Everyone loves swimming. It’s a low-impact exercise that’s suitable for people of all ages and sizes. Swimming is also great for individuals with arthritis or multiple sclerosis. It’s a simple way to work out, improve your cardiorespiratory endurance, destress, unwind, and have fun.
For many, swimming is a recreational activity. However, it can also be done at a competitive level. In such a case, you’ll need to adopt a workout plan and maybe even train with a coach.
So, how do you select swimming exercises that will help you achieve your intended goal? How long should you work out each day? We’ve listed several swim workouts for beginners and intermediate-level swimmers and give a few tips to help you get the most out of your workout routine.
Swimming is a non-contact, light-cardio exercise that can be done by almost anyone from teens to the elderly. It has a wide variety of benefits to your heart and lungs, including increasing your heartbeat and breathing rate.
As it doesn’t come naturally to most, you’ll likely need lessons at first to learn the basics – floating, breathing, kicking, stroking, and coordination of your body movements.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swimming for 2 and a half hours every week reduces the risk of chronic illness (7). Other benefits of swimming include:
Firstly, it’s imperative to understand that there are many different swim workouts to choose from. The type of workout you go for depends on your goals and your fitness level.
After you’ve determined your goals and current vs desired fitness level, you can go ahead and choose the plan that’s right for you:
If your goal is to get used to the water or improve your technique, start with a time goal such as 20 minutes. You can track your distance over the time you swim to keep a record, but your primary focus when you start shouldn’t be distance.
If your goal is to be able to swim for longer distances, start with a manageable distance, then increase your mileage as you advance.
Novice and advanced-level swimmers have different levels of endurance and swim at different speeds. New swimmers usually swim at a fairly steady pace throughout a workout. As they advance, they become able to vary speeds and train at both low and high intensities.
How much time you have to spare to train also determines what kind of swimming workout to go for. You may be juggling swimming with work or school. And if you’re training for a competitive swim, it’s important that you find a balance. So, pick a swim workout routine that enables you to comfortably do your other activities without straining yourself.
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If you’re a novice swimmer, you should focus on getting used to the water and perfecting your swimming technique. You also need to learn how to breathe properly in water before you can move on to sprinting and swimming for longer distances.
It’s important to start gradually. If you can’t get through your planned workout initially, get some rest and keep trying. Consistency and effort are key, but being patient with yourself is equally important as you need to stay motivated. Most importantly, listen to your body and swim distances your body can handle without pain or burnout.
Below are swim workouts for beginners with a goal of weight loss, each of which is designed to help you achieve different challenges:
Distance: 1,400 yards
Distance: 1,400 yards
Read more: Swimming Calories Burned: The Ultimate Guide to a High-Energy Workout
Distance: 1,500 yards
Distance: 2,100 yards
Take 1–2 minutes between each set
Distance: 1,400 yards
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Once you feel comfortable in the water and have mastered the proper technique, you can increase your swimming distance and attempt sprints. The pool workouts below are designed to help you build speed, endurance, and stamina.
Distance: 1,550 yards
Distance: 1,600 yards
Distance: 2,200 yards
Distance: 2,200 yards
Distance: 1,200 yards
Read more: Calories Burned Swimming 1 Mile: How to Paddle Your Way to a Fitter You
While a workout plan is essential for your swimming training, there are a few things that can help make the process smoother as you start on your training journey. Below are some things you should keep in mind:
This is particularly important if you’re a novice swimmer who is attempting fun swim workouts for beginners for the first time. Start slowly and gradually build the intensity.
Don’t go from doing no swimming to three hours of intense swim workouts daily. This will wear you out and likely lead to overuse injuries.
Instead, start at a comfortable pace and distance and progressively work your way up.
Proper technique helps prevent injury and allows you to move smoothly and swiftly through the water. Here are a few pointers:
Your diet is essential to your progress. Fuel your body with healthy foods such as complex carbs, protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.
Protein helps build or maintain lean muscle mass while complex carbs help replenish your glycogen stores (2) (9). Fruits and vegetables provide you with essential micronutrients while fats also provide energy and help with the absorption of vitamins (8).
Remember to drink plenty of water to allow proper muscle recovery and the elimination of waste products (10).
The correct swimming gear will help you stay comfortable and swim more efficiently. For example, a good pair of swimming goggles helps protect your eyes from irritation, which allows you to see properly as you swim. Investing in high-quality goggles, a swimsuit, and a swimming cap can make a huge difference.
