Note from the writer: This is part 2 of a 5-part series about how to stay active in the outdoors through flatland training--essentially, training for the mountains without actually being in the mountains.
Last week we looked at training on loose sand at the beach, this week we're going to incorporate some water. If you're going to be trekking in the mountains, but aren't able to train in the mountains, swimming would be a great way to prepare.
Swimming, like running on loose sand, is another low impact activity. You won't be damaging your joints from constant impact, but you'll still be able to build muscle and stamina. Not to mention that when you get bored with one stroke, you can learn a different stroke.
To me, swimming helps build my mental strength as well. If you're swimming in a deep pool, it's easy to let your mind start wandering and thinking that something bad might happen. Think about it, you start off in the shallow end where it's maybe 4 feet deep and then all of a sudden, it drops off to 12 feet, it can be a little menacing.
Something to concentrate on then is your breathing pattern. Successful swimmers have this down in their sleep. For instance, I've seen a lot of swimmer do four strokes and then as their arm is coming up, their head follows it up out of the water to catch some air. I don't know about you, but when I'm trekking through the mountains, I find myself panting when when I'm out of shape and not thinking about my breathing. Swimming helps with finding a good rhythm and staying in shape so you're not weezing like the kids at camp in the movie Heavy Weights.
In the summer time, it's a great way to beat the heat instead of running. It's a great way to stay in shape and stay cool at the same time. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Happy Swimmin'!
Last week we looked at training on loose sand at the beach, this week we're going to incorporate some water. If you're going to be trekking in the mountains, but aren't able to train in the mountains, swimming would be a great way to prepare.
Swimming, like running on loose sand, is another low impact activity. You won't be damaging your joints from constant impact, but you'll still be able to build muscle and stamina. Not to mention that when you get bored with one stroke, you can learn a different stroke.
To me, swimming helps build my mental strength as well. If you're swimming in a deep pool, it's easy to let your mind start wandering and thinking that something bad might happen. Think about it, you start off in the shallow end where it's maybe 4 feet deep and then all of a sudden, it drops off to 12 feet, it can be a little menacing.
Something to concentrate on then is your breathing pattern. Successful swimmers have this down in their sleep. For instance, I've seen a lot of swimmer do four strokes and then as their arm is coming up, their head follows it up out of the water to catch some air. I don't know about you, but when I'm trekking through the mountains, I find myself panting when when I'm out of shape and not thinking about my breathing. Swimming helps with finding a good rhythm and staying in shape so you're not weezing like the kids at camp in the movie Heavy Weights.
In the summer time, it's a great way to beat the heat instead of running. It's a great way to stay in shape and stay cool at the same time. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Happy Swimmin'!
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