Ma
Coaching
TRAINING
Swim to Better Running
Many runners are discovering the benefits of active recovery by swimming, because it is an easy option that runners can turn to for overall recovery and activating different muscles they wouldn’ t use on the road.
– BY GEORGIE THOMAS, SWIM COACH
S wimming to cool down after a hard run in summer is always a treat, but swimming offers so much more. For starters, it is particularly useful for recovery, as the water has a cooling effect on muscles, which enhances recovery. Still better, swimming is non-weight-bearing, so when used as part of your fitness routine, it promotes recovery of muscles, joints and bones. There is also an increase in activity of the circulatory system due to increased blood flow through muscle activity, and swimming activates the core muscles, which can lead to faster and longer running form.
The caveat to all these benefits, however, is that with poor swimming technique, other problems can arise, so it’ s not just a case of jumping in. For example, back and shoulder pain can result from hyperextension of the spine from a poor body position in the water, and poor technique can also result in taxing yourself in what is meant to be a recovery session.
Before starting, it is therefore best to get some advice on technique, to avoid injury or overworking your muscles. Find a coach who is focused on technique, because just joining a swim squad is not the answer – these can easily turn into mini races, especially for the competitive runner. Frustration could also set in as you discover that you are not as good at swimming as you are at running. Squad swimming can result in poor swimmers, but swimming more mindfully will decrease chances of injury and take away the boredom factor. You will have too much to think about as you practise executing a good stroke, and swimming will become a form of meditation and rest from running.
Find Your Pace
Since you are not looking for a major gain in your fitness, it is best to practise swimming in the very lowest range of perceived effort. This might be a challenge, though, if you have poor technique, especially relating to breathing, hence you should get advice on good technique. Also, avoid training sessions that don’ t speak to technique and instead recommend training aids which may not benefit you, such as kicking with a kick-board – it may seem like a workout, but you are also putting your back into a hyper-extended position, which might cause pain. The same goes for hand paddles – they add resistance and build muscle, but put strain on unconditioned shoulders.
You might say that since you only want to swim for recovery, it doesn’ t matter how you swim, but it does matter if you want to avoid injury... and in time, you may become so addicted to swimming that you find yourself lining up for a triathlon or swimming race in the future!
About the Author Georgie Thomas is the Head Coach of Total Immersion Swimming South Africa. Find her at www. totalimmersionsa. co. za or mail georgie @ totalimmersionsa. co. za.
Images: Fotolia
NUTRITION
Drink Up, Runners!
While water can keep you hydrated on the long run, sports drinks give back the carbs, sodium and potassium lost in long-haul, high-intensity events. – BY CHRISTINE PETERS, REGISTERED DIETICIAN
W
hen you exercise, you produce heat, which your body controls through sweating, but you can then steadily become dehydrated, especially if running in high heat or humidity. As little as 2 % dehydration can affect your athletic performance, so athletes are told to drink regularly and top up on fluids. Now, if you are running for less than 60 minutes, water should be enough to stay hydrated and save kilojoules, but if running longer than 60 minutes, sports drinks are recommended.
34 ISSUE 99 OCTOBER 2017 / www. modernathlete. co. za
Therefore, sports drinks are recommended for endurance athletes trying to reach peak performance, especially if sweating a lot, because they provide fluids to cool down your body and replace what you lost in sweat, carbohydrates for quick energy, and sodium and potassium, the chief minerals lost in sweat.
Of course, fluid needs vary from person to person, and according to the type of activity and the length of time that you are active, but as a general rule of thumb, runners should:
• Drink one to two cups of sport drink four hours or less before exercise.
• Keep fluids with you when you run and sip regularly to replace water lost through sweat, but let your thirst guide you.
• Post-run, eat your meals and snacks and drink as you feel you need to, but especially drink up to 1.5 cups( 375 ml) of fluid if you have not produced any urine, or only a small amount of bright yellow urine.
• Water is always a good option post-run, but you can also drink milk or chocolate milk, 100 % fruit juice or another sports drink.