login
Author
gsmacleod
Author
spamGreat workouts, Although I would disagree on the long recovery for speed work. The endurance workouts have been great, and I have been able to modify them to accommodate longer distances
- spam
Thanks for an excellent article! I'll be incorporating the 1200m Endurance workout into my training tonight.
I do have a questions though:- What is a pull buoy? Is it the float thing that you hold between your legs so you only use your arms>
- spam
Replying to a message by TriForrestTri on 2005-06-14
[quote]Thanks for an excellent article! I'll be incorporating the 1200m Endurance workout into my training tonight.
I do have a questions though:- What is a pull buoy? Is it the float thing that you hold between your legs so you only use your arms>
That is the pull buoy - it should help you maintain a neutral body position while concentrating on your pull rather than trying to remember everything at once.
Shane - spam
I have totally been looking for some begginning swim workouts that aren't 3000 m long. Thank you!
- spam
Thank you for posting this... I was beginning to think everyone else who didn't swim in high school had fish genes.
- spam
Thanks a bunch for this. Exactly what I have been looking for. Gonna try to work on some speed.
Question though, in your speed column, you say "hard with long recovery", could you define what you think is long recovery. Just last night I tried a 1x50m and it took about 43 seconds, and I felt spent for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Do you think that is too much "long recovery"?
Thanks!!! - spam
Replying to a message by iornquad on 2005-06-18
[quote]Thanks a bunch for this. Exactly what I have been looking for. Gonna try to work on some speed.
Question though, in your speed column, you say "hard with long recovery", could you define what you think is long recovery. Just last night I tried a 1x50m and it took about 43 seconds, and I felt spent for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Do you think that is too much "long recovery"?
Thanks!!!
[/quote]
I typically look at hard with long recovery as an effort that I can recover from in the 1 to 1.5 times as long as it took me to swim the distance. So I would say 3 to 5 minutes would mean that you are swimming too hard. The goal is to work on your speed without compromising your entire workout for one set.
Shane - spam
thanks so much for posting this article.
my question is what constitutes being "ready" to move to the next level? for example, is it being able to finish the 400m workouts in a specific amount of time, or a specific HR training range (aerobically vs anaerobically).
any advise would be helpful - spam
Replying to a message by ycjuarez on 2005-06-23
[quote]thanks so much for posting this article.
my question is what constitutes being "ready" to move to the next level? for example, is it being able to finish the 400m workouts in a specific amount of time, or a specific HR training range (aerobically vs anaerobically).
any advise would be helpful[/quote]
I would suggest that if you feel that you are ready to move up a distance, you do one of your weekly swims at the new distance and keep the others the same as before. Then, over the following weeks you can continue to increase the length of your other swims until all your workouts are at the new distance.
As far as specific amounts of time I would avoid trying to hit time goals as a beginner - instead I would focus on trying to feel comfortable, balanced and aerobic for your entire swim. As you build your confidence in the water the times will come down.
Shane - spam
While working on the form workouts, Should I use aids such as hand paddles or fin?
- spam
Replying to a message by goblue9696 on 2005-06-27
[quote]While working on the form workouts, Should I use aids such as hand paddles or fin? [/quote]
According to the coaches that I have spoken to the use of paddles is not very useful (may actually contribute to injury) for beginning swimmers. If you have a weak kick, using small fins would be okay.
Shane - spam
what do you mean by ladder??? i'm not familiar whit that term
thanks - spam
Replying to a message by polyfart on 2005-08-08
[quote]what do you mean by ladder??? i'm not familiar whit that term
thanks[/quote]
Thought I'd give you an answer here -
A ladder is doing progessively longer sets and then doing progressively shorter sets. For example, you could swim 25 yards, then 50, then 75, then 100, 75, 50 and then 25 with a break in between each "rung" of the ladder. - spam
I am familiar with holding a pull buoy between the legs while stroking with the arms. How do you use the pul buoy when doing a left or right arm or a catch up? Where do you put it?
