The best skills to develop are the ones that will help you survive. Treading water is a that skill everyone should learn, even if they don't plan to cross the Bosphorus Strait. Treading water is vital for lifeguards, soldiers, and anyone who is planning to spend time in the water. Treading water has been part of military training and survival skills throughout history. More recently, water sports and first aid courses have incorporated treading water as well.
Treading water is the ability to keep one's head above water in an upright position by moving legs and arms. So think of it as swimming in place. Treading water is a simple skill which you can learn with practice. There are many ways to tread water. Some of them are more effective than others, and some require different muscles to perform. This makes treading water an excellent workout routine to do in an impact-free environment. Treading water is very important for swimmers, as it allows them to maintain their position in the water without sinking. Lifeguards also must master this skill to be able to pull a drowning victim to safety.
In this post, we will discuss treading water mainly from a fitness perspective and how to utilize this skill to create a workout that would help you achieve your fitness goals.
Here are Top 11 Benefits of Water Treading
Treading water is one of the most basic swimming techniques. It doesn't involve complex movements nor does it require a lot of energy. Once you master this skill, it becomes natural. Basically, to tread water, you want to keep your body upright with your head above the surface. You can move your arms and legs however you want as long as you stay above water. The tricky part is not getting tired out. That’s why it’s best to keep your movements slow and steady. While you can be a bit creative with how you move, there are definitely some effective techniques to use. Give them a shot next time you’re at the pool!
This method is very effective for people who are struggling with floating. Do simple breaststroke kicks and downward arm pushes at the same time. You should feel an upward boost with each stroke. Perform fast enough to keep your head above water. Breaststroke kicks activate your core and front leg muscles. Arm pushes will give your lat muscles a good workout too. Breathe out each time you exert a downward pressure. Take advantage of the upward boost to breathe in. The air in your lungs will help you float better during the recovery phase.
Flutter kicks are small leg movements that propel a swimmer forward. When done vertically, as in treading water, they push your body upward. Although small, flutter kicks are very powerful because of the continuous motion of the legs. To reduce the pressure on your legs you can optionally move your arms. Slightly rotating your body side to side would also assist in the ease of movement. This technique works your core and front leg muscles.
As I mentioned earlier, any movement that helps keep your head above water is treading water. Experiment with different movements and see which one feels more natural. You should choose a pace that's just fast enough to get you through the workout. Concentrate on breathing and keep good form throughout the workout.
There are number of exercises which you can do to improve your treading technique and duration. You can put more weight on your legs, use either your legs or your arms separately, or use water equipment to increase resistance. Here are some of the exercises you can do:
This is a combination of leg kicks and arm sculling, in a walking or cross-country motion. You will feel the upward force with each front kick. The alternate sculling motion will help you stay afloat more comfortably. If you do this long enough, you will feel the muscles of your back, shoulders and front thighs. The arm twisting motion will active your forearm muscles as well. Breathe in and out with each cycle.
Using your arms only will make your arm muscles work harder to keep you afloat. Move your arms in and out, scooping the water with the inside of your hands. This will improve your arm technique and make you more comfortable in the water.
Put more load on your leg muscles by keeping the arms still. The goal is to strengthen your leg muscles and make your water treading more efficient. You can do frog kicks or flutter kicks.
When clothes absorb water they become stiff and cling to your skin, which makes it harder to move in the pool. This may feel very uncomfortable at first, but after several times you will get used swimming with soaked clothes. Don't use your best clothes and wash them properly after you finish. Most swimming pools don’t allow non-waterproof garments so this is best practiced in private pools.
This will place extra weight on your legs and make them work harder to stay up. This can be really tough so make sure you stretch before and that you are with a professional supervisor. You can also hold an object above water, for added resistance.
Floating in sea is easier because salty water is more dense, hence more buoyant. Although floating is easier, moving your body against a thicker liquid would be more difficult. In addition, sea water is more violent due to the higher degree of flow. A strong current requires extra effort to avoid being swept away. Not to mention all the sea creatures lurking under your feet, which would keep you from fully enjoying the experience. So to sum it up, treading water in sea or swimming pool gives you a good workout. While swimming pool provides more safety, sea water gives you more resistance to work against.
Especially non-buoyant equipment with large surface area. By treading water with the equipment you will be training your muscles to perform the movement more efficiently. For example using water paddles will build your upper body muscles and improve your arm pull.
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