The overall goal of the Beginner Swimming Workouts is to build up to a level where the workouts will improve and maintain fitness goals. The 2 overriding challenges are to build up endurance so you can swim continuously without stopping, and to improve strokes and breathing through drills.
These workouts can be followed in sequence, or you can choose a workout based on your specific swimming level and goals. If used in sequence you should stay within a specific yardage until you can complete the workouts at that distance comfortably.
Workout # 1: Improve crawling and stroking
This is the beginning workout used by someone just getting started in swimming.
Total Distance: 600 yards
2 x 50 yards crawl warmup
(rest between laps if needed)
4 x 25 yards crawl counting strokes per length
(try to keep an even number of strokes)
4 x 50 crawl resting :30 between each lap
(try to hit the same time on each lap)
4 x 25 yards crawl counting strokes per length
(try to keep an even number of strokes)
2 x 50 crawl cool down
(swim slowly and relax)
Workout # 2: Build endurance, improve breathing
In this workout concentrate on your breathing. The swimming drills will help you experiment with different breathing patterns. At this level you should always practice breathing the least amount of time first, and increase your breathing for subsequent laps.
Total Distance: 600 yards
100 yards crawl warmup
(rest between laps if needed)
4 x 50 yards crawl resting :30 between each lap
(try to keep the timing the same for each lap)
4 x 25 yards crawl changing breathing pattern
(breathe every 4th stroke on the first two, then every 2nd stroke on the last 2)
2 x 50 yards your choice of strokes resting :30 between each lap
(try to hit the same time for each lap)
100 yards crawl cool down
(swim slowly and relax)
Workout # 3: Develop multiple strokes
As a beginning swimmer some strokes will be difficult. However, it’s important to be able to do more than 1 stroke in order to give your muscles some variety and a break during your workouts.
Total Distance: 900 yards
2 x 100 yards crawl warmup
(rest between 100s if needed)
4 x 25 yards backstroke resting :15 between lengths
(work on swimming straight)
4 x 25 yards breaststroke resting :15 between lengths
(work on technique)
4 x 25 yards butterfly resting :15 between lengths
(choice of strokes if you can’t do butterfly)
2 x 100 IM resting :30 between each 100
(25 butterfly, 25 backstroke, 25 breaststrokes, 25 freestyle)
200 crawl cool down
(swim slowly and relax)