<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"I lived in the pool as a small kid. Then, when I turned 12, I returned to it for a different reason: I was put in a back brace\u201423 hours a day for five years\u2014because I had scoliosis. The only time I was allowed out of it was to shower or in a pool. So I taught myself how to swim laps to avoid the brace. It was my therapy, physical and mental.\\n\\nI stopped swimming when I went to college, and it wasn't until I signed up for my first triathlon two and a half years ago that I got back in the pool. I was surprised by how easily my body remembered how to move through the water. Now, I'm hooked, but this time it's because I love it. I swim two to three days a week, and my endurance is better and my arms are more defined\u2014I feel fitter than ever. Here's how to make doing laps more effective and fun.\\n\\n__Get the Right Gear__ You really only need two things (besides a swimsuit, obviously): goggles (I'm using Nike now, though I change it up) and a swim cap, because even short hair can get in your face. I like silicone caps\u2014they mold to your head for a custom fit, and they keep water out better than cloth caps.\\n\\n__Vary Your Strokes__ Swimming straight freestyle for 30 minutes will get the job done, but you should mix it up, because different strokes work different muscles. Freestyle is the movement I spend the most time on, since it's what you rely on in triathlons. I also do butterfly, back and breaststroke.\\n\\n__Make It a Race__ Upping your pace is a great way to get fitter faster. Sometimes I try to beat the person in the lane next to me for a challenge. I also like to sprint down the lane, rest less than 10 seconds, then do it again, until I'm totally spent.\\n\\n__Play With Swim Toys__ A kickboard will let you focus on your kicks. Pull buoys (they go between your thighs and don't let you use your legs) help you improve your stroke. Flippers are great because you're just like, wheee!\\n\\n__Fine-Tune Your Form__ When I'm doing a longer lap sequence (say, 400 or 800 meters), I break it up into smaller chunks and zero in on something different during each one: For 25 meters, I think about my hand position. For the next 25, I make sure that my arms are wide and relaxed. The next 25, it's my breathing, and so on.\\n\\n__Engage Your Mind__ It might be tempting to shut your brain off and just go, but I swim more efficiently when I concentrate on my technique. Also, that intense focus on form and the repetition of movements is calming, because I'm not stressing about other things.\\n\\n__Make It Feel Like Flying__ One of the best tips I learned was not to fight the water. Instead, try to float on top of it and glide. It can feel pretty Zen\u2014like you're moving through air.\\n\\nAbove: Swimsuit, Tavik Swimwear, $130; [PacSun.com](http://PacSun.com). Goggles, TYR Sport, $18; [TYR.com](http://TYR.com)\\n\\nStyling, Lida Moore Musso. Hair, Dallin James; makeup, Jessica Ortiz.  \\n  \\nPhoto Credit: Guzman"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.self.com/story/fitgirl-elettra-wiedemann-stronger-swimmer>