Breaststroke swimming is one of the most popular swimming techniques. If you are not familiar with this swimming style and are interested in trying it, don't worry. In this article, we will discuss the techniques and benefits of breaststroke swimming.
Breaststroke swimming or what is often referred to as the frog style is a swimming technique whose movements are fairly simple and are often considered the easiest to do. Therefore, breaststroke swimming is usually the first technique learned by people who are just starting to learn to swim.
Techniques and Benefits of Breaststroke Swimming
As mentioned above, the breaststroke swimming technique is not difficult. In order to swim in this style, there are steps you must follow, namely:
- Position the front of your body facing the pool floor.
- Keep your body as straight and relaxed as possible, but try to keep your ankles underwater.
- Bring your palms together and straighten your arms to get ready to slide.
- Perform a gliding motion by rejecting the soles of the feet that are attached to the pool wall.
- Start opening your palms outwards until your body forms a Y shape, then turn your hands inward until your hands meet in front of your chest.
- Simultaneously with the movement of the hands above, open both thighs and bend the knees until the heels point to the buttocks, like the movement of a frog's legs when swimming.
- When your hands are in front of your chest and ready to open again, lift your head and shoulders above the water to take a breath.
- As the hands open again, the head and shoulders should be back under the surface of the water.
- Repeat the above movement until finished.
Talking about the benefits of breaststroke swimming, there are many positive things that you can get, especially those related to health. Following are some of them:
1. Maintain heart health
Breaststroke swimming is one of the best swimming techniques for cardio training. Breaststroke swimming strengthens the heart and helps this organ pump blood more efficiently throughout the body.
In addition, cardio exercises, such as breaststroke swimming, can also help increase good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood. This can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis in the arteries of the heart.
2. Maintain lung health
Not only maintaining a healthy heart, the breaststroke swimming technique is also beneficial for lung health. Cardio exercises, such as breaststroke swimming, can increase lung capacity, allowing these organs to deliver more oxygen to the blood.
3. Train the muscles of the body
When swimming the breaststroke, you will use most of your body muscles to move through the water. Breaststroke swimming is useful for training and toning the muscles of the body, especially the chest, abdomen, thighs, arms, upper back, and lower legs.
4. Burn calories
Although it is not as effective as other swimming styles in burning calories, it does not mean that breaststroke swimming does not burn calories at all.
Breaststroke swimming is generally able to burn about 200 calories for 30 minutes. If done regularly and balanced with a healthy diet, breaststroke swimming can be effective for weight loss.
5. Extend life and improve quality of life
Swimming, including breaststroke swimming, is a very good sport for the overall health of the body. Research shows that people who swim regularly tend to live longer than people who don't like to swim.
In fact, swimming can also be useful for reducing arthritis pain complaints that often occur in the elderly (elderly). These complaints not only interfere with comfort, but can also prevent the elderly from carrying out activities.
You can feel the various benefits of breaststroke swimming above if this swimming style is done regularly for about 2.5 hours a week and of course with the right technique.
In addition, also combine breaststroke swimming with the consumption of nutritious food and adequate rest.
If you still have questions regarding the technique and benefits of breaststroke swimming for your health condition, consult your doctor before doing this swimming style.