As a Master swimmer I am made painfully aware, each time I compete, of the importance of a strong core, and by that I mean stomach strength. I come away from each competition vowing to do more leg work, lots of legs-only with the kickboard, and for fitness there is really nothing to beat it.
One of the major benefits is that it tones the thigh and abdominal muscles terrifically and it improves stamina tremendously. I'm sure we all remember seeing the coverage of fighters like Muhammad Ali in their pre?fight training, and the first thing they do each day is hit the road to work on those legs, because that is what strengthens the core.
Now, fortunately, we can work on the same principle but without the stress and damage to the joints by working on those legs in the pool. I like to do my leg work without a kickboard because I find using a kickboard makes me tighten up across my shoulders and at the back of my neck, so I use a "palming" or "feathering" action with my hands to support my upper body especially when I need to breathe.
However if you're just starting out, use the kickboard as it's a little easier and provides more support. As for how many laps, I feel it's important to stay within your comfort level, but to gradually increase your lap count as you progress and get stronger. There is no doubt that you will notice improvement and that's when you can move on to more.
Stomach strength is so vital to general well being and stamina, and certainly great opera singers, orators, actors and athletes project from, and draw upon, that core strength. Now apart from the benefits to the stomach muscles gained from legs-only swim work, there is also a terrific slenderizing effect on the thighs, because unlike weight work or road work which "pumps" the thigh muscles, swimming is an elongating process as one is working in a less resistant medium.
So slim those thighs, tighten that tummy and feel great with a legs-only workout.
About The Author
Gordon Black is a world-ranked Master swimmer and Canadian national record holder. A member of the British swim team in the late '60s, after thirty years out of the pool, last year Gordon returned to competitive swimming in the Masters forum. He offers an online weight loss, fitness and motivational coaching service through his web site http://www.gordonblack.com where his competitive comeback is chronicled.
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..Any doctor worth their salt will tell you diets don't... Read More
This little known secret has been used by bodybuilders for... Read More
Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of... Read More
In order to identify hunger, you must first understand what... Read More
Cellulite - Reduce The Appearance --------------------------------- Sallie Elizabeth has always... Read More
Things get so confusing when it comes to understanding what... Read More
Here's what to do if you want to wear that... Read More
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can... Read More
My responsibility as a high profile fitness expert lies not... Read More
Many people (especially on the net) claim that you can... Read More
Food Cravings: How to Practice PatienceDuring holidays and parties you... Read More
Low carb beer and lite beer are two different animals.... Read More
For the past 20 years, the American public has been... Read More
You can overcome the desires of your sweet-tooth by incorporating... Read More
Although every dieter knows that keeping food records is a... Read More
If you know someone that has been trying to lose... Read More
We in the diet and exercise industry have our own... Read More
After patients have had gastric bypass surgery comes a very... Read More
I am considering Gastric bypass surgery because I am overweight,... Read More
The Dr Atkins Diet has been around for ages, but... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
Remember that movie with Jim Carey, "Dumb and Dumber?" And... Read More
Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and... Read More
Being over weight is usually being 20 percent or more... Read More
Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is often viewed as a quick... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..The act of taking the first step is what separates... Read More
Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More
Yes, you must be aware of the following 7 points... Read More
Summer is about to be in full swing, and it's... Read More
The problem isn't that you don't have enough will power... Read More
These days, Jennifer Secrist has little interest in idle activities.... Read More
Your Can Turn Fat into Muscle......Fact or Fiction???Completely False!!!!First of... Read More
More and more people are turning to hypnosis or hypnotherapy... Read More
There's more to gastric bypass than surgery and rapid massive... Read More
False campaignsMore than 50 percent of Americans and Canadians are... Read More
Recently a woman went public in her online diet community... Read More
A frequent question brand-new gastric bypass patients ask is "How... Read More
As we look around at the current generation of children,... Read More
The loss of fat comes from fat cells all over... Read More
You need to reset your weight-o-stat. No matter how much... Read More
You don't realize it, but in the next few minutes... Read More
"Polyols" or sugar alcohols are a number of different carbohydrates... Read More
Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More
Just about every one of us struggles with our weight... Read More
You could try one of the many sexual enhancement drugs... Read More
To understand how surgical procedures aid the grossly overweight person... Read More
What is the relationship between intake of nutrition and metabolism... Read More
If your health and fitness are important to you, you... Read More
I had 14 weight/health-oriented newsletters in my inbox this morning.... Read More
Fifteen years ago the doctor's suggested that we eat pasta... Read More
Weight Loss |