Swimming provides an ideal environment to build muscle. The constant resistance provided by the water means that you exert effort throughout your movement, rather than when pushing and pulling, then releasing as you do with a weight workout on dry land. In addition, swimming is easy on your joints and provides a cardiovascular workout as well. You can swim laps and get an all-over workout, or target specific muscle groups to see muscle gains.
Step 1
Start with a warm-up to loosen your joints and ensure that your equipment is working properly. Beginning swimmers can swim a lap of their choice of stroke, rest and then swim another lap, followed by two laps of kicking of their choice of stroke using a kickboard. More advanced swimmers can warm up with 300 yards or meters of freestyle, followed by 200 yards or meters of kicking their choice stroke using a kickboard.
Step 2
Build your arm, chest and back muscles. Grab your swim paddles, the flat plastic paddles with straps at the top, and your pull buoy, the padded oval-shaped float, to swim using your arms exclusively. Swim 500m of pull. A pull workout works your biceps, triceps, chest and back muscles. You don't need to swim quickly--this workout requires refined technique to avoid injury. Pull at the 10 and 2 o'clock position to avoid over-stressing your biceps muscle, often the source of swimmer's shoulder. Focus on breathing bilaterally as well to avoid any potential injury to your neck.
Step 3
Work your legs, abs and glutes. Beginning swimmers hold the top of the kickboard, and advanced swimmers hold the sides of the kickboard. Extend your arms forward so that your face is in the water to enable a fuller body roll. Bring your legs together and swim a lap of butterfly kick, called a dolphin kick. A dolphin kick works your hamstrings, gluteal muscles and quadriceps, as well as getting your heart rate up. Think of a mermaid and the undulations of kicking and lifting your hips to complete a body roll. Beginning swimmers rest after each lap, and complete up to six laps. Advanced swimmers continue without a rest and complete 10 laps.
Step 4
Build your abdominal muscles. A simple technique to stress your abdominal muscles and make them stronger is a lap of pike swim. Facing forward, lift your legs in front so that your toes are just above the surface of the water. Use your hands to propel you forward, keeping your toes above the water for the entire lap. Complete two to four laps, depending on your fitness level.
Step 5
Cool down. Swim four to eight laps of easy freestyle to cool down, bring your muscle temperature back to normal and bring your heart rate down before exiting the pool.
Things You'll Need
- Goggles
- Swim cap
- Swim suit
- Swim paddles
- Kickboard
- Pull buoy
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