- spam
Replying to a message by lgparker on 2005-09-23
[quote]I am familiar with holding a pull buoy between the legs while stroking with the arms. How do you use the pul buoy when doing a left or right arm or a catch up? Where do you put it?[/quote]
I still hold it between my legs and use it to help maintain balance. Othertimes I will kick during these sets but mainly I just use the pull buoy. - spam
wow - this is SUPER helpful. thanks so much - i will incorporate it into my training as i have found myself standing at the end of the pool wondering what in the WORLD i should be doing. again, THANKS!
- spam
I just got back in the pool last week after 8 years "dry" to train for my first triathlon. Thank you for the guidance, I really need it because I've forgotten how to train! :)
- spam
Is there a reason for breaking up the warm-ups and cool downs into sets. Wouldn't a 5 minute warm-up/cool down suffice?
- spam
Replying to a message by ANOVA on 2006-08-04
[quote]Is there a reason for breaking up the warm-ups and cool downs into sets. Wouldn't a 5 minute warm-up/cool down suffice?[/quote]
Definitely a 5' warm up/cool down would suffice - however, I often found with some of the beginning swimmers I've worked with (and myself when I was getting back into it) that a 250m straight swim may be pretty daunting so I looked at sets for wu/cd as well.
Shane - spam
Thanks so much for making this kind of thing available for us!! I'm a total novice here, and I'm afraid I still don't completely understand some of your explanations. Could you please further explain the following...
"Right arm" - ok, so put a PB between you legs, and stroke with the right arm only, right? Also, should we use a flutter board in the left to help with lift or not?
"Left arm" - see above, but left
"Pull" - "concentrate on stroke mechanics." Does that mean just swim normally, but use the PB so you're not kicking??
"Catch-up" - Does this mean do one arm at a time, but alternate? So you're actually gliding in between (so to speak).
For the other sections, (non-"drill"), you're just swimming normally right?
Sorry to be so exacting. I know you're probably saying "duh!", but it just isn't clear to me.
Thanks in advance, and thanks again for posting this.
julie - spam
What a great article! I have been looking for just this!
- spam
Thank you much for this; I too was a former competitive swimmer out of the pool for 22+ years (swore I'd never swim a lap again after 11 years of competitive swimming...). I struggled with the yardage early on, and have built up to 150 yds but now need to focus with my race 3 months away. Your plans and my alarm clock (to get to the pool 3 days a week) will get me there. Steve
- spam
As I started to read this it was like I was reading about myself. Thank you for the help here!
- spam
Wow! Your article was EXACTLY what I spent days looking for. I just joined the BT website today after deciding to get back into Triathlon when I saw my wife complete IM Florida last weekend. Your plan will really help me!
- spam
What do you do for warm-up and cool- down? Thank you for great site!
- spam
Wonderful.. I've gotten my bike training and run training pinned now this will get me started on my swim training. The drills are well set up and allow for progression. THANKS!!!
- spam
I've been struggling in the pool for 6 weeks now and could have written this article myself. Thanks.
- spam
Two general comments from a 51 yr old who hasn't been in the pool since Jr. High: No one ever tells you to hydrate when doing swim workouts and no one ever tells you that you wonder for the next two days if your catching a cold from the pool water in your sinuses.
Otherwise, as a 51 yr old who hasn't been in the pool since Jr. High, this is a great beginner's plan. I've used it for the past two months after one month of getting used to being in water. The plan's greatest asset is that the workouts are measurable and your progress is measurable, both with regards to time and perceived effort. - spam
Great article...This might sound like a dumb question but are the endurance, form and speed drills all done within one same workout or on different days?
- spam
Replying to a message by gunnardsp on 2010-03-26
[quote]Great article...This might sound like a dumb question but are the endurance, form and speed drills all done within one same workout or on different days?[/quote]
It would seem the intent is to get you in the water three days a week and do each workout on a seperate day.
