Have you ever made the plan to go do a beginner swim workout, only to get to the pool and not be 100% sure of where to start? Did you have questions like “How far should I go?”, “Should I just swim some laps” … “Is that enough of a workout?” or “Should I do this workout listed on the whiteboard, and what does it mean?”?
The good news is you’re not alone. As swim coaches, we get these questions often, especially from those looking for beginner swim workouts. This piece is particularly aimed at the beginner swimmer, providing structured swim workouts that cater to individuals who are new to swimming.
Therefore, this article is directed toward those of you who have taken an interest in swimming, have swim gear, and have been in the pool a few times but might not know how to turn your enjoyment of swimming into a regular workout routine.
Specifically, for beginner swimmers, it's important to understand that you don't need a lot of equipment to start, but having the right swim gear can significantly enhance your training and enjoyment in the pool.
This article is to help give you all some fundamental guidance on how to better prepare a workout of your own and how to interpret a swim workout plan on a whiteboard. This may also be helpful in deciding whether adult swim lessons or Master’s Swim class might be in your future and if you plan to make swimming a focal component in your overall training regimen.
Common questions:
This is a great question and one we get often! This is a big one, so we’ll take some time here. Let’s take a few examples of what you might see on a whiteboard and we can identify a few key, consistent terms and numbers you’ll see on most workouts (we’re not going to get too complicated here):
Typically, next to these numbers you will see “:10”, “:20”, “:30” etc. These are identified as your Rest Interval in terms of seconds you are resting between sets.
Let’s create a few sets of swims you might see in a workout (or that you could create for yourself next time you do a swim workout) based on what we just identified:
Example white board workout at the pool.
Another great question. This will very much depend on your skill level and how well; how comfortable you are breathing in your swim. If you feel you need improvement in your endurance, usually that means you either need to build more time in the pool and/or need to improve your breathing during your stroke. Many times, one’s endurance level depends on your breathing (or lack thereof) underwater.
Once your endurance improves, then you can build on your workout – increasing intensity or your “RPE” – Rate of Perceived Exertion. Moderate efforts should be an RPE around 4-6, indicating a moderate pace that helps maintain a steady and effective workout pace, hard efforts around 6-7, sprints around 8+. This will be different for everyone, so find what feels right for you. Another good way to structure a workout is to alternate your exertion level.
A steady state swim is ok sometimes, but if you want to build your endurance engine and improve strength in the water, give yourself a mix of moderate/strong efforts, easy swims with fast sprints, adding in harder strokes or changing your swim speed within a distance. Incorporate varying seconds rest between sets, such as 20, 30, or 45 seconds rest, to manage your pacing and performance effectively.
This approach allows swimmers to adjust their workout intensity and endurance by controlling their rest intervals. You will see improvement as your rest intervals decrease between sets, enhancing both your endurance and workout efficiency.
*Hot Tip – It’s perfectly ok to come to the pool and “just swim.” Swimming is great as an active recovery exercise because it does not negatively affect your joints and the wear and tear that sometimes happens from weightlifting, running, etc. Sometimes, you just need that Zen feeling while moving through the water.
It is ok to start with shorter distances and to manage your expectations on how long you will go out of the gate. Don’t feel you have to jump in and swim a mile right off the bat. The fact that you’ve made it to the pool and you’re moving is a fantastic start.
Just do a few laps and see how you’re feeling. As you gain more confidence and endurance, the workouts will come. A good beginner workout could be just 20 mins of work, swimming around 900-1000 total yds/m. Give yourself time to work on your breathing, getting comfortable in the pool, and building your endurance.
Incorporating swimming into your overall fitness routine through structured workouts can significantly benefit beginners, systematically improving swimming skills while enhancing endurance and technique.
For beginners looking to progressively build their swimming capabilities, it's crucial to start with manageable goals. Swimming tips that focus on personalized workouts and guided exercises can help you gradually increase your stamina and confidence in the water, ensuring a rewarding and enjoyable swimming journey.
Some great benchmarks to shoot for can be:
As you progress, consider setting your sights on competitive swimming as a long-term goal. This journey from beginner to engaging in organized swimming competitions can offer a structured path to improve your skills.
WU: 500 yds - You’re going to do a 500 yard warm up and that will be broken down as the following sets:
200 swim @ :30 - Swim 8 lengths of the pool continuous for a total of 200 yds/m and when you are finished, you will have a 30 second Rest Interval before you move onto the next exercise. Consider incorporating freestyle swimming for part of this warm-up to engage multiple muscle groups and enjoy a low-impact workout.
100 K @ :20 - You will kick with – or without – a kickboard for 4 lengths of the pool focusing on your flutter kick and you will have a 20 sec Rest Interval after before the next exercise.
200 pull - Finally, you will swim another 8 lengths of the pool continuous for another 200 yds/m but this time with a pull buoy between your legs, focusing on your swim stroke.
*Hot Tip- kicking with a kickboard is hard and sometimes you don’t feel like you go very far very fast. This should help you better understand that on a stroke like freestyle, your propulsion comes from your pull in the water.
Main Set: 1200yds - Your main set will consist of 1200 yards/meters and it is broken down as the following):
4 x 100 Build @ :30 - You will swim 4 lengths of the pool without stopping, 4 times. Within this 100-yard swim, you will build up your speed every length of the pool. Start out nice and moderate, building to a faster pace each subsequent length of the pool. Your final length or 25 yds/m should be pretty strong/fast. Aim for an average pace to ensure consistency throughout the set. You will have 30 secs rest between each 100 yards you swim.
50 easy - Swim 2 lengths of the pool continuous with a light, smooth, easy stroke.
8 x 25 Sprint @ :15 - Swim 1 length of the pool very hard, 8 times. You will have a Rest Interval of 15 secs between each length, emphasizing the importance of short rest intervals for recovery.
4 x 100 Build @ :30
50 easy
8 x 25 Sprint @ :15
CD: 100yds (cool down)
100 easy swim – You will have a choice of which stroke(s) you would like to swim during this time. You could do all freestyle or mix it up with backstroke or breaststroke.
TOTAL – 1800 yards ~ 30-45 min workout