance.
To work out, push the weights straight upwards, and remember, the palms are facing outward. You can then rotate your hands so that the palms face you and do the downward move.
How to swim without a pool
There is really no way to swim without a pool, but there are ways to practice swimming without swimming pools.
Even if you have a swimming pool, you might not be able to swim during winter, well, unless you have a heated indoor pool.
If you cannot be at the pool or the ocean for some time, you should try these exercises. They will get you ready for swimming.
The next time you hit the water, you will be sleek and good at it. Here are a few things to try out:
Working out the abs: Find out the workouts that can tone your abs and work on them a few times every week. The abs power your swimming strokes, your turns in the water, and so on. That’s why the abs get a good workout when you swim.
Side crunches: You could get a medicine ball for this, and as the name suggests, these workouts require you to lie on your side. You can also do your side crunches without the ball, and they will be just as good. Here is a video showing you how to do these crunches:
Flutter kicks: These kicks specifically target the hip flexors, which are the muscles that you use when you are pedaling upwards on your bicycle.
It is a simple workout since you just need to lie on your back on a mat, place your hands under your butt, and then lift your upper body first, then leave the legs together about 6 inches from the ground.
These are just a few workouts for swimming that you can do outside the pool. There are more targeting the shoulders, back, and legs.
How to train for swimming without a pool FAQ
During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and 2021, many swimmers had to learn how to train to swim without a pool.
Usually, this involves taking some workouts for swimmers out of the water. If you would like more clarification, read our commonly asked questions:
How can I practice swimming without a pool?
There are several ways to swim without water. One of them is to do plank exercises for swimmers. These are going to strengthen your core muscles.
They are also simple to do, and they require just a workout mat and exercise shoes. You might also try the stretch cord exercises, as they help you to work out different swimming strokes.
How do you practice swimming out of water?
The techniques for how to practice swimming strokes without a pool include doing exercises that strengthen your core.
Also, engage in strength training for your arms and shoulders, usually with overhead presses. Flutter kick exercises are also very good for freestyle swimming.
What exercises can replace swimming?
Stretch cords are going to give you the best swimming simulation out of the water. Running is also a good replacement for swimming because it gives you a terrific cardio workout.
If you have a rowing machine, you can use it as well as an indoor bike. All of these are safe alternatives when you cannot go out during a lockdown.
Conclusion
That is it for how to practice swimming without a pool. You have seen very simple exercises for swimming without water.
Just because you do not have access to a pool, you don’t have to hang around until you can access one. There are simple workouts for dry-land swimming.
The exercises that we have chosen here are simple to do at home. They also do not require costly equipment to do.
These swim training, no-pool workouts will build your arm, leg, and core strength. Basically, they are for the whole body health.
Just make sure you start small, especially if you have not been working out for some time. Once your body sets into it, set new targets for yourself so that you can keep the workouts more challenging and exciting.