Swimming, on paper at least, looks a relatively straightforward sport – but viewers tuning in from the comfort of their own homes often have plenty of questions.
And chief amongst them is why on Earth some swimmers slap themselves before the start of a race.
Such is the force that the swimmers hit themselves with, that red marks are sometimes visible on an athlete’s body afterwards.
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So, why exactly do swimmers, such as those competing at the Olympics, turn their force on their own bodies?
Here is everything you need to know.
Why do swimmers slap themselves before the start of a race?
Some swimmers chose to slap themselves before a race in order to increase blood flow to certain muscles, which in turn helps with performance.
The shoulders, biceps, triceps and pectorals are essential for swimming so athletes will usually start with these areas.
The legs are typically next to receive the treatment, with the thighs and hamstrings next to benefit from the increased blood flow.
However, there is a psychological aspect, too.
Matt Barbini, USA’s director of performance, previously told TODAY that it helps to keep athletes calm and composed whilst they are waiting for the race to get underway.
Barbini said: ‘Anything that sort of kills those in-between moments before the race starts, I think helps keep athletes calm and it helps to distract them from the nerves.’
The thinking behind this is that, faced with a long wait on the starting blocks before the start of the race, the act of hitting themselves helps to stave away pressure and thoughts of self-doubt.
It’s also been said that a swimmer hitting themselves pre-race is an act of intimidation to their competitors, with loud slapping a display of intimidating and threatening behaviour.
Not every swimmer slaps their body before a race though – every athlete has their own individual pre-race routine.
But for those athletes who do hit themselves, they are unlikely to change their routine – especially if they keep on winning.
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