In swimming, cardio-respiratory endurance and muscular endurance allow me to sustain a high level of intensity for a long period of time. Dynamic strength, speed and flexibility are also required for me to develop an effective stroke technique.
Muscular endurance is the ability of a group of muscles to continue to maintain the quality of their contractile force for a period of time while working. When swimming frontcrawl, the same arm and leg action is repeated constantly, therefore a high level of muscular endurance is required to avoid fatigue which will lead to stroke deterioration. It is vital to maintain an effective, streamlined stroke to reduce drag and allow me to move quickly through the water. It is important for my arms and legs to be able to generate a high power output for the duration of the swim for my performance to be effective. When I get muscle fatigue I find my hips sink in the water and my legs drag behind causing resistance and slowing me down. I am also able to generate less power with each stroke when I tire. This means my overall speed slows down and also means I need to take more strokes to finish a length, making my technique less energy efficient.
Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability of the cardio-respiratory system (heart & lungs) to supply the body with sufficient levels of oxygen when exercising. The stronger my heart is and the greater my lung capacity is, the better my cardio-respiratory endurance will be. This will make my heart and lungs more efficient at supplying oxygen to the muscles for a sustained period, reducing the effect of oxygen debt on my performance. The better my cardio-respiratory endurance, the longer I will be able to swim before oxygen debt has a noticeable impact on my performance. When oxygen debt affects my performance during distance swimming, I feel out of breath and this causes me to breathe more often, which disrupts the fluency of my stroke. I also find my breathing technique is poorer, as I lift my head right out the water rather than rotating it to the side, which causes disruption to the fluency of my stroke.
Power, flexibility and limb speed in my arms and legs all contribute to how fast I can swim. Power is important in as the greater force my muscles can exert on the water the faster I can swim. Limb speed is the ability to move an individual limb (arm or leg) quickly. In swimming limb speed in arms in legs will help generate more power in each pull or kick making you swim faster. Good range of movement in the shoulder joint will allow us to get a better reach forward on every stroke and therefore be able to pull back with greater force allowing us to swim faster. It will also increase the stroke rate and allow me to swim faster. Good range of movement in the hips will allow us to kick with more power and increase the speed of our kick.
Many skill-related aspects of fitness are vital for an effective performance in swimming.
Coordination is vital when I am swimming frontcrawl to maintain a fluent stroke. I must coordinate the movement of my arms so that one arm begins the pull as the opposite arm finishes its pull. Similarly the leg movement so that as the left leg is at its highest point in the water, the right leg is at its lowest. Coordination is also required so the arm and leg movement is continuous, without disruption.
Balance is vital for keeping my body in the correct position in the water. Effective frontcrawl technique should see the body rotate 45 degrees to the left and right of a position horizontal to the water with each arm pull. Balance is required to avoid over-rotating which would disrupt fluency and timing of my stroke.
Agility is important during tumble turns at the end of each length. I need to move my body quickly into different positions, moving from a flat outstretched swimming position, to a tight tuck to turn, then back to the swimming position after the turn.
Mental fitness plays a vital role in long distance swimming. Managing my emotions is important so I am at the optimal level of arousal before a performance. Motivation and determination are important factors, particularly when I get to the latter stages of a swim when I am feeling tired. Swimmers who are more motivated and determined are more likely to continue to work hard when they become tired. I also find mental rehearsal helps me prepare for this point. I find if I have prepared for this point where I become fatigued in my mind I have a greater determination to keep my intensity levels high. If my level of arousal was too low, my levels of motivation and determination would be low. My level of arousal can also be too high before and during a performance. This can lead to me being very nervous and in extreme cases showing physical signs such heavy breathing and shaking. This wastes energy unnecessarily so it is vital that my level of arousal is at an optimal level. Concentration is important as a distance swim lasts for a long period of time and a loss of concentration could lead to me not focusing on some of the finer points of my technique such as the angle of my hand entry and breathing pattern.
