Last Updated on August 28, 2021 by admin
In this article, we will provide advice, hacks and tips on developing swimming fitness, to help swimmers become better, stronger and faster.
Swimming is an excellent form of exercise that utilizes all of the major muscle groups.
- It helps to develop the swimmer’s cardiovascular system, which includes the heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
- Swimming helps to develop muscular and skeletal growth, as the swimmer is required to apply a consistently high level of resistance against the water.
- It also helps to improve a swimmer’s flexibility as it engages all of their major muscle joints and helps the lengthening of their muscles.
- Swimming burns a lot of calories and therefore it can be a very effective way of controlling a swimmer’s weight.
- With water supporting the swimmer’s body making it low impact, together with the lack of physical contact, swimming is a relatively injury-free sport.
Each swimmer is unique with many different attributes, these include,
- Size, weight and age.
- Experience and skill levels
- Fitness and strength
- Not forgetting a swimmer’s level of dedication and commitment
This can make the task of finding ‘a one size fits all’ approach to developing swimming fitness difficult.
- However, there are some general principles that all swimmers can adopt to improve their swimming fitness, these include,
Train regularly
As with all forms of exercise, swimming training should be performed regularly to achieve optimum results.
- To improve their swimming fitness, swimmers should begin by aiming to train for 20 to 30 minutes, 3 to 5 sessions per week.
Start slowly
For many when first undertaking a swimming training programme, it can take up to 6 weeks to see any noticeable changes to their level of fitness.
- When starting a new training programme, many swimmers push themselves too hard from the start.
- This often results in them suffering from fatigue, which sometimes leads to them becoming demotivated, which in turn can lead to them dropping out of the training programme altogether.
- For some swimmers returning from a break, illness or injury, they often assume they can pick up where they left off before their absence.
- This is almost certainly not the case as any long-term absence from the pool will result in the swimmer losing a large proportion of their swimming fitness.
- Therefore, we strongly recommend that the swimmer takes their time, gets used to swimming regularly and enjoy the experience.
Related article on returning to swimming training
We have produced a related article on returning to swimming training. Which you can view by clicking this link: returning to swimming training.
Medical advice
Before starting any swimming training programme, we advise that swimmers consult with their healthcare professional if they’re concerned about an existing or potential medical condition.
Planning
To develop their fitness, swimmers should undertake training sessions three to five times a week.
- They should plan their sessions so that they swim at regular times during the week.
- When planning these training sessions, swimmers should remember that three short training sessions are better than one long one.
- Swimmers should resist the urge to undertake more training sessions than is recommended.
- This could undermine the purpose of their training plan, which should require a balance of training with the appropriate rest and recovery.
- In the beginning, swimmers should try to ensure that they have at least one full non-pool day between each swimming training session.
Think long-term
For inexperienced swimmers who may be starting a swimming training programme for the first time, it’s important to ensure that they are training at a level at which they feel comfortable.
- They should remember the saying ‘train don’t strain’.
For swimmers recovering fully from a long-term break, illness or injury can take time.
- Missing training for several weeks or longer can have a marked effect on their swimming fitness and general ‘feel for the water’.
- Therefore, they should be prepared that regaining their full swimming fitness could be a long-term process.
Learning a new drill
Most training programmes provide the swimmer with drills to develop an effective stroke technique.
- However, it can take approximately three weeks or longer to properly learn a new drill.
- During the first week, most swimmers learn the basic mechanics and sequence of the drill.
- When performing a new drill for the first time, swimmers should start slowly.
- They should walk through the drill first if required.
- Most swimmers find the second week the most frustrating as they try to master the drill.
- Swimmers can slowly increase the speed and intensity of the drill as they become more proficient.
- By the time, most swimmers have been practising a new drill for approximately three weeks, it starts to become second nature.
- Once learned, drills need to be consistently and persistently practised.
Rest intervals
Resting and recovering between each set and repetition of a drill is very important.
- Swimmers should ensure they take the full amount of rest as recommended in their training plans.
- They should ensure that they are not fatigued so they can learn and develop drills in the correct manner.
- If the swimmer needs a longer rest, especially when learning a new drill, then they should take it.
- Most swimming pools have a training clock or a standard clock, by which they can measure their sets and rest intervals.
- If there are no poolside/deck clocks available, they can use a waterproof sports watch if they have one.
- If there is no poolside/deck clock or waterproof sports watch available, then they can count slowly to time their rest intervals.
Swimming training types
Swimming training usually comprises of swimming at different levels of intensity.
- This helps to develop the swimmer’s endurance, speed endurance and sprint speed.
- A swimming training programme usually begins with developing the swimmer’s aerobic fitness.
- This is achieved by gradually developing their endurance by performing long swims with short rest intervals.
- The next stage is usually to develop the swimmer’s speed endurance.
- This is achieved by increasing the speed and the intensity of the training, while at the same time, reducing the distance and increasing the rest intervals.
- The final stage is to usually work on the swimmer’s sprinting speed.
- This is achieved by increasing the speed and intensity of the training to near the swimmer’s maximum, while at the same time, further reducing the distance and further increasing the rest intervals.
