SWIMMING FOR DEVELOPING CARDIO RESPIRATORY ENDURANCE

 

Swimming is one of the best activities for developing all-round fitness because water supports the body weight of the swimmer, swimming places less stress than weight-bearing activities on joints, ligaments and tendons and tends to cause fewer injuries.

Anyone or any combination of common swimming strokes- Front craw/stroke, breast stroke, back stroke, butterfly stroke, side stroke or elementary back stroke can help develop and maintain cardiorespiratory fitness. Swimming may not be as helpful as walking, jogging or cycling for body fat loss.

Intensity, duration and frequency: because swimming is not a weight-bearing activity and is not done in an upright position, it elicits a lower heart rate per minute. Therefore, you need to adjust your target heart rate zone. To calculate your target heart rate for swimming, use the formula

Maximum swimming heart rate (MSHR)=205-Age

Target Heart Rate Zone=65-90% of MSHR

For example, a 18-year old would calculate her target heart rate zone for swimming as follows:

MSHR=205-18=185bpm

Target heart rate zone for swimming at 65% intensity 0.65x185=120bpm at 90% intensity 0.90x185=166bpm

Base your duration of swimming on your intensity and target calorie costs, swim at least three times a week.

Swimming as a therapy for Scoliosis

Scoliosis is defined as the lateral curvature of the spine.

Medical History

Miss X was school girl in Lagos State. She was referred for the development of a swimming programme for the adjustment of her shoulder. She has recently bend her shoulder all the times and would like to begin a swimming therapy to help in that regard. She is 5 feet 2inch tall and of normal weight for her height, but she has never been in water before. She has recently had phobia for water but no other physiological testing was done.







Development of Swimming Prescription

Exercise physiologist organized a swimming programme for Miss X and her friends so that the programme would not be bored for her. As we progress: gradually increase the duration or the intensity or both duration and intensity of her swimming to raise her heart to a comfortable level within her heart target zone. Gradually increase her swimming intervals and decreases her rest intervals as she progress. Once she can swim the length of the pool at a pace that keeps her heart rate on target, she continues swim/rest intervals for 20minutes. Her rest intervals were between 30-45 seconds. 






She lowered her heart rate. Next, she swam two laps of the pool length per swim interval, she walk (or rest) until she lowered her heart rate. Gradually increase the number of laps she swam consecutively and the total duration of her session until she reached her target calorie expenditure and fitness level. But we monitor her not to swim at too fast a pace. She raised her heart rate too high and limits her ability to sustain her swimming. Alternating strokes helps to rest her muscles and helps prolong her swimming time. A variety of strokes especially free style helps her muscle groups to connect the shoulder.







Question:

List Four (4) types of stroke in swimming.

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