🏊‍♀️ Keep the Stroke Strong: Staying Motivated to Swim in the Colder Months

The fall air brings a crisp chill and the thought of jumping into a pool—especially an outdoor one—can feel less appealing than snuggling up with a warm beverage. For dedicated swimmers, this is the crucial time to double down on your motivation!

Don't let the colder fall weather derail your progress. With a few adjustments to your mindset and routine, you can keep your stroke strong.

🔥 Warm-Up Your Mindset: Why Swimming Now is So Important

The mental hurdle is often the highest one. Here’s why you should keep going:

• Consistency is Key to Progress: Taking an extended break now means you'll have to work twice as hard to regain your fitness come spring. Regular swimming maintains your cardiovascular health, muscle tone, and endurance.

🧤 Practical Tips for the Chilly Commute and Post-Swim

If the journey to and from the pool is what's holding you back, these tips can help make it easier:

• Prep Your Bag the Night Before: Minimize the morning rush and decision fatigue. Have your suit, cap, goggles, and a clean towel ready to go.

• Invest in Post-Swim Comfort: This is a game-changer.

  • The Warm Robe: Ditch the thin cover-up and pack a thick, fuzzy robe.

  • Slippers/Comfy Shoes: Don't let your feet hit the cold locker room floor.

  • Knit Hat: A hat is essential! You lose a lot of heat through your head, and covering wet hair immediately after a swim will keep you feeling warm on the walk or drive home.

• The Hot Shower Strategy: Take a quick, warm shower immediately after leaving the pool deck. Dry off completely before dressing, and put on layers, especially a base layer that wicks away moisture.

• The "Treat" Incentive: Have something warm waiting for you. This could be a hot coffee, tea, or a bowl of oatmeal when you get home. It gives you a small, immediate reward to look forward to.

🎯 Keep Workouts Fresh: New Goals for a New Season

Motivation often fades when the routine becomes boring. Use the fall to introduce new challenges:

• Focus on Technique: Instead of chasing distance or speed, spend a few sessions focusing purely on form. Use drills (like the 'catch-up' drill or single-arm swimming) to refine your stroke. Perfecting your technique makes you more efficient and less prone to injury.

• Try a New Distance: Are you typically a sprinter? Challenge yourself with a longer, steady-state swim. Are you a distance swimmer? Incorporate short, high-intensity intervals (HIIT) to boost your top-end speed.

• Join a Masters Group: If you swim alone, the accountability and social support of a coached practice are unmatched. Having others expecting you to show up is a powerful motivator.

• Use Tools for Variety: Kickboards, pull buoys, and fins can all add new dimensions to your workout, isolating muscle groups and preventing monotony.

Staying motivated to swim when the weather turns cold is about making the process as comfortable and rewarding as possible.

Keep your focus on the water, not the weather, and you'll find yourself stronger and fitter when the spring thaw arrives.

Talk soon,

Dr. Sandra and Team