SWIMMING BLOG

​Long COVID is used to describe signs and symptoms that last for longer than 4 weeks after getting COVID-19 with many people now having symptoms for far longer.

Like other respiratory illnesses, COVID-19 can cause lasting lung damage. As we continue to learn about COVID-19, we’re understanding more regarding how it affects the lungs during acute illness and afterwards.

There are two stages to what is commonly known as Long COVID:

• Ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 – symptoms that last 4-12 weeks
• Post-COVID-19 syndrome – symptoms that last for more than 12 weeks and can’t be explained by another diagnosis

Roughly 30 to 40 percent of people who contract the virus are asymptomatic and display no symptoms. The rest experience typical COVID-19 symptoms: fever, body aches, coughing, difficulty breathing, nausea and loss of taste or smell.

While these symptoms are usually expected to last the duration of the infection, some people are experiencing these symptoms weeks and even months after contracting COVID-19 and clearing it from their system. These people, sometimes called “long-haulers,” are typically in the older age range, but it can be young, healthy individuals as well.

One of the main symptoms of long Covid is breathlessness. This can happen even if you did not need treatment in hospital. As with asthmatics, swimming can help build your control of your breathing if you are suffering from breathlessness. Many studies have shown that swimming can actually make your lungs bigger and more efficient in how they process the air you breathe.

Following a bout of covid-19, some of our Strictly Swimming London clients have returned to swimming and realised that they were having trouble breathing to normal capacity during workouts and were struggling to swim the distances that they could normally manage (as they were still experiencing the effects of the virus months after infection).
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Like asthma, the symptom of long Covid is chronic inflammation affecting the lungs and airways. Swimming is a preferred activity for many children and adults with asthma and is associated with a range of health benefits including improved physical fitness and mental well-being. It is now becoming apparent that long Covid sufferers can equally benefit from swimming as their main form of exercise.

Moreover, swimming focuses on controlled, rhythmical breathing which can support lung function and help mindfulness and can relieve anxiety during this pandemic.
If you are suffering from long covid and breathlessness, please call Strictly Swimming London and we can tailor your lessons to slowly build your lung capacity in the swimming pool.
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Following the various lockdowns that the world has endured during the COVID pandemic, we at Strictly Swimming London have recently seen a huge surge in people wanting to take up the sport of swimming for fitness and many new clients have finally decided to take the plunge and learn to swim.

But is our sport safe during these risky times?

Well virologists at Imperial College London have revealed that their study showed that the Covid-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) can be neutralised in chlorinated swimming pool water in under 30 seconds. This is great news for swimmers across London and the world, suggesting that the risk of transmission of Covid-19 in swimming pools is extremely low.
 
Covid virus does not survive in the pool

The study concentrated on the effects of swimming pool water on the virus and assessed the amount of time and contact needed to neutralise the virus within various chlorine and pH levels. The research established that 1.5mg per litre of chlorine with a pH between 7-7.2 reduced the infectivity of the virus by more than 1000 times in as little as 30 seconds. Additional testing of different chlorine and pH ranges confirmed that chlorine in swimming pool water was more effective with a lower pH – which is in line with current guidance for swimming pool operation.

By mixing the virus with swimming pool water, the study showed that the virus does not survive in swimming pool water. It was no longer infectious and suggested the chance of contracting Covid-19 from swimming pool water is tiny.

This is amazing news for swimmers. These findings suggest that swimming pools can be safe environments if appropriate measures are taken for lap swimming (not pool parties!)
Of course, swimmers still need to maintain social distancing from other swimmers to avoid infection. Strictly Swimming London lessons are held in extremely quiet pools which allow us to maintain social distancing. With our own teaching lane, Strictly Swimming clients can rest assured that they will remain safe during their lesson, as we are separate to the other lap swimmers in the pool.

Safety measures in the pool
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Finally, there are still lots of safety measures in swimming pools right now which help Strictly Swimming London lessons also reduce the risk of transmission. The number of swimmers allowed in the pool at any one time are now limited during this pandemic, showering before and after lessons is required, social distancing in and around the pool is adhered to, sanitising hands and surfaces are still in operation at our pools.
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The sport of swimming is great exercise, and exercise is important to our physical and mental health — now more than ever. Pools present very low risks for COVID-19 transmission, but with the right precautions, your exercise program should go swimmingly this winter.

