Beginner Level Swimming Workout
Swimming is a fantastic way to get in a great workout without putting too much stress on your joints. However, the thought of swimming workouts can be daunting to the inexperienced swimmer and can be difficult to put one together on your own. And, without personalized lessons or a helpful hand along the way, it can be tough to truly get into swimming as you get older. But, try starting with one of CoachUp’s Beginner Level Workouts — it’ll push you off in the right direction, guiding you through your first training session.
Warm-Up Swim this slow enough to allow your muscles to warm and loosen without exerting major effort on your end. You just want to warm up, not tire out! Allow your body to adjust to the water and how different your movements and efforts will be. Remember, there are no time intervals for this portion of the workout, so feel free to take it at your own pace with breaks between each 50.
- 50 Freestyle
- 50 Backstroke *
- 50 Freestyle
- 50 Choice of Stroke
Pre-Set
After your muscles are feeling flexible and warm, it’s time to start the pre-set. This portion of the swim is meant to get your heart rate up, but not exhaust you. Try to add a little speed by increasing your kick or arm rate. You should always have approximately 10 seconds rest between sets, so feel free to adjust the time intervals accordingly. *
- 4X25 Freestyle — descend slow to fast @ :45
- 1X50 Backstroke — @2:00
- 4X25 Freestyle — fast @ :40
- 1X50 Choice of Stroke — easy
Main Set
As always, this should be the toughest portion of the swim. You’ll be testing out your cardiovascular endurance, so be sure to give it your all — even if you can’t finish it all the way, it’ll improve you for next time! Remember to adjust the time intervals accordingly to suit your needs.
- 2X75 Freestyle — one slow, one fast @3:00
- 4X50 Freestyle — descend slow to fast @1:30
- 2X75 Freestyle — fast @2:45
- 4X50 Freestyle — fast @1:20
Cool Down
Congratulations! You’ve almost completed the workout. The hardest part of the swim is now over, now you just need a long and slow cool down to prevent your muscles from tightening up. Feel free to take breaks as needed, but it’s incredibly important to do this last one at a steady pace. Ultimately, this is what will leave your body in the best position to keep training tomorrow. Don’t skip out on the cool down, please take care of your body!
- 50 Freestyle
- 50 Choice of Stroke
- 50 Backstroke
(Related: Read about some easy dryland workouts here.)
Huddle Up
If you’re a beginner reading this, it’s awesome that you’re getting into such a wonderful sport and activity! Even if you don’t want to swim competitively, it’s akin to boxing in that it can be a completely casual but effective workout for anybody! Swimming is particularly helpful because it simultaneously works many of your target muscles all at once . So even if you don’t want to stand on that first place podium, there’s an incredibly healthy place for swimming in anyone’s workout. However, if you’re still struggling with some of the strokes, techniques, or little details of beginner swimming, you should consider booking one of CoachUp’s private trainers to help you out. Our kind and experienced staff will have you fitter and comfortable in no time — what are you waiting for?
