Why is synchronised swimming such a great sport?

As a combination of swimming, dance and gymnastics, synchro offers a real variety of activity.

Whether you want to improve your core strength and flexibility, find a creative outlet for choreography and dance, or just try a new way to have fun and make friends in the water.

It’s a great way to keep fit, and it’s not just for women. Since 2015, synchro has become a mixed sport, from domestic to international competitions.

8 Health Benefits of Synchronised Swimming

Physical Benefits

1. Flexibility
   Synchronised swimmers are amongst the most flexible athletes, coming second to gymnasts. Synchro will help you become supple and limber during every aspect of the sport, be it on land or in the pool. Older athletes have reported improvements in arthritis and other age-related conditions since being involved in the sport.
2. Increased Aerobic Capacity
   On average, a synchronised swimmer can hold their breath for up to three minutes, although this is usually reduced to only 1 minute at a time in routines. Expanding your lung capacity can help lung conditions such as asthma.
3. Increased Stamina
   While top athletes make the sport look effortless, the conditioning of a synchronised swimmer is extreme. Swimmers must perform their routines without touching the floor, using a combination of eggbeater and sculling to move in and out of positions and arm movements. This continual movement builds stamina as athletes engage in a full body workout during every routine.
4. Increased Endurance
   Synchronised swimmers spend up to six days a week, eight hours a day honing their craft. But don’t worry, just one two hour session a week can have a huge impact on your endurance through cross training on land and in the pool.
5. Increased Muscular Strength
   Synchro routines can involve a series of twists, splits, pointed toes and more. The variety of the routine means you are constantly isolating and engaging individual muscles. Synchro swimmers can’t touch the bottom of the pool for lifts, so they need to build their strength on land to be able to perform gravity-defying lifts.

Mental Benefits

1. Works the Brain
   Learning routines engages the brain to memorise and retain information. Keeping the brain active ensures new neural pathways are created and that existing ones stay healthy. Depending on how involved you get, you could learn up to three different routines each year.
2. Increased Confidence & Team Building
   Training as a group builds camaraderie and self-esteem, leading to increased confidence. You will interact with new people of all ages and background, allowing you to develop and grow your conversational skills and make new friends.
3. Increased Health & Wellbeing
   The endorphins that the body create during all physical activity is good for depression, mood and psychological health.

Joining Nairn Synchro means you will make friends from different schools and areas (we have members from across the Highlands and Moray), you will keep fit, you will be supported to be the very best synchro swimmer you can be and you will get immense pride from improving your skills and being part of an amazing team. Contact Nairn Synchro to find out more!

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