Helping Swimmers During the Lockdown

Last Updated on December 1, 2020 by admin

**During the lockdown many swimmers are confined to their home, with no access to swimming facilities.**

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips on helping swimmers during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this pandemic, swimmers from all over the world find themselves having to adapt to these strange and difficult times, many in total or partial lockdown.

Many swimmers are confined to their home, with no access to swimming facilities.
Some have the additional challenges of finding themselves on their own or with children or living in confined spaces with no access to a garden or the outdoors.
We have detailed below, ways to help swimmers during the lockdown.

Establish a daily routine

Time spent aimlessly can lead to lethargy which can seem to make the time pass slowly.

This is not good for both swimmer’s mental and physical health.
Before the current pandemic, many swimmers may have found schedules both too repetitive and boring.
But in these difficult times, when many swimmers are outside of their comfort zone.
A planned routine may help the hours pass more comfortably and constructively.
Many swimmers structure there day around their exercise, leisure and nutritional requirements.

Set Goals

A key element to establishing an effective routine is to set goals. These don’t have to be just swimming goals, such as,

Developing a dryland/land training programme (see below)
Developing an invisible training routine (see below)

They can be enjoyable activities as well, such as,

Decluttering the home or a room.
Watching the films or box sets you always wanted to.
Reading the books, you always wanted to.
Listening to the music you always wanted to.

Pursue your hobbies and interests

The lockdown can be an ideal opportunity for swimmers to pursue their hobbies and interests, such as,

Gardening
Drawing or painting
Crafts
DIY

Pursuing their hobbies can be very good for a swimmer’s mental health.

Take timeout to relax

**Swimmers should take some timeout to relax**

It’s important during these strange and stressful times, that swimmers take some timeout to relax, with activities such as,

Reading a book
Undertaking yoga
Performing visualisation exercises
Listening to music
Taking a long bath

Exercise daily

**Swimmers should undertake a daily dryland/land training workout**

Although many swimmers do not have access to swimming facilities, swimmers should try to maintain their fitness.

Therefore, swimmers should undertake a daily dryland/land training workout.
There are many varieties of dryland/land training including, bodyweight training, cross-training and plyometrics
As well as dryland/land training, many countries encourage their citizens to partake in one daily form of recreational exercise such as walking, running or cycling.
During exercise, a swimmer’s body releases chemicals called endorphins that can improve their mood and make them feel more relaxed.

Invisible training

With many swimmers restricted in their movements, the lockdown can be an opportunity to ensure that they are focused on their invisible training.

Invisible swimming training is a series of disciplines to help ensure that swimmers perform at their optimum.
This focuses on ensuring they receive the correct levels of nutrition and hydration
In combination with rest, recovery, relaxation and sleep.

Learn something new

The lockdown can be the ideal opportunity to broaden the mind and to learn something new, such as

Developing your mental health skills (see below)
Learn a new language
Start a new hobby
Learn a musical instrument

These types of activities are not only good for broadening the mind, but they are also good for a swimmer’s mental health.

Learn to live with one another

For some swimmers spending so much time at home during what can be stressful times, with members of their household, can be very challenging.

This can be even more challenging if,
The swimmer and/or their partner are working from home.
They are sharing their home with children.
They or someone in your household is ill.

Being considerate

One of the best ways to cope in these difficult situations is to try to be more considerate. For example,

Divide daily tasks and household chores fairly
Try to work in separate rooms, if at all possible.
Try to understand that those in your household may need their own space.
Remember it’s not always something that you have said or done.
Try not to respond immediately in a heated situation.
Pause, count to 10 if possible, before responding to a member of your household.
Seek an understanding from those in your household that these are strange and stressful times.
But you are all in this together and you will get through it.

Take one day at a time

During these uncertain times, it’s better to take one day at a time and not look too far ahead.

Try and remain calm and patient.
Believe that the lockdown is necessary to save lives and is only temporary
Being unduly worried and impatient will increase stress and may make the duration of the lockdown seem even longer.

Learn to enjoy your own company

Many swimmers are finding that they are facing this situation on their own.

Understanding the difference between being alone and feeling lonely

Swimmers should understand that being alone and feeling lonely are two different things.

Some swimmers live with many people but may still find themselves feeling lonely.
A common misconception is that loneliness is a result of being on our own.
Although it can be an important contributing factor, swimmers can be on their own and not feel lonely.
Being alone can help develop an environment of creativity, calm and self-reflection.
Whereas loneliness can have detrimental effects on a swimmer’s mental and physical health.

Stay in touch with family and friends

In this age of multi-social media platforms, it’s relatively easy to stay in touch with family and friends.

Some swimmers are using social media to conduct weekly virtual parties and on-line quizzes.

Develop your mental health skills

**Developing mental health skills will not only help swimmers during the lockdown, but they will see the benefits once they can go back to the water**

Developing a range of mental health techniques can enable a swimmer to focus more clearly, improve their motivation and increase their self-belief.

These same techniques can also help a swimmer confined to their home.
In addition to the benefits listed above, mental health techniques can also help to reduce stress, help them relax and stay positive.
The lockdown can give the swimmer the ideal opportunity to practice their mental health skills
These will not only help them during the lockdown, but they will see the benefits once they can go back to the water.

Takeaways

During this pandemic, swimmers from all over the world find themselves having to adapt to these strange and difficult times, many in total or partial lockdown.

With many swimmers confined to their home, with no access to swimming facilities.
Some have the additional challenges of finding themselves on their own, with children or living in confined spaces with no access to a garden or the outdoors.
In this article, we have detailed ways to help swimmers through the lockdown.

Swimming resource library

We have produced a swimming resource library.

This contains links to all of our blog posts.
These are subdivided by swimming category

To access any article simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library

Swimming posts index

We have also produced a swimming posts index containing easy access via an A-Z index of the titles of our ever-expanding portfolio blog articles.

To access this index simply click on the attached page link: swimming posts index

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.

It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
It’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water.

For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange

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