THE ADDITION OF SWIMMING TO THE ROSTER OF SPORTS AT THIS YEAR’S GEMLIFE GAMES HAS BEEN POPULAR, WITH A NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS ALREADY REGISTERED.
GemLife’s Health and Lifestyle Coordinator Josh Kristenson offers some great advice for those who are ready to smash their personal best times by using the facilities at their GemLife resort.
Swimming technique improvement
GemLife’s indoor heated lap pools provide an ideal setting for practising swimming techniques. If it’s been a while since you’ve swum regular laps, just take your time and be mindful of stroke techniques and breathing patterns to ensure you can stay the distance. Smooth, confident strokes will see you reducing your times with regular practise.
Warm-up and recovery
Rest and recovery are essential components of any training program. GemLife’s saunas provide an excellent environment for relaxation and post-workout recovery. Spending time in the sauna helps alleviate muscle tension, improve circulation, and promotes overall wellbeing. Make stretches part of your warm-up and recovery routine using resistance bands and foam rolling exercises. This will aid in recovery and prevent injury.
Fitness training
Not all your training should be done in the pool. Incorporating gym workouts into the training regimen complements swimming sessions and improves cardiovascular health, muscular endurance, and power. Adding workouts on the treadmill, stationary bike, and strength training machines help you build the necessary physical conditioning for competition.
Nutrition and hydration
Proper nutrition is vital for fuelling performance and supporting recovery. Make sure your diet is high in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to optimise energy levels and promote muscle repair and recovery. Staying hydrated is also critical, especially when engaging in intense physical activity. You might be spending a bit of time in the water, but you should be drinking plenty of water out of the pool too. Also, consider incorporating electrolyte-rich beverages to replenish lost fluids during training sessions.
Mental preparation
The best way to prepare for competition is to focus on having fun. This is about trying your best and enjoying time with friends old and new.
However, if you are concerned about nerves ahead of the big day, make sure you spend some time in the great outdoors. Go for a walk around the resort or in nearby parks and practise some mindfulness and visualisation techniques.
HAVE A FITNESS QUESTION? ASK JOSH!
Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build muscle, improve overall fitness levels or have a query about cardio, strength training or is something sports-specific, Ask Josh! has got you covered.
Send your questions to [email protected]
Good luck! Just putting your hand up to be a competitor already makes you a winner in our eyes!
If you’re still on the fence about competing, then I encourage you to give it a go. The GemLife Games are a friendly competition where the real winners are having fun and meeting new friends.