What Happens To Your Body When You Swim?

[@gtn]

Have you got the swimming bug? Which part of swimming most got you hooked? 🏊

[@susantunmore6676]

Love swimming, it's my favourite sport. I will say, that after every swim session my sinuses play up, I go through sneezing to blocked nose. I've tried to wear a nose clip but never got on with them. I have been taking antihistamine sometimes, especially if I'm in the pool for over an hour or so.

[@tonystack1622]

​​@@susantunmore6676 persevere with the clip , I did and can't go without one now.

[@katerinastruncova611]

Go to sauna to open the sinuses. Massaging the face with/without guasha should help, too. Do you breathe out through the nose as well?

[@colleenlutes1898]

@@susantunmore6676 I wear nose clips to avoid the sinus pain. BTW, I found a video of a Russian synchronized swimmer who recommended wiping down the sides your nose with a towel or your swimsuit to remove the oil on your skin. The clip will stay on better. Happy swimming.

[@mandagrath]

My favorite aspect of swimming is how secure I now feel in the open water. Knowing that I can probably swim across a reasonable amount of water to save my life or whatever circumstance my present itself

[@susansaeed2674]

Recently I have started taking swimming lessons at the age of 52. I have a phobia to overcome. I love every minute of being in water.

[@gtn]

Having fun is the most important thing.

[@colleenlutes1898]

At 74, I decided to tackle freestyle, breaststroke and flip turns. Videos like yours have helped me tremendously so thank you. I study them and then practice what I’ve learned. I have seen an improvement in my techniques and others have, too. Some even think I’m a lifelong swimmer. Imagine that. Best of all, my doctor has noted my improved heart function. I love swimming. It makes me happy, and I look forward each day to being in the water.

[@pole.6186]

Running is my main sport, got injured last August and so I picked up swimming in October, now I'm hooked and committed to continue learning the techniques.

[@gseft1]

I took up swimming at age 55 after years of running and riding. After the first few weeks of struggle, swimming workouts have now become the best part of training. Being in the pool, focused and calm is so rejuvenating. I only wish I had started sooner!

[@Flowmada]

I broke my leg doing special operations training. The first thing I could do out of the cast and without physical therapy was swim.... So swim I did. Ive loved swimming more than running ever since

[@tommytp85]

Recently started swimming after years of running. I've liked being "rubbish" at something and seeing quite a dramatic improvement.

[@michaelflanagan5066]

I have been swimming for 60 year with more than three quarters of that time competitively. I just love it. From swimming in 36C water in the tropics to 5C in Canada. The feel of the surf, the ocean, the pool or the lake - it is my sanctuary.

[@ancliuin2459]

I stopped running over a year ago due to knee problems, have had surgery since, and have started swimming for lack of an alternative (don't want to have surgery on my other knee too, thank you very much). I had always thought that swimming is not for me, too dull and repetitive, but I am actually enjoying it. Still fighting technique problems with freestyle, but somehow, that's part of the fun. Go figure! :) What I like most about swimming that you don't feel as... can I say shaken up? as after running, and I get the good feeling of a whole-body workout without any pain afterwards. In fact, this is the only sport where my knee feels better afterwards than before.

[@Toni266-k4j]

Yes I’m addicted to swimming it helps my mental health lot .

[@gtn]

this is great to hear!

[@cathnz9726]

I have improved my swimming this year, but yikes, my breath capacity doesn't seem to improve! Interesting about the sleepiness & hunger! Definitely relate to that!

[@jayjaylh]

Besides all the physiological benefits, I mostly enjoy the way swimming relaxes me. Being able to simply focus on the stroke and breathing for 20+ minutes does wonder for me. After a long easy swim, the body feels good and the mind is clear.

[@jamescalvey5273]

I started training for my first Triathlon earlier this year and knew the swim was going to be the biggest obstacle... first dip in the pool I literally couldn't do one length without being out of breath and all over the place. Thanks to many hours of GTN videos and a lot of practice it's now finally coming together nicely! It's given me the confidence to sign up for my first 70.3 next year and hopefully a full Ironman not too long after.... Thanks GTN... literally couldn't have done it without your videos! 🙏

[@gtn]

We're glad the videos are useful to you-keep it up!

[@KirubelEshetu-jy1me]

Mark, my guy! I give you A+ for creating this amazing video content! Peace ✌️

[@gtn]

thank you! 🫶

[@JimCullen]

"unlike a run or bike ride where your breath tends to be shallow and your exhales forceful…with swimming it tends to be the other way around". Huh, I've never noticed that before. But it's absolutely fascinating.

[@531c]

A timely video. At 64 ive just started swimming after an 11 year break. 5 swims in and i can swim freestyle 500 yards without needing to stop. First swim 3 weeks ago i could only manage 50 yards. All technique not about fitness

[@marie-louisekarlander2366]

I love swimming. Nice to have the possibility to be better in something when you are 58 years old. My children been competition swimmer so I knew the sport and I knew how they trained. I learn to swim crawl when I was 36, but this year I really feel that I become one better swimmer. Now my whole body works together to make the speed. My children had really good leg kicks, so I always believed that I will find it one day. And now I have 😃. I swim once in a week with a master group. And than we swim all 4 way to swim. I think one of the keys are that butterfly and backstroke made me better in crawl. 2023 I had IM focus and swim 10000 per week 4-5times per week. One session I still do often 8x75 accelerated and after 20x50 max (intervals max) very short rest 7-10s . And surprisingly- next day I run better. So something happens in the body. When I handle more way to swim in the pool my approach to the swim part in triathlon became different. I stopped focusing on surviving the swim- I compete , I search others feet , hips and I’m not afraid. I don’t get stressed if I can’t always breathe. In the pool I swim sometimes 9 strokes before breathing. It’s much more fun to compete in the swim part also. Most important is consistency. I leave the long distance swim to ow. I don’t go to the pool and swim 1500 m. Series with 25/50/75/100 . I’m even not sure that 5x400 will make us better swimmers in one Ironman. If you can’t keep up the speed so probably better to swim 20x100 . Strength training is important. One stronger core, hips, ass will make the swim better, more in balance. Now I wrote long , sorry, but my heart loves swimming, even bicycle is my best part in triathlon . Marie-Louise

[@99cya]

im new to triathlon and im in the process of training my swimming technique. i can already tell, swimming is so boring compared to running and cycling :D even gym is so much more interesting. hopefully with more experience it gets better :D

[@free_spoons2563]

I used to feel the same about swimming, but then I picked up a few training plans so my swims weren't just 'swim laps until im tired or my time is up' but more structured and now swimming is probably my favorite thing to do

[@99cya]

@@free_spoons2563 oh wow. thats interesting. i would be very amazed if it came to that for me :D anything special in your plans that you say had the most impact?

[@lalin96]

Swimming helped me get rid of my tight hip flexors.

[@dave3gan]

Love swimming but am aware that because it's non weight bearing, like cycling it's not good for bone density

[@edmundgerald5764]

Since swimming improves blood circulation, is it advisable to do a short swim before a hard run (say 5k) as part of the pre-run warm-up?

[@trbeyond]

And driving back forth to the pool sitting in the car undoes all the benefits 😂

[@Sea0tter]

I finished couch to 5 k a few months ago. With winter nights struggling to fit 3 runs in a week now. I just started to add a weekly swim. Will 2 runs and 1 swim a week keep me progressing with my fitness goals?

[@tomtouw3757]

Great vid

[@gtn]

thank you!

[@BruceWayne-us3kw]

I like swimming but I don’t have access to a pool. I’m sure it would help with training for a half-marathon.

[@gustavofiorante8306]

Why do we stay hungry after swimming?

[@jimjamthebananaman1]

It’s because the swimming pool keeps you really cool which suppresses hunger levels by controlling a hormone called grehlin (spelling?). Once your body temperature returns to normal temperature when you are getting changed then your hunger levels then increase rapidly

[@michaelflanagan5066]

I was told many years ago that swimming uses every single muscle except for your bowels. I am so glad we don’t use that last one.