​A recent BBC survey highlighted that 48 percent of adults said that they had put on weight during lockdown.

One of the biggest complaints of the most recent lockdown was that gyms, swimming pools and leisure facilities had to close when many people relied on these facilities to manage their physical and mental wellbeing. Thankfully, our swimming pools will remain open now, even during Tier 3 restrictions.

As swimming is one of the best forms of a cardio workout, why not switch your routine to the pool and give swimming a try as you aim to lose those extra pounds gained during lockdown. Even if you are finding life tougher right now, swimming has been proven to have many mental health benefits above many other sports.
 
Preparing your mind to start swimming and lessons again!

It is important not to beat yourself up about any weight gain but accept that we have all been through strange times and now it is time to be kind to yourself and your body. Stressing about your weight gain will increase cortisol in your body (stress hormone) which in turn stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism. The bodies’ hormonal system checks this stress and promotes weight gain to counteract this stress.

Strictly Swimming London coaches can help you develop a plan of getting back into the water and quitting this stress. We will look at helping you become healthier rather than thinner when you are in the swimming pool, and this will lead to greater weight loss.
 
Training and Lessons

Whether you want to develop your freestyle stroke, start your journey into competing in your first triathlon, or simply develop your swimming training to become fitter and faster in the pool, your lockdown weight gain can become a thing of the past.

Our swimming pools are luxury private health clubs which means that the swimming pools are exceptionally quiet. Many of our beginner clients prefer a quiet learning environment. Many of our triathlete clients prefer a quiet space whilst they concentrate on fine tuning their swimming strokes. And many of our clients have built up their confidence in these quiet pools whilst they burn off that unwanted weight gain.
 
Book a lesson

We can tailor any swimming lesson to your specific individual needs. Strictly Swimming London coaches will help you back to your full self.
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To book a private lesson, please click the Book Online button on all of our webpages and register your details and availability for your swimming lesson.

​Practically everyone would agree that there is something therapeutic about being in or being around water. Even if you are a non-swimmer or have a phobia of water, just being calm and peaceful around water is relaxing for the majority of people. ​Getting out of the bustling towns and cities and walking along a beach can be hugely helpful for your mental wellbeing. We all know that feeling of swimming underwater and being in another world. It’s no wonder swimming can put you into an ideal mental space.
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This effect is equally shown around swimming pools. Swimming for relaxation, leisure or hard training has mental health benefits up and above many other sports. Increased self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. 

And as a form of physical activity, swimming is hard to beat!
 
Scientific Research on the Mental Health Benefits from Swimming

1. Reduces Stress:  swimming stimulates the brain to release neurochemicals that make the body feel good and in turn reduces stress. Along with the added effect of water moving over the body, it can be very soothing during your swimming routine. Being in contact with the water can also loosen up the body and the mind. Research (although in its early stages) has recently shown that swimming can help generate new brain cells in certain parts of the brain where chronic stress has led to cell deterioration – it’s a process called hippocampal neurogenesis. 
2. Soothing Effect:  many Strictly Swimming London clients tell us how they find that they are able to switch off their mind when swimming and it becomes part of their daily meditation. The water moving over the body creates a massaging sensation which boosts this soothing effect when swimming in the pool or open water.  The rhythmic strokes and sound of the water makes swimming much more relaxing than other forms of exercise and it is also highly conducive to meditation. When you dive into the water, your mood is lifted immediately from the coolness of the water, leaving you free from tiredness and depression.
   
3. Releases Endorphins:   Endorphins which are known as the ‘happy hormones’ interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. They also trigger a positive feeling in your body. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life. The sport of swimming can equally bring about those feelings of euphoria but alongside the therapeutic nature of being in the water, swimming is often proven to beat other forms of physical activity in psychological testing.
4. Boosts Brain Activity: some studies have shown that being immersed in water boosts blood flow to the brain. Swimming as an exercise has been shown to produce the same relaxation response as yoga and the process of stretching and contracting your muscles during your swimming strokes can amplify this feeling. Aerobic swimming increases blood flow around the body and to the brain, which means it can help improve memory, mood, mental clarity and focus.
5. Lower anxiety and depression: Research has shown that exercise is an effective but often underused treatment for mild to moderate depression. Good social support is often important for those with depression and joining a group exercise class can be beneficial. Strictly Swimming London offer group courses which can help with this. Even swimming with a close friend or your partner is supportive. In doing so, you will benefit from the physical activity and emotional comfort, knowing that others are supportive of you. Stick with it. If you swim regularly or start taking lessons regularly, it will soon become part of your lifestyle and will help reduce your depression.
6. Social benefits: Swimming is very much a social sport. Swimmers of all ages and levels can take lessons together, train together, or even work with a Strictly Swimming London coach in the pool. Many studies reveal that exercising and socializing together leads to improved mental health.