- Swimmers should ensure that their training programme comprises of sets that develop these types of swimming training, while at the same time focusing on the correct stroke technique.
- Although the increased intensity of training in the water will develop a swimmer’s strength, many swimmers undertake a dryland training programme to gain additional benefits beyond those that can be achieved by training in the water alone. (see below)
Swimming training zones
Swimming training zones categorise different types of swimming training.
- These are divided by the level of the intensity of the training.
- Coaches often use them to indicate the intensity required for a particular training set.
- They are usually monitored and evaluated by the recording of the swimmer’s heart rate.
Swimming training zones
We have produced a related article on swimming training zones: an introduction. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming training zones: an introduction
Swimming training equipment
Swimming training equipment such as kickboards pull buoys and hand paddles, are commonly used to isolate parts of the swimmer’s body to help build added resistance.
Recommended swimming equipment
We have provided a recommended swimming equipment page.
- It contains swimming equipment that we and our swimmers use and recommend.
- You can access this page by clicking on the following link: swimming equipment
Warm-ups and cool-downs
Many swimmers find warm-ups ‘boring’ and a ‘waste of time’, as they don’t understand their importance.
Why are swimming warm-ups so important?
Swimming warm-ups are of key importance to swimmers because to swim well the swimmer’s muscles need to be warmed.
- This increases their flexibility and enhances their range of movement, making them more efficient whilst swimming.
- Swimming with warm and supple muscles reduces the chance of stiffness, soreness or injury.
- An effective warm-up also prepares the swimmer’s heart to pump large amounts of oxygen-rich blood throughout their body whilst swimming.
Pre-session warm-up
We strongly recommend a warm-up is undertaken before a swimmer enters the pool.
- These are performed in two parts, first some warm-up exercises, followed by some dynamic stretching.
Warming-up exercises: Before undertaking any stretching, swimmers should begin to raise their body temperature gradually, by performing warm-up exercises like a brisk 5-minute walk, skip or jog.
Stretching exercises: After raising their body temperature, swimmers should then perform a series of dynamic stretching exercises to gently stretch the muscles.
- These should be rotational and swinging type exercises, for example, arms circles, ankle rotations and leg swings.
A post-session cool-down
At the end of the training session, swimmers should perform a post-session cool-down after leaving the pool.
- This will help their muscles repair and recover from the rigours of their training, which could result in stiffness and/or soreness.
- We recommend that swimmers perform some stretching exercises, which they can perform while having a warm shower in the changing area immediately after training.
Related article on a competitive swimming warm-up
We have produced a related article on a competitive swimming warm-up. Which you can view by clicking this link: a competitive swimming warm-up
The benefits of dryland training
Many competitive swimmers regularly undertake dryland/land training.
- This helps them to gain additional benefits beyond those that can be achieved by training in the water alone.
- These include increased power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination.
- Dryland/land training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible.
- It can help correct muscle imbalance caused by poor stroke technique or overuse.
- The combination of increased flexibility and stronger, more balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury.
Related article on swimming dryland training
We have produced a related article on swimming dryland training. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming dryland training.
Joining a club
One of the best ways to receive proper regular training from a qualified coach is to join a swimming club.
- Many pools have swimming clubs for young swimmers.
- Many clubs have a master’s section, usually for those swimmers over 18-19 years old.
Related article on joining a competitive swimming club
We have produced a related article on joining a competitive swimming club. Which you can view by clicking this link: joining a competitive swimming club
Related article on how to become a master’s swimmer
We have produced a related article on how to become a master’s swimmer. Which you can view by clicking this link: how to become a master’s swimmer
Takeaways
In this article, we will provide advice, hacks and tips on developing swimming fitness.
These include,
- Train regularly
- Start slowly
- Plan training sessions
- Think long-term
- Join a club
Related article on swimming to lose weight
We have produced a related article on swimming to lose weight. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming to lose weight
Swimming resource library
We have produced a swimming resource library.
- This contains links to our ever-expanding portfolio of blog posts.
- These are subdivided by swimming category
Categories include: Swimmer Development | Swimmers Health | Swimming Coaching | Swimming Competition | Swimming Drills | Swimming Dryland/Land Training | Swimming Equipment | Swimming Psychology | Swimming Training
- To access our library simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library
We have also produced a swimming posts index containing easy access via an A-Z index to our ever-expanding portfolio of blog posts.
- To access this index simply click on the attached page link: swimming posts index
Freestyle Training Sessions
We have produced FREESTYLE Training Sessions which are workout and practice plans designed to progressively help you to improve your swimming fitness as well as your freestyle stroke technique.
Available in a downloadable PDF format directly from our website.
For information please follow our link: Swimming publications
Swimming Publications
We produce a growing range of publications on a wide range of swimming subjects.
- These include competitive swimming drill publications for backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
- Which are now available in both Amazon Kindle and paperback formats.
- For information regarding our portfolio please follow our link: Swimming publications
The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group
The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.
- It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
- It’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water.
For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange