As a new competitive swimmer, interval training, distance swimming and core training should all be part of your swimming workouts, allowing you to perform faster and gain more strength in the pool. Understanding how to train can help you get to your goals faster and make you a more efficient swimmer.
Go the Distance
Swimming for distance helps you build cardiovascular endurance, which is needed for new swimmers. According to the website for British sports coach Brian Mac, explains that you must establish a base endurance training in order to enhance the oxidative capacity of the muscles. Train aerobically by beginning your workout with a 200 m kick, using a kickboard to warm up your body. Use pyramid training to increase your distance during your workout. Swim 100 m, then rest, swim 200 m, then rest, swim 300 m, then rest, and conclude with a 400 m swim. Then pyramid back down starting from 400 m and ending at 100 m.
Interval Training
Interval training helps build speed, allowing you to race faster in competition. The American Council on Exercise explains that interval training uses both the aerobic and the anaerobic energy systems. Interval training uses short bursts of intensity followed by a recovery period. Begin your interval training workout by swimming for 10 minutes to warm up. Interval train by swimming one lap at a high intensity, followed by a recovery lap. Repeat this interval eight times. Finish by swimming one lap for speed and two laps of recovery, repeating four times.
Work Your Strokes
During your swimming workouts, it is also important to mix up your strokes to enhance all elements of your swim. Begin a warm-up of 200 m freestyle swim and 200 m kick. Swim 50 m butterfly, followed by a 100 m freestyle. Swim 100 m butterfly, followed by a 50 m freestyle. Repeat this combination for both back stroke and breast stroke. Finish your workout with butterfly, back stroke, breast stroke and freestyle, completing 100 m of each stroke.
Considerations
Consider training on land to help your body in the pool. Include core training to your fitness routine to help strengthen the core. Strong abdominals are important in the water because they keep they body streamline and stable as the arms and legs work to propel yourself through the water. Mix up your core workout with moves like bicycle twists, reverse crunches, leg lifts and planks to build strength in your midsection.
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