Starting to swim can be overwhelming, especially when planning a workout. How do you set goals and structure your time in the water? Here’s a guide to building swim workouts that help you improve with every session!
Define Your Swimming Goals
Before writing your workout, think about your goals. Are you building endurance, refining your technique, or learning a new stroke? Each workout should focus on one key objective. This focus keeps your progress steady and targeted without trying to achieve too much all at once.
Basic Swim Workout Structure
For beginners, keeping your workout organized helps you make the most of your time in the pool. A solid beginner swim workout includes three main parts:
- Warm Up (10-20% of workout): Start easy to activate your muscles and gradually raise your heart rate.
- Main Set (60-80% of workout): This is where you work on your primary goal, whether it’s technique, endurance, or speed.
- Cool Down (10-20% of workout): Slow down to lower your heart rate and release tension from your muscles.
More experienced swimmers can add Pre-Set and Post-Set sections for skill-building before and after the main set. This structure helps build stamina and technique over time without overloading.
Avoid Overloading Your Workout
It’s tempting to pack in multiple goals per workout, but focusing on one skill at a time lets you see real improvement. Stick with each focus for a few weeks, then switch to a new one. This keeps your progress on track without overwhelming your routine.
Consider Workout Density
“Workout density” refers to the intensity of your workout. For example, a 1,000-meter workout in 20 minutes is denser than the same workout in 30 minutes. Your focus (endurance or speed) determines how dense your workout should be:
- Endurance: Fewer rest breaks and longer intervals to build stamina.
- Speed: More rest breaks to help you push your pace.
Beginner Swim Workout Samples
Try these workouts for a solid foundation. Remember, you can customize them to suit your fitness level and goals!
Workout 1: 500 Meters
- Warm Up: 100 meters
- 4×25 Freestyle, focusing on long strokes (10-20 seconds rest per 25m)
- Main Set: 300 meters
- 6×50 Freestyle, focusing on breathing (10-20 seconds rest per 50m)
- Cool Down: 100 meters
- 4×25 Freestyle, “silent swimming” (stay mindful of your stroke) (10-20 seconds rest per 25m)
Workout 2: 1,000 Meters
- Warm Up: 200 meters
- 4×50 Freestyle, long strokes (10-20 seconds rest per 50m)
- Pre-Set: 100 meters
- 4×25 Kick, short & fast (10-20 seconds rest per 25m)
- Main Set: 500 meters
- 5×50 Freestyle, long strokes (10-20 seconds rest per 50m)
- 5×50 Freestyle, reduce stroke count by 1 (10-20 seconds rest per 50m)
- Cool Down: 200 meters
- 4×50 Freestyle, silent swimming (10-20 seconds rest per 50m)
Kickstart Your Swimming Routine with Training Plans
Need some structure? These plans can guide you through the basics and get you started on reaching your goals:
- Freestyle Starter: 2 weeks, 3 workouts per week (500m per workout)
- Beginner Endurance: 6 weeks, 3 workouts per week (600m per workout)
- Freestyle Technique Bootcamp: 2 weeks, 4 workouts per week (1,500m per workout)
What’s your goal? Comment below to share or ask questions! And for more guidance, check out the MySwimPro app. Use code SWIM20 for 20% off the Elite subscription and join a supportive community of swimmers ready to help you achieve your best! 🏊♂️