That aside, great article; I can't believe what people put up for "beginning" swimmers that are mile-plus workouts. I consider myself in "ok" shape (22m on a recent 5k, commute by bike to work through VERY hilly Japan) and cannot keep up with those swim workouts. This one may be just right to get me in the swimming shape I need to be. - spam
Who ever put this up here.....THANK YOU!!! I was so discouraged, going to the pool once a week, trying like crazy to make it 200 m...spending 1.5 hours and failing miserably...going home feeling degraded, fat, and hopeless...I just finished the first 500 m workout in 45 MINUTES!!!1 :) I feel motivated, elated, and totally on top of the world, like I can ACTUALLY do this...just having a structure with built in rest time makes all the difference...THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!
- spam
Thank you.
After being away from competitive swimming for 15 years I found I'd set my distance expectations too high. Now I can see where the 800m workout is a great starting point for me.
Just to add my 2 cents - In swimming you can waste a lot of energy going nowhere. To anyone who reads this, concentrate on having the best, most efficient stroke you can. As they say "you can't win a triathlon in the swim, but you can sure lose one there." - spam
I am back doing laps for the first time since high school hoping to endure the swim part of my first triathlon. Thanks so much for the swim workout. I did one week of 400m and I'm adding 100m for this week. I now notice that the 400m Endurance is only 350m. Where would I add 50m to make it 400m? Thanks!
- spam
I just started lap swimming and was looking for something like this since I'm very out of shape. This is PERFECT! Thank you!!
A couple of questions, though. When doing the left/right arm drills, is the pull buoy between the legs or in the extended hand?
For the 400m Endurance is only 350m, really. What do you suggest to add? A 2x25 catch-up? Board work?
Also, how much roll should be expected with the left/right arm and catch-up drills? I feel like I'm over-rotating, but it could be I have never rolled enough with my stroke.
Thanks! - spam
I am grateful to have found this article and comments as I am a newbie at 53. I wish you would write a whole book for beginning swimmers. The 400m (with 800m as the next goal in mind) is actually doable for me; it's hard to stay pumped when one is so out of shape. I have never been a competitive swimmer and have been out of the water for half my life. Fledglings are an overlooked group.
- spam
A beginner swim workout that a beginner can actually do. This article should have a permanent link on the home page!
- spam
Replying to a message by her24gl on 2007-07-04
[quote]Thanks so much for making this kind of thing available for us!! I'm a total novice here, and I'm afraid I still don't completely understand some of your explanations. Could you please further explain the following...
"Right arm" - ok, so put a PB between you legs, and stroke with the right arm only, right? Also, should we use a flutter board in the left to help with lift or not?
"Left arm" - see above, but left
"Pull" - "concentrate on stroke mechanics." Does that mean just swim normally, but use the PB so you're not kicking??
"Catch-up" - Does this mean do one arm at a time, but alternate? So you're actually gliding in between (so to speak).
For the other sections, (non-"drill"), you're just swimming normally right?
Sorry to be so exacting. I know you're probably saying "duh!", but it just isn't clear to me.
Thanks in advance, and thanks again for posting this.
julie[/quote]
Yeah if anyone could elaborate on this would be great!!! - spam
Thanks for this, it's perfect for me!
- spam
Great workouts, Although I would disagree on the long recovery for speed work. The endurance workouts have been great, and I have been able to modify them to accommodate longer distances
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK
Beginner Swim Workouts: Endurance, Form and Speed
These workouts are all designed for beginners and range in length from 400m to 1200m – hopefully providing some useful workouts until you are able to tackle the 2000m+ workouts.
When I got back into the pool to start training for triathlons (after a substantial fourteen year break from lap swimming) I found a few “beginner” workouts online and, without stopping to consider how much my abilities may have declined in those fourteen years, I headed to the pool for a 1600m workout. I found that I could barely swim 50m continuously – including recovery time I was swimming between 4:00-5:00 per 100m! Since I had so much time to think while swimming back and forth in the pool, I calculated that I would be spending over an hour in the pool for the 1600m workout! Realizing that this was probably not going to be the path to improving my swimming; mainly since I could not complete the shortest set (100m) in the workout; I went back online. I assumed that in my ignorance (or overconfidence in my swimming abilities) I had missed the secret stash of true beginner workouts. But after several more searches, I still had trouble finding any workout that was not over 1200-1600m.
