As with all sports, you should prepare your muscles properly before you go swimming. Although your body is supported by its natural buoyancy to a degree and your movements are assisted in this way, being able to move efficiently through the water relies to a great extent on your flexibility. If you perform a series of swimming stretching exercises before your swim, you will be less likely to become injured and should also find that you can swim faster.

Swimming needs muscle strength, similar to any cardiovascular workout. The main area of the body used while swimming is the upper body. With each stroke, every muscle group is used, from the legs, to the biceps and triceps, to the abs. A swimmer’s core muscles are also important when swimming. You may notice that your core muscles, especially those in your upper back, will tighten while you swim. If you want to protect these muscles from injury and increase their efficiency, then stretching before you go for a swim is a must.

Compared to impact sports, swimming injuries are less likely to occur. This is not to say that injuries do not happen; pulled muscles and tendonitis are common complaints. Approximately half of all swimmers will experience shoulder pain at one point or another. But when you stretch and warm up your muscles you lessen the likelihood of an injury because your muscles will be more flexible.

Stretching out your muscles also increases your flexibility while in the water. When you regularly engage in swimming stretching exercises for your chest and arms you will find your upper body has greater range of motion and strength, and you will also protect yourself from common aches and pains.

Before your swimming workout, spend 10 minutes or so warming up in the pool and then do 5 minutes of stretches. Get back in the pool for the rest of your warm up. Once you have finished your swim, cool down with some more stretching to finish up.

Here are three of the best swimming stretching exercises, as recommended by The Stretching Institute.

1. Reaching-up Shoulder Stretch: Place one hand behind your back and then reach up between your shoulder blades.

2. Arm-up Rotator Stretch: Stand with your arm out and your forearm pointing upwards at 90 degrees. Place a broom stick in your hand and behind your elbow. With your other hand pull the bottom of the broom stick forward.

3. Single Heel-drop Calf Stretch: Stand on a raised object or step. Put the ball of one foot on the edge of the step and keep your leg straight. Let your heel drop towards the ground.

This is just a small sampling of the swimming stretching exercises you should be doing. I recommend getting The Stretching Handbook and DVD as a guide to the most effective stretches. It includes photos and videos showing you exactly how to do the stretches properly to avoid injuring yourself.