Swimming, like any physical activity, requires practice. Using specific drills improves muscle memory and builds strength, physical efficiency and cardiovascular stamina. Whether you are a competitive swimmer, triathlete or just someone looking to get in a good workout, specific drills and workouts can help you achieve your goals.
Beginner Workout
If you are new to swimming, or have not been swimming in a very long time, a starter workout is appropriate. Swimming can be surprisingly taxing and works your muscles differently than exercise on land.
With an easy effort, use a stroke of your choosing to swim at an easy pace for four lengths of the pool. Rest at the wall whenever you feel overworked. After the four lengths, take a 30-second break. Repeat the session five times, working your way up to 10 total. After performing the drills two or three times a week for two weeks, move on to more advanced drills.
Robert Pearson, head swim coach at Macalester College in Minnesota, recommends on the Women's Health website using a kickboard for this workout if it proves too intense at first.
Catch-up
The freestyle stroke is easy to learn and helps you burn calories efficiently. Catch-up drills hone the length of your arm movement and speed by training one arm at a time. Perform a catch-up drill by swimming the freestyle stroke, but keep one arm stationary and extended by the ear while your other arm "swims" using the regular free-style motion. When your swimming arm "catches" the stationary arm, you switch sides. Keep alternating for the length of the pool. More experienced swimmers may pass a kickboard back and forth between the stationary arms.
Vertical Kick
The vertical kick drill helps swimmers whose kick is ineffective and lacking in power. If you are new to this drill, hold onto a wall and place your body vertically in the pool, recommends swimming coach Rich Strauss on the website Tri Fuel. Perform a flutter kick while you attempt to keep your chin above water. As you feel stronger, begin to let go for a few seconds at time. Work your way into doing the drill without the assistance of the wall. An advanced version of this drill requires you to use core strength along with your kick to rotate your body 90 degrees.
Stroke Changes
Many swimmers become comfortable with a certain stroke and use it for the majority of their workouts. To continue to see results from any workout, it is important to always add new challenges. Try warming up with your favorite stroke and then move on to a different stroke for each lap. Incorporate backstroke and breaststroke into your workout. The backstroke works your back and shoulders while the breaststroke uses the muscles of the hips and inner thigh. Complete as many laps as you can fit into your desired workout time.
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