Tone your tum, legs, arms and core with shape-up tips from Team GB synchronised swimmers senior squad member Katie Dawkins
Katie Dawkins is senior squad member for the GB synchronised swimming team - look out for them come the London Olympics in July 2012, where as a home nation team they'll be competing at the Stratford Aquatic Centre.
Their training regime is a gruelling 42 hours a week, 30 in the water and the remainder in the gym. And boy, does it show. Their fitness levels and toned bodies really are to die for.
Katie shares some of the Olympic team's moves to help bring your body the benefits of synchronised swimming:
1. SCULL FOR TONED ARMS
'Rather than swimming up and down for length after length, try sculling on your back. We do it all the time in training - it's one of the most basic moves you learn in synchro. It works your arms and your shoulders but because you're working hard to stay afloat you have to switch your tummy muscles on too so it works your core.'
2. PERFECT THE EGGBEATER FOR SLENDER LEGS
'The eggbeater is a move we use to keep our upper bodies up out of the water. You have to churn the water, rather than kicking, so it works your leg muscles really hard. When I have time out of the water - like over Christmas - I really notice the difference. Everything aches - especially my legs and my bum and that's because I haven't been doing the eggbeater. It's a move you could do in your local pool - watch the video here.'
3. TAKE PILATES FOR A TAUT TUM
'We spend 30 hours a week in the water, but another 12 in the gym building up strength and flexibility. Because the water's an unstable environment we have to have a really strong core. So, for example, it's much harder to perform a lift in the water, without touching the bottom, than on land. We do lots of pilates and use a reformer machine every week to get stronger without getting musclier. '
Read more about the GB synchronised swimming team in Zest magazine's February 2012 issue.
