There are many swimming myths you’ve heard throughout your life. We are going to look at 3 of the most popular myths….and prove them wrong!
Swimming After Eating
You’ve probably heard the age-old myth of ” You need to wait 30-60 minutes after eating before you go swimming” as it’s one of the most famous swimming myths around. But it is simply not true.
Who hasn’t heard this old wives tale: “If you go in the pool too close to meal time, you will assuredly get a cramp and might even drown!” ? The problem is, there’s absolutely no science to back this up. While it is possible to suffer a cramp while swimming after a meal, it’s probably more related to the fact you’re moving around and not because you’re in the water.”
There hasn’t been any proof that this myth is actually true! So next time you’ve just finished dinner and felt the need to jump in the pool, go for it!
Not a Good Swimmer
Another popular myth is “I’m not a great swimmer, nor will I ever be. I am a sinker, not a floater.” Many people have this mindset and are stuck on it. But it is simply not true. This bit of philosophy tends to be used more as an excuse to not put in the time to adapt to an aquatic environment and learn to work with water, as opposed to punishing it.
The majority of world-class swimmers could be classified as “sinkers” due to their low body fat percentage. When trying to move through water at high speeds, body fat rarely can be regarded as an asset. Let me reassure you that swimming has evolved to the point where the added buoyancy achieved through an increase in body fat is outdone by the unfavorable decrease in a strength-to-weight ratio.
So there you have it! The “sinker not a floater” myth tends to be more of an excuse than anything. Not only that but it is simply not true.
Buoyancy is best achieved by relaxing and is not necessarily attributed to body fat. Everyone can become a great swimmer. It just takes time and lots of practice.
Holding Your Breath
The last myth is “You should always hold your breath underwater.” While you don’t want to suck in water, you should be exhaling air.
We all learn from an early age to hold our breath while underwater. It only takes one lung full of water to learn that lesson. But, when it comes to swimming, holding your breath actually works against you.
To make the most out of your stroke, you should be exhaling your breath underwater so that when you come up for a breath, your lungs are able to quickly take in as much oxygen as possible. If you have trouble with breath control, start your pool time out with some deep-water bobs – breathing out while under the surface and inhaling quickly and sharply above the surface. Bobs should always occur in rapid succession in order to gain control of the exhale.
Breathing is one of the most difficult swimming techniques to conquer because it must be done properly, at the right time and while you’re entire body is moving.
It will ultimately hold you back if you don’t learn how to breath properly while swimming. There are countless other swimming myths we could dive into. But hopefully you learned a little bit about some of the popular myths out there.
Tell Us!
Have fun swimming this week and don’t forget to bring your trusty Underwater Audio Waterproof iPod Shuffle. And if you don’t mind, leave us some of your thoughts in the comment section.
What are some of the swimming myths you’ve heard?
How were they proven wrong?
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