So I struggled in the pool – thrashed and splashed but never really made any progress. I was frustrated because I was not making progress, so I therefore did not want to swim. When I did swim, I spent more time standing at the end of the lane than swimming because my sets were too long – I just did not have the endurance. While swimming I had many visions of DNFing because I would either not be able to finish the swim or I would be completely wasted at the end of the swim. However, over time some of my online searches paid off and that, combined with suggestions from the forums here at BT, finally started to yield some improvement.
About the workouts
The workouts that are included are by no means my own – I am only attempting to compile a number of my favorite workouts so that you do not have to waste as much time as I did finding workouts that would work for your swim level. These workouts are all designed for beginners and range in length from 400m to 1200m – hopefully providing some useful workouts until you are able to tackle the 2000m+ workouts that are easily found online. These workouts are not designed to take the place of a coach or masters swim class; rather, they should help on the days when you have to figure out your own workout.
When to do endurance, form and speed workouts?
For a beginning swimmer who is working on mechanics and endurance, I would recommend that, if you are swimming three times a week, you do not do the speed workouts on a regular basis. I would instead do two form and one endurance workout with an occasional speed workout used for variety every two or three weeks. If you have the chance to swim four times a week then I would add in the speed session if you feel up to it - if not, another endurance session will not be wasted.
How often should I swim?
As a beginning swimmer you will probably find the greatest results from swimming three or four times per week for a shorter duration rather than trying to do a couple of long sessions. These shorter sessions will allow you to maintain your form throughout the workout rather than allowing fatigue to ruin your technique.
Terms:
Right Arm - right arm only - use a pull buoy keep your left arm extended and stroke only with your right arm.
Pull - using the pull buoy, concentrate on stroke mechanics and body position (i.e. maintain horizontal position in the water).
Left Arm - left arm only – use a pull buoy keep your right arm extended and stroke only with your left arm.
Kick - kicking only - can be completed on front or back with or without fins. I have found these drills to be the most useful when done without the flutterboard. If you do them this way, extend arms above the head and roll to your side to breathe.
Catch up - using the pull buoy, complete the stroke with one arm before starting the catch with the other arm.
4x25
Main Set
Drill
2x25 pull
Ladder
25, 50, 50, 25
Cool-down
2x25
1x25, 1x50, 1x75
Main Set
Drill
2x25 pull
2x25 kick
Ladder
25, 50, 75, 100, 75, 50, 25
Cool-down
1x75, 1x50, 1x25
2x50, 1x100
Main Set
Drill
2x50 as 25 right arm, 25 left arm
2x50 or 4x25 kick
Ladder
50, 100, 150, 150, 100, 50
Cool-down
1x100, 2x50
4x25
Main Set
Drill
2x25 right arm
2x25 pull
2x25 left arm
2x25 kick
2x25 catch up
Cool-down
2x25
1x25, 1x50, 1x75
Main Set
Drill
3x25 right arm
3x25 pull
3x25 left arm
3x25 kick
3x25 catch up
Swim
3x50 easy (focus on technique)
Cool-down
2x50, 1x25
2x50, 1x100
Main Set
Drill
4x25 right arm
4x25 pull
4x25 left arm
4x25 kick
4x25 catch up
Swim
3x100 easy (focus on technique)
Cool-down
1x100, 2x50
4x25
Main Set
8x25 (hard with long recovery)
Cool-down
4x25
2x25, 2x50
Main Set
12x25 (hard with long recovery)
4x50 (hard with long recovery)
Cool-down
2x50, 2x25
2x50, 1x100
Main Set
12x25 (hard with long recovery)
10x50