With swimming being an all-body workout, stretching all of the major muscle groups before you get in the pool could be beneficial for your swim. For this to be effective, you should stretch regularly: not 1-2 hours, 2-3 times-a-week, for 15-20-min-a-day.
Stretching allows your muscles to become more flexible, strong and healthy, and can help prevent any injuries during your workout. Not only can stretching help increase your flexibility, but it can also improve your posture and reduce stress.
THE BIGGEST BENEFITS OF STRETCHING FOR SWIMMERS:
- The ability to move a joint through its full range of motion gives you more freedom of movement. Stretching on a regular basis can help increase your range of motion.
- Greater mobility in other joints will allow you to handle the drive coming from your arms and legs more efficiently and for longer.
- Stretching regularly may improve your circulation, which increases blood flow to your muscles. This can lead to shorter recovery time.
- Stretching can help heal a back injury by stretching the muscles. Stretching often could also help prevent future back pain by strengthening your back muscles and reducing your risk for muscle strain.
- When you’re going through stress, it is likely that your muscles are tense. That is because your muscles tighten up when you’re in stress. Focus on areas of your body where you tend to hold your stress, such as your neck or shoulders.
It is important to remember that extending too far can result in excessive stretching, so stop before you feel any pain.