Winter has arrived and we all know what that means; colder and wetter days. Over the warmer months swimming is a common activity for many, but when the weather packs in, it can be harder to get out and exercise. Here at AUT Millennium, it is still possible to keep swimming in the cooler months with a National Aquatic Centre membership, and our pools are heated year-round.
Here are our top five reasons why it is a good idea to keep swimming over winter.
1. Refine technique
In winter, the water is cold and the weather is often miserable, but it is important for open water swimmers to keep up their swimming even if it is not in the ocean. Swimming in a heated pool offers you a great opportunity to finesse your technique without the factors of currents, waves, and the extra buoyancy provided from salt water that may mask an issue! Technique is extremely important if you are wanting to improve on your times and distances.
2. Try different strokes
Winter swimming gives you the opportunity to explore the other three strokes to increase overall endurance and strength in the water. Having a good understanding of correct techniques, and being able to implement these into your sessions will help you to build increased overall fitness as the different strokes focus on different muscle groups.
3. Maintain endurance
Aside from technique, swimming in the National Aquatic Centre over winter will help you to maintain the endurance you have built up over all the open water swims you have done throughout the summer. Coming from a swimmer, I know how frustrating it can be to work hard for many months, only to have a break from swimming, and come back to see all that work go out the window! This is why continuing to swim in winter is so important – maintenance!
4. General fitness
Winter swimming is perfect for those that are after some general fitness from the pool. It is similar to what has been mentioned previously regarding maintenance and building up endurance. If you have been slogging away in the pool over the warmer months, don’t let all that work go to waste! Keep swimming over winter to build and maintain the fitness you have gained from your training at AUT Millennium.
5. Training variety
Swimming during winter is great for mixing up your training programme. When it’s wet, we are often indoors for our workouts. You may find running on the treadmill and using the spin bike repetitive after time, so why not incorporate swimming into your winter training programme to give yourself some variety?
Check out our range of National Aquatic Centre memberships. There’s an option to suit everyone. So don’t hang up the togs; maintain all the work you’ve done over the warmer months and keep swimming this winter!
