Beginner Swim Sets: Everything You Need To Know To Get Started

Swimming is a low-impact, whole-body workout that is great for people of all ages and fitness levels. Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or just improve your overall health, swimming is an excellent way to do it (2). If you’re new to swimming, or just getting back into it after a long break, you may be wondering what kind of swim sets are best for beginners. So, we will discuss everything you need to know to get started.

What Are Beginner Swim Sets?

Beginner swim sets are simply a series of swimming exercises that are put together to help you improve your swimming technique and fitness level. They can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be, but usually involve a mix of different strokes and speeds.

Beginner swim sets are important because they help you gradually build up your swimming endurance and strength. They also help you learn proper techniques so you can swim more efficiently and avoid injury.

There are two main types of swim sets for beginners: those that focus on technique and those that focus on endurance. Technique-focused sets will help you learn how to swim with proper form, while endurance-focused sets will help you build up your stamina.

Technique-focused sets typically involve shorter distances and more repetitions, while endurance-focused sets involve longer distances and fewer repetitions. 

Here are a few examples of each:

Technique-focused:

• 4 x 50 meters with 30 seconds rest in between each repeat
• 8 x 25 meters with 15 seconds rest in between each repeat

Endurance-focused:

• 2 x 200 meters with 2 minutes rest in between each repeat
• 4 x 100 meters with 1 minute rest in between each repeat

Of course, you don’t have to choose just a single type of set. You can mix and match to create a workout that’s perfect for you. Furthermore, as you become more comfortable with swimming, you can gradually increase the distance and decrease the rest periods.

Read More: Swimming Vs Running: Pros, Cons, And Which One Is Right For You

What Should A Beginner Swim Workout Include?

If you’re a beginner, having a structured swim workout can be extremely helpful. It will not only help you improve your swimming technique and fitness level, but it will also give you something to focus on to avoid getting bored.

A beginner swim workout should typically include the following aspects:

Breathwork

No matter how fit you are on land, swimming is a whole different ball game when it comes to cardio. Unlike other sports, swimming requires you to work with a limited supply of oxygen throughout the entire workout. This is why proper breathing is so important for swimmers (1).

Breathwork drills help you learn how to control your breathing while swimming so you can stay calm and relaxed even when your heart rate is up. 

Here are some tips for effectively doing breathwork drills:

• Breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. This is the optimal way to get oxygen into your lungs while swimming.
• Exhale slowly whenever your face is in the water. Doing so serves two purposes; it helps you get rid of carbon dioxide and also helps you stay more buoyant.
• Take steady, even breaths. Avoid gasping for air or holding your breath, as this can lead to fatigue and dizziness.
• Try to get your heart rate down as quickly as possible after each drill. This will help you learn how to control your breathing and heart rate while swimming at a higher intensity.

Learning Intervals

As a beginner, you probably have no idea how long it takes you to swim a certain distance. This is where learning intervals come in handy.

Learning intervals simply means swimming for a set amount of time or distance, and then taking a short break before swimming again. This allows you to track your progress and see how your swimming is improving over time.

Here are some tips for effectively doing learning intervals:

• Use a pace clock or stopwatch to keep track of time.
• Start with shorter intervals and gradually increase the length as you get more comfortable with swimming.
• Take a break after each interval to catch your breath and check your heart rate. You should be able to talk normally during the breaks, if you can’t then you’re probably going too hard.
• Make it a goal to keep your swim time consistent from one interval to the next. This will help you gauge your progress and see how your swimming is improving.

Swimming With Good Technique

One of the most important aspects of a beginner swim workout is swimming with good technique. This means learning how to swim with proper form so that you can move through the water more efficiently. It can improve your speed, endurance, and overall efficiency in the water.

The technique varies depending on the stroke you’re using, but here are some general tips for swimming with good technique:

• Keep your head in line with your spine and look straight ahead. This will help you keep a streamlined position in the water.
• Use your arms to pull yourself through the water, rather than relying on your legs.
• Keep your elbows close to your body and tuck your chin to ensure a good streamlined position.
• Use a strong kick from your hips, rather than your knees, to propel yourself through the water.
• Remember to exhale steadily throughout the entire stroke cycle. This will help you stay calm and relaxed while swimming.

