How Smiling Will Make You A Better Swimmer

I want you to try something for me.

Smile.

Now, try to think of something negative without losing the smile.

It’s hard, isn’t it?

Smiling has the ability to influence your feelings of positivity, even if it feels unnatural or forced.

Regardless of whether your smile is genuine or not, it still sends the message that “life is good!” to your brain and, ultimately, the rest of your body.

Smiling is usually something most associated with the completion of an ocean swim and shared with your swimming buddies.

But, did you know that smiling while you’re ocean swimming will give you a greater sense of control in the ocean and help you swim more efficiently?

😀 Reduce anxiety

Open water can be a challenging environment for the mind. Self-doubt, fear and worry can slip into our consciousness and negatively impact our experience.

Smiling not only offers a mood boost but helps our bodies release cortisol and endorphins that, among many health benefits, reduce stress and make us happy. When we’re swimming in a world of joy and happiness, it becomes easier to forget what we might have been worried about in the first place.

😀 Swim better

When the body is stressed, muscles tense up. This muscle tension makes it hard to maintain form and fluid movement which is key to swimming efficiency. On top of this, an abundance of muscle tension wastes energy and contributes to fatigue.

Smiling will help keep your body relaxed and promote effortless swimming. A relaxed body will enable you to maintain an efficient technique and help you sit higher in the water, resulting in increased performance.

Who’d have thought that the simple act of smiling while we swim could have such stupendous benefits?