As you get more serious about your training, don’t forget that swimming is also fun. Try not to lose sight of what persuaded you to start swimming in the first place. You can even bring a friend with you on your workout sessions to help you stay motivated.
A beginner’s swim workout typically takes between 30 and 45 minutes. This duration allows sufficient time for proper warm-up, skill development, aerobic conditioning, and cool-down.
Warm-ups, often involving gentle swimming, stretching, or light drills, usually last approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Following the warm-up, the main set focuses on building endurance and technique. For beginners, this segment generally takes around 20 to 25 minutes and includes a mix of different strokes and rest intervals.
Finally, the cool-down period, which helps to gradually reduce heart rate and muscle temperature, occupies the last 5 to 10 minutes.
These timeframes are just estimates and can vary based on individual fitness levels, goals, and overall swim routine.
Swimming is an excellent full-body workout that can help tone your stomach muscles (11). “Toning” refers to the process of building muscle and reducing body fat in a specific area, which gives it a leaner and firmer appearance (14).
The various strokes used in swimming work your core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. These muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing and supporting the spine, improving posture, and promoting overall balance and strength.
In addition, swimming is a low-impact exercise that puts minimal stress on joints while providing a challenging resistance workout for the whole body. This helps burn calories and reduce overall body fat, including the stomach area (4).
To lose weight by swimming for beginners, you need to create a consistent and well-structured routine that incorporates both cardio and strength elements of swimming. The first step is to commit to swimming regularly, ideally three to five times per week. Each session should last between 30 to 60 minutes, balancing intensity and technique.
During your swim sessions, focus on interval training. This involves alternating between bursts of high-intensity swimming and periods of rest or low-intensity swimming. For example, you can swim fast for 30 seconds and then rest or swim slowly for a minute. This approach will boost your metabolism and maximize calorie burn. It also improves cardiovascular health.
Incorporate different strokes such as freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. Each stroke engages various muscle groups, offering a comprehensive workout that maintains interest and prevents plateaus. In addition, consider using swimming aids such as kickboards or fins to add variety and target specific muscle areas like the legs or core.
Don’t neglect the importance of warm-up and cool-down periods. Start with a 5-10 minute warm-up to prepare your muscles and reduce the risk of injury (13). Finish with a cool-down to aid in muscle recovery (3).
Pay attention to your diet too. Swimming can increase appetite (12), making the consumption of a balanced diet rich in proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates particularly important. Avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods to support your weight loss goals.
Finally, be patient and consistent. Weight loss is a gradual process that requires sustained effort over time. By combining effective workouts such as swimming with a healthy diet, beginners can achieve gradual and sustainable weight loss (15) while enjoying the myriad benefits of swimming.
In a previous blog on Swimming Calories Burned, we discussed how swimming offers a full-body workout that burns significant calories. By incorporating interval training and different strokes into your routine, you can maximize calorie burn and achieve weight loss goals faster.
Swimming three times a week can certainly help tone and strengthen your muscles. However, the extent to which it tones you up will depend on various factors such as your current fitness level, intensity of workouts, and consistency.
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to improved muscle strength and toning (11). Different swimming strokes also target specific muscle areas, such as the arms in freestyle or the legs in breaststroke.
That said, how effective swimming three times a week is for you depends on:
We have a 4-Week Beginner Workout plan that incorporates these factors to help you get started on your journey to toned muscles.
According to the American Heart Association, adults should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week (1).
For beginners, this may translate to swimming three times a week for 30-45 minutes each session.
However, as with any other form of exercise, the frequency and duration of swimming sessions will depend on individual goals:
Ultimately, it’s important to listen to your body and adjust your swimming routine accordingly. Don’t push yourself to significant discomfort, as this can lead to injuries or burnout. Start slowly and gradually increase the frequency and intensity of your swim sessions as you build strength and endurance.
Check out our Beginner Workout At Home Without Equipment blog post to complement your swimming routine and achieve optimal results.
Finding a swimming workout that matches your goals can be challenging at first. However, once you establish your goals and assess your current fitness level, you’ll move one step closer to finding a suitable workout routine.
Healthy eating, proper hydration, adequate rest, and good form are also fundamental. You should always keep in mind that by remaining consistent, putting in some effort, and being patient with yourself, you’ll set yourself up for success.
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