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Building Endurance

One of the main goals of a beginner swim workout is to build endurance. This means swimming for longer periods of time without getting tired. It’s important to build endurance so you can swim for a longer time, such as during a triathlon or open water race.

Here are some tips for effectively building endurance:

• Start with shorter intervals and gradually increase the length as you get more comfortable with swimming.
• Use swim workouts that include a mix of different strokes. This will help you mix up the workout and avoid getting bored.
• Control your breathing to avoid getting out of breath. Inhale for two strokes and then exhale for another two.
• Stay relaxed while swimming. Tension will only tire you more quickly.
• Focus on your technique and form. This will help you swim more efficiently and conserve energy.
• Swim at a consistent pace. This will help you gauge your progress and see how your endurance is improving.

Drills

Drills are a great way to focus on specific aspects of your swimming technique. By doing drills, you can isolate certain muscle groups and learn how to use them more effectively while swimming.

Here are some tips for effectively doing drills:

• Use a swimming drill that targets the specific muscle group you want to work on.
• Do the drill for a set amount of time or distance.
• Take a break after each drill to catch your breath and assess your form.
• Make sure you are using the proper technique while doing the drill.

How Many Laps Is A Good Beginner Swim Workout?

A good beginner swim workout should consist of at least 20 laps or 500 meters. This is a great goal to aim for if you’re just starting. As you get more comfortable with swimming, you can gradually increase the distance of your workouts.

If you’re short on time, you can still get a good workout by swimming fewer laps. Just make sure you are swimming at a good intensity level, and remember to focus on your technique.

How Long Should A Beginner Swim Workout Be?

A beginner swim workout should be at least 30 minutes long. This will give you enough time to warm up, do some drills, and swim a few laps. As you get more comfortable with swimming, you can gradually increase the length of your workouts.

How Do I Start A Swim Routine?

Creating your own swim routine is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workouts. By planning ahead, you can focus on specific goals and ensure that you’re swimming at the right intensity level.

Here are some tips for starting your own swim routine:

• Choose the days of the week that you will swim. At least 3 days per week is ideal.
• Decide what time of day you will swim. Early morning or evening is often best.
• Select the type of workout you will do. Will you focus on endurance, speed, or drills?
• Set a goal for each workout. For example, swim 20 laps or swim for 30 minutes.
• Warm up before each workout with some easy laps.
• Cool down after each workout with some easy laps.

Read More: Swim Workouts For Beginners And Intermediate Level Swimmers

Sample Beginner Swim Workout

Here is a sample beginner swim workout that you can use as a starting point:

Beginner Workout 1 (Distance: 1, 100 meters)

Warm-up:

• 200 meters easy swimming

Main set:

• 4 x 50 meters swimming at a moderate pace
• 2 x 100 meters swimming at a challenging pace
• 1 x 200 meters swimming at an easy pace
• Cool-down: 200 meters of easy swimming

Notes: This workout focuses on building endurance. The main set includes intervals of different distances to help you swim at a variety of intensities. The cool-down is important for helping your body recover and preventing injuries.

Beginner Workout 2 (Distance: 1, 150 meters)

Warm-up:  

• 200 meters easy swimming

Main set:

• 4 x 50 meters swimming at a moderate pace
• 4 x 25 meters swimming at a challenging pace
• 1 x 200 meters swimming at an easy pace

Cool-down: 

• 200 meters easy swimming

Notes: This workout focuses on building speed. The main set includes intervals of different distances to help you swim at a variety of intensities. The cool-down is important for helping your body recover and preventing injuries.

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Beginner Workout 3 (Distance: 1, 000 meters)

Warm-up: 

• 5 x 50 easy swim freestyle

Main set: 

• 20 x 25 swim freestyle focusing on a different drill each time, such as single arm, catch-up, or swimming with a kickboard

Cool down: 

• 5 x 50 easy swim freestyle.

Notes: This workout focuses on improving your technique. The main set includes swimming drills that will help you focus on specific aspects of your stroke. The cool-down is important for helping your body recover and preventing injuries.

The Bottom Line

Swimming is a great way to get in shape and stay healthy. On top of that, it is also perfect for people of all ages and fitness levels. By following the tips in this article, you can create your own swim routine that will help you reach your fitness goals.