I get asked a lot what Swimfit is all about, so I thought I’d give you a little taster of what to expect when joining this great workout in Port Douglas.
We are so lucky to have a beautiful pool like the QT Port Douglas Lap Pool to swim our laps in. No horrible indoor swimming pools here, instead we are surrounded by tropical gardens and swaying palm trees. Swimming laps doesn’t get much better than this!
So you’ve seen a few things about Swimfit, maybe on Facebook or Instagram or heard someone talk about it, but you’re just not too sure of what to expect. Keep reading to find out at least 5 things to expect when joining Swimfit.
1. A Warm Welcome
We love welcoming new swimmers to Swimfit! There is a great group of regular swimmers who are already aware of the positive effect swimming has on their daily life, but they also still remember their first Swimfit experience. Some of them never really learned to swim and took on the challenge of becoming a confident swimmer, others used to swim when they were younger and are excited to get back in the pool. In other words, everyone had their own reason for joining in the fun and that is what makes Swimfit so awesome, everyone can join!
Enter the QT Lap Pool via the car park on the side of Port Douglas Road or park your car around the back of the pool in the QT Resort car park and follow the path that takes you behind the pool and turn left towards the white gym building. When arriving at the pool first sign in inside the gym so they know who is in the pool and here is where you pay your $5 pool entry. Jeremy will be in the gym to show you exactly where to sign in, just tell him you're joining Swimfit. After you've signed in, make your way to the gazebo at the end of the pool, this is where you will usually find me in blue shorts and a white Swimfit polo. You are ready for your first Swimfit sessions!
2. You're Gonna Get Wet
Lets state the obvious, you will get wet while swimming! We’re lucky to swim in the tropics and have beautiful water temperatures all year round. We can even swim outdoors in winter in Port Douglas! Sure, the water gets a little bit chilly but a good Swimfit session will get you warmed up in no time!
Make sure you dress appropriately for swimming with a swimsuit that stays on when pushing of the wall or jumping/diving in, goggles are highly recommended and a swim cap protects your hair from the chlorine and keeps your hair out of your face while swimming.
Bring a towel to dry yourself off after Swimfit, or even enjoy a refreshing shower before heading off to work or enjoying the rest of your day. There is toilets and showers right next to the pool which you are welcome to use.
3. A Great Workout
Swimming is the number 1 workout to improve your strength, fitness and flexibility. The water creates resistance and at the same time takes the pressure of your joints, resulting in a workout that’s great for everyone.
A Swimfit session goes for 60 minutes and you are guaranteed to use all your muscles in this 1 hour workout. Obviously you use your arms and legs to propel yourself forward but engaging your core is also a very important part of being a swimmer. Short sprints, kicking with a kick board and swimming with a pull buoy are perfect examples of Swimfit exercises that will strengthen your muscles.
Because a big part of swimming is controlling your breathing you will notice instant improvement in your lung capacity and VO2 max. We push this improvement by playing around with the breathing while swimming, for example swim a lap breathing once every 3 strokes followed by a lap breathing once every 5 strokes.
Swimming is not just freestyle, there is 4 strokes and we love switching these up at Swimfit! Being able to rotate these strokes creates a full body workout and makes it way more fun. Never swam butterfly before, not to worry, it only takes a few simple steps for you to do your first few butterfly strokes.
4. Improve Your Swimming
Besides enjoying a great workout there is also a focus on improving your swimming technique. Some sessions have a strong technique focus where we will run through several swim drills and break the stroke into little bits to improve your overall swimming.
Other times I will give you simple tips and tricks during a Swimfit Session. This will give you something to focus on and usually see instant results!
It doesn't matter if you've never swam before or already swim a few times a week, there is always things to improve which will make swimming more enjoyable and prevent injuries. Just think about how many strokes you would do, about 25 per lap times the number of laps you swim. If you keep doing the same movement slightly wrong you can easily create a shoulder, neck or back injury. Make sure you know you're swimming correctly to be able to enjoy this great workout for many years to come!
3. Have A Laugh And Make New Friends
Swimfit is a very social workout. We like having a laugh, may it be because of my great sound effects in explaining a specific swimming drill or a story someone shares in between swimming. You'll quickly make new friends in the pool and this will become part of the reasons you'll keep coming back, cause you don't want to let your swimming buddies down right?
I hope this blog has cleared up a few questions around what Swimfit is all about. If you are left with any questions, please feel free to call me (0428 875 275), email me (info@swimfitforlife.com) or send me a Facebook Message.
Please feel free to join Swimfit on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6.30-7.30am at the QT Lap Pool along Port Douglas Road. It's $10 per sessions plus $5 pool entry or $100 gets you a 10-Go Card which includes the pool entry. This can all be organised when joining your first sessions :)
See you at the pool!
xx
Irene
Your Personal Swim Coach
