Common mistakes while learning to swim and ways to fix them 25^th February 2021

With the summer season right around the corner, it is time to take out your swimming trunks and goggles. For the past two years, the pools have been closed owing to the pandemic. But the numbers have been under control in recent past months, making way for pools to open up again with specified capacity. Although it's best to take refuge inside your homes in well air-conditioned rooms, taking a swim in your nearby pool is an option that most of us might consider. Over the years, we have seen an increasing number of people enrolling in swimming classes and actively making efforts to learn various styles of swimming. This article will prove helpful if you are new to swimming or want to polish your skills.

Today, we will look at a few common mistakes that people make while learning to swim and the ways to fix them.

1. Holding your breath:
Beginners commonly believe that the most crucial thing before diving into the pool is to hold your breath. Instead of helping themselves, they refrain from breathing to maneuver the waters.
A better solution to address this is to practice holding your breath on land before attempting it in water. This will help you control your breath more systematically and in a timed manner. Try inhaling and slowly exhaling while keeping a constant momentum.

2. Head too high:
One of the most common swimming mistakes is holding your head above water for breathing. It sounds surprising. How else are you supposed to breathe? When you lift your head, it causes your hip to drop down, slowing you down and increasing your resistance. Keep your head down, and when you need to breathe, you can do so from the side of the arm when it is out of the water's surface. Rotate your head to the side so that your mouth gets air to breathe.

3. Keeping your hips straight:
In the above passage, we discussed how the lowering of the hip could affect you negatively. Sometimes instead of rotating them, people use the upper body and the legs to move through the water.
Swimmers fail to realise that the most power comes from the hip. Utilising your core muscles and rotating your trunk will help you push through the water without tiring out your legs.

4. Pointing your toes:
Having straight pointy toes while swimming tightens up your muscles and makes it difficult for you to propel yourself in water. Swimmers should have flexible and loose ankles in water to maintain pace and direction. Practice curling your toes outside the pool. Try picking coins on the floor using your toes. Transfer them from one bowl to another to familiarise your toes with curling and being able to control them. This is the best way to train your toes before diving into the pool.

These are a few common mistakes swimmers make when starting their journey. Swimming can seem like a daunting activity, but it is sure to be one of the most enjoyable experiences with time. It is, however, advised to practice swimming under the guidance of certified coaches in well maintained and clean swimming facilities to avoid any health complications.

Another mistake that you should avoid is neglecting the importance of health insurance. Health insurance will act as your safety net in case of any injuries or accidents you might face while training.
A good tip would be to look for affordable health insurance plans, secure your finances against health ailments, and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

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Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.