 
If you want a challenge and boost your swim training, maybe its time to take advantage of our adult swimming lessons with one of our London coaches. Let our Strictly Swimming London coaches develop your swimming to such a level that you can literally ‘drown’ out all those unwanted thoughts and stresses of your London life. Many swimmers voice that a swimming workout seems to eliminate a bad mood much more efficiently than running, so the time has come to take the plunge once the Covid-19 pandemic slows down and life returns to normal.

Do you like the idea of tracking your swimming in real time? Would you like to see your swimming statistics during or after a workout or lesson? Well the newly designed AR googles (Augmented Reality) that have recently landed on the market will provide your stats during every workout and take your training to the next level.
 
Augmented reality swimming goggles have been designed to help swimmers track their swim times, distances completed and lap splits (to the hundredth of a second) during any swimming workout. This data will also help your coach and teacher to monitor your performance. These goggles can offer you and your Strictly Swimming London coach immediate feedback when in the pool and we can analyse your data during your lesson.
 
The sport of swimming has lacked behind other sports such as cycling and running in recent times (who have various gadgets at their disposal to monitor their stats for some time now). Whereas swimmers (during training and lessons) haven’t had gadgets to hand where they can use them in the water to record split times swum and monitor distances that have been achieved.
 
Such an invention is exciting for the sport of swimming which remains the number one participation sport in the UK with over 2.5 million people swimming in pools each week, according to figures from Sport England recently. This figure increases more if you include open water swimming.
 
There have been various smartwatches on the market for a while with limited functions. The Apple Watches Series 2 and beyond will calculate how many laps that you've swum or the stroke you've performed. Waterproof MP3 players and SwiMP3 players have provided underwater music. However, that’s really been about the level of functions available until now. These new goggle companies are claiming that they will revolutionize the way swimmers train.

Types of AR Swimming Goggles

The Form Goggles display metrics that you need to see in the moment which allow you to take control of your swimming during training and lessons. Developed in collaboration with top competitive swimmers, these goggles allow you to monitor split times, interval times, rest times, total time swum, stroke rate, stroke count, distance per stroke, pace per 100, pace per 50, distance, length count and calories burned (which is impressive).

The smart display is see through and is built right into the goggles lens, delivering metrics without obstructing your vision  https://www.formswim.com/
The FORM Swim Goggles intelligently detect turns and rest—and give you relevant metrics each step of the way. They even allow you to customise your display and review your stats via their App.
 
SwimAR is a holographic display for swimmers by attaching a lightweight, hydrodynamic and waterproof module to a regular pair of swimming goggles. This device includes an added extra GPS system for finding your way in open water.

This module can be attached to various goggle styles with flexible straps.
https://www.swimar.co.uk/

Overall Opinion

If you want to compare your personal bests through your swim training and lessons, then investing in some Augmented Reality goggles is definitely for you! These state-of-the-art swimming goggles will allow you to adjust your stroke to the pace you need, increase your stroke length if you are starting to shorten through your workout and also allow you to stop guessing your pace. For those swimmers with poor eyesight who cannot see the pace clock on the poolside, then these goggles will be ground-breaking. Using AR goggles seems to eliminate pausing to check your lap times during your workout.

The downfalls are that AR goggles are really meant for serious swimmers and secondly they seem not to be able to monitor kick sets at the moment (although we think the positives hugely out way the negatives).
Be careful if you are swimming competitively as these goggles are designed to be used during training but not at a swim meet as they are not FINA approved (yet)!
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If you would like to use these goggles during your lesson with our London coaches, we will be able to analyse your stats and offer instant feedback on your split times and intensity performed during your swimming set.
The Strictly Swimming London team are excited to see these new AR goggles (even though they are pricey) and really believe that they will be massively motivational to swimmers all over the world.