Synchro 101: What should Artistic Swimmers do in Summer?

jump-300x287Stay Fit – But Do Lots of Other Things!

It’s hard to believe that school is a few short weeks from ending and that soon we will all be on summer break.  While it is important for our athletes to rest and take some much needed time off, there are many things that they can do to help maintain their fitness level and be ready to jump back into the artistic swimming program in September.  Our coaching team has put together the following recommendations for our athletes.

What to Do in the Off – Season:
While it can be hard to stay motivated during the off-season and keep yourself on track physically, the benefits will be reaped not only in terms of keeping yourself fit during a break, but also in minimizing the amount of recovery time once the new season begins and ensuring that you’ll be on track to reaching your goals next season. You will be amazed at how much easier the transition into a new season or coming back from a break will be if you are fit and flexible, and how much you’ll be able to focus on learning new skills instead of bringing your fitness level back to where it was at the end of the season.

The most important step for you to take is to PLAN. Take some time and set some goals for yourself. How often do you want to incorporate each of the training components into your summer schedule? Be creative–playing beach volleyball, swimming at the lake, hiking, roller blading — each of these are perfectly valid cardiovascular activities. Sit and stretch your splits while watching TV or reading outside. Get yourself into the habit of a quick 15 minute flexibility routine before you go to bed.

lake-300x163Ideas to keep in shape over the summer:
Cardio: Anything to keep moving!  Examples include running, biking, roller-blading, aerobics, kickboxing, brisk walking, soccer, play in the park, etc
Flexibility: Why is Stretching and Flex so important? The sport demands optimal range of motion in the body’s joints, as every musculoskeletal structure is utilized in an artistic swimming routine. Continue your flex program used during the season.  Other ideas include taking a teen or family yoga class for fun and to improve strength and flexibility,
Artistic: Part of the Artistic mark is presentation.  Make faces in the mirror, think about how to exaggerate emotions with your face. Play charades. Create a mime skit or movie for your family.  Think about conveying emotion without words.

Summer camp ideas: Theatre camp, circus camp, gymnastics camp, dance camp, etc.