the joy of mindful swimming

In this interview for Top Sante Magazine, Alexandra Lees shares her Wu Wei Wisdom approach and practical exercises to help you use swimming as a healthy mindfulness practice.

Mindful swimming helps you practise mental self-discipline, focus and teaches the importance of the breath. It can help you press the ‘pause’ button on any negative self-talk and gives you mental space to step away from your daily routine…”

mindfulness & swimming: the natural connection

Mindfulness is about being in the present moment, calming and focussing your mind. To do this, you must mentally and physically ‘step away’ from distractions of daily life and stop the mind from ruminating on the past or projecting ahead into the future. The aim of mindfulness is to find an effortless and harmonious flow in life and the Chinese Taoists refer to this as ‘Wu Wei’.

Swimming naturally lends itself to mindfulness practice…

Visiting a pool is a decisive act of self-care and self-imposed ‘me time’. It removes you from your normal environment and the demands and distractions of work, home and pervasive technology such as mobile phones.

Once in the water, this also cuts out sensory distractions. The world seemingly slows down and you become more aware of your breath as it is amplified by the water. You are also physically held and supported by the water. It becomes easier to allow your body to relax and let go of any muscular tension.

You are now literally in your flow!

how to be more mindful when swimming

Mindfulness begins when you arrive at the swimming pool. The act of carefully undressing and packing your belongings into a locker signals to your mind that you are now putting aside the cares and worries of the day. This is great mental preparation for your mindful swimming practice.

It is possible to be in the water and not be mindful if you allow your mind to wander onto distractions or worries. So, once in the pool, you can enhance your mindful state by focusing your attention on three important qualities:

~ The sensory environment of the pool (for example the sound, colour and temperature of the water);

~ Your body and its connection to the water (how does the water feel on your body? …where in your body are you still holding onto tension? …can you allow the water to support you even more?);

~ The rhythm of your breath (observe the pace of your breath …are you breathing too fast or too high in your chest? …can you slow your breath and bring it deeper into your body?).

is swimming the most mindful sport?

For many people, the answer is yes, for the reasons mentioned above.

But this is not necessarily the case for everyone. For example, some people may prefer walking outdoors, meditating quietly at home, or attending a group yoga class to get their mindful ‘fix’.

Mindfulness is a very personal exercise. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and this is why it is important to experiment and find a practice to suit you.

benefits of practising mindfulness when swimming

If you are mindful and present when swimming, this helps you identify, release and relax any areas of physical tension in your body. It will heighten your awareness of the movement of your body and its relationship with the water. Your swimming technique and performance will improve and, as a result, you’ll also build muscle strength and feel more energised afterwards.

Mindful swimming also helps you practise mental self-discipline, focus and teaches the importance of the breath. It can help you press the ‘pause’ button on any negative self-talk and gives you mental space to step away from your daily routine.

mindful swimming exercises to try

The following exercises will help you focus your attention in the present moment and tune into your body, breath and environment when swimming – all are essential ingredients for mindfulness practice.

Find a safe location and position before you begin and only practise the exercises that are comfortable for you.

‘Breath Focus’ Exercise

Once in the water, become aware of your breath. Lie in the water with your ears submerged and listen.

Then notice how your breath changes as you swim. Follow the movement and rhythm of your breath as it enters and leaves your body.

Notice how your breath and body interrelate and cooperate.

Draw each breath deeper into your body, right down to your diaphragm. Make the breath longer and smoother and mindfully synchronise it with your swimming movements.

‘Tuning In’ Exercise

Become ‘at one’ with the water as you swim by tuning into how your body and the water interact.

As you swim, notice how the water feels on your skin. Become acutely aware of the sensations and temperature of the water.

Now notice how different areas of your body interact with the water. Which parts are resisting the water and which are relaxed?

Find the areas of your body where you are holding onto unnecessary tension that could be surrendered to the support of the water. Observe how small changes in your movement and swimming technique affect the resistance and pull of the water.

Adapt your technique so you become more streamlined, graceful and effortlessly flowing in your swimming practice.

‘One Point’ Exercise

This exercise will help train your mind to stay in the present moment rather than racing ahead or wandering off into the future.

Begin at one end of the pool and find a single point of focus at the other end of your length. Hold your attention on this point as you swim towards it, either visually or in your ‘mind’s eye’.

Do not allow your mind to race ahead onto thinking about the next length, or how many more lengths to go, or what’s happening once you finish your swimming practice. If your mind does wander, compassionately but firmly bring your attention back onto the ‘one point’.

Once you reach your destination at the end of the length then you can begin again. With practice, this exercise becomes easier and builds positive mental self-discipline.

want more support

Discover how we can help you rebalance your health and wellbeing with our one-to-one sessions and live events.

You can also:

• join our free Wu Wei Wisdom Facebook Group where you’ll find lots more guidance and discussion
• sign up for our free weekly email newsletter with all our latest teachings and news.

If you have any questions or would like more information on our work please contact us – we’re always happy to help.

like this post?

Please share it! This helps to pass on the positive Qi of our work to others who may benefit…