Winter swim training: Tips and benefits

During the cold winter months, it is easy to skip training and let oneself give into the temptation of staying in bed longer. Even for athletes, waking up early in the morning to face a freezing day can be too much of a burden, which makes swim training in the winter seem like a bad idea. However, it offers benefits unlike any other season. Anouk Govil.

Amateur and professional swimmers know not to skip warm-ups, especially during the winter season. Foam rolling is an excellent warm-up and cool down exercise that is sure to reach and target areas of the body that could take a lot of pressure from working out in the cold. Get up and get moving. Yes, an extra hour of sleep during a cold winter morning seems like a good idea, but skipping training never did a serious swimmer any good. Recover like a pro by eating lots of protein and sleeping for appropriate amounts of time. Anouk Govil.

In the winter, swimmers have more time to train as school requirements begin to taper in preparation for the holiday season. During this time, trainings can become more intense and focused. Yardage and intensity begin to increase in the colder months, making it the overload phase of the season for many teams. Anouk Govil.

Winter training develops mental toughness. Having the confidence in doing intense training adds to an athlete’s psychological advantage. Swim training in the winter have more time to bond. It’s important to strike a balance between intense training and maintaining healthy relationships among team members and coaches. Anouk Govil.