You may have heard that swimming is an aerobic exercise that works out your entire body, making it excellent for weight loss. Yet, abs can be hard to achieve, as there are many other factors that come to play outside of exercising such as lifestyle and diet. Here are some tips to achieve that 6-Pack abs from swimming!

Strokes

When swimming, your core muscles such as abs, hips, and lower back are constantly engaged. These muscles help you balance and control your speed and agility. As your core rotates with each stroke, the up and down kicking motion of your legs engage muscle groups in your abdomen as well. But did you know that different strokes engage different muscle groups?

Only the backstroke and freestyle require core rotation. When you are executing your strokes, your side abdominals are engaged as your arm cuts through the water. Moreover, the freestyle and backstroke kicks start from your lower abs and hips, and hence targets your lower abs. Therefore, these two strokes are popular among people trying to build up their core muscles.

In particular, the butterfly stroke consumes the most calories. Together with your arms and shoulders, your entire lower body is required to propel your torso out of the water. For the dolphin kick, the rectus abdominis provides the starting motion for your leg movement, giving your abs that much needed workout.

However, does it mean that other strokes are not as effective as the backstroke and freestyle? If you are more comfortable executing other strokes, try out strokes that require a leverage-like movement, such as the butterfly and breaststroke. The leverage-like movement targets your abs directly as well.

Regardless of which stroke you are going with, be mindful of keeping your back as straight as possible to keep your abdomen tight and engage your core!

Intervals

Much like running, interval training is the way to go for burning those fats. High-intensity interval training burns more calories with a shorter exercise time. To incorporate interval training into your daily laps, alternate swimming at your fastest speed, with slower laps in between.

Build the intensity gradually and be careful not to overexert yourself. Unsure on how to build up your interval routine? Here is an article that can help you design the workout that is most suitable for you.

Another exercise for interval training is water jogging. In waist-deep water, walk, jog, or even run while lifting your legs as high as possible to ensure that your core is engaged. Ensure that your back is always straight and maintain a good posture to avoid injuring your back!

Water Exercises

Bored of swimming laps? You can incorporate some water exercises into your routine to strengthen your core too.

An exercise that trains your abs and your arms is the pike exercise. Go to the shallower section of the pool where the water reaches up to your neck when you are standing. From the standing position, try to pull your knees up to your chest. Lean back slightly and keep those legs straight and extended into a pike position. You will find your body to be in a “V” shape. Holding this position will tone your abs. If you find yourself sinking, push your hands backwards in circles to keep yourself afloat. This will help tone your triceps. Don’t give up if you cannot hold your position for long! After a few tries, you should be able to get a hang of it.

If you are tired from executing the full strokes, practicing kicking drills will give your core a good workout.

Perhaps one of the more popular core exercises, head over to the edge of the pool to do some flutter kicks. Flutter kicks engage your hip muscles (hip flexors) and buttocks (gluteus muscles) in addition to your core. While holding on onto the edge of the pool, keep your back straight and scissors kick your feet to stay afloat. Remember to point your toes and keep your legs straight too.

Next, time to practice your dolphin kicks. Clasp your hands together or grab a kickboard while keeping them straight in front of you. Begin by pushing your chest downward while keeping your hips up, then pushing your hips down while your upper body moves back up. Trying this for the first time? Visualising that your body will be moving in a wave-like action might be easier for you to attempt this exercise. Flipping over your back and trying out this exercise can increase the use of your core muscles and make breathing easier too.

Moving on from the kicks, swimming when isolating your upper body engages your core as well. To do so, place either a pull buoy between your thighs or ankles to help keep them afloat or place a strap around your ankles to increase the difficulty of the exercise. Start swimming freestyle, and at the same time, keep your feet together and engage your core to stop your lower body from sinking.

Dry-land Exercises

Too busy to drop by the swimming pool today? You can do simple exercises at home to train those core muscles too. Take note though, these are meant to supplement your swim workouts, and are not a substitution. Working on dry-land exercises can focus on your core training, which will benefit you in the pool as well. When you have a strong core, you will have an easier time executing your strokes.

The first exercise to add to your workout would be planks. Planks develop your deep transverse abdominis muscle, which improves posture and gives you power through the core. Try out different variations such as the side plank and superman plank to spice up your routine!

Most of us would think that focusing on your abs is enough for obtaining 6-packs. However, your side muscles, the oblique, should not be neglected as well. Developing your obliques will tone your abdomen and help you maintain stability in the water. X-Crunches is an excellent exercise to train your obliques. Lie on your back with your limbs extended and your hands above your head (Just like the letter X). Bring your right arm and left leg up to touch and do the same for your left arm and right leg.

Lastly, we cannot leave out training your abs and your lower back muscles. Strengthening your lower back along with your abs will keep you balanced and maintain your posture. Flutter kick is one of the most popular exercises for this. You can do the flutter kick on dry land too! While on your back, put your hands under your tailbone for support. Lift your legs up, keep them straight, and scissors kick for several repetitions.

Conclusion

What are you waiting for? Go down to the swimming pool now and transform your dad bod to a beach bod! Rotate between different exercises so that you don’t get bored of your routine. If you need help tailoring a workout, why not let us match the most suited private swimming coach for you today? We would ensure you the desired 6 pack abs with our private swimming lessons in the fastest of time!

Hello everyone! My passion for sports writing stems from my day of competing for Nanyang Technological University's Archery team. I was also an avid swimmer when I was young. Other than that, I draw knowledge from my hobby in music and reading to relate to my readers. Hope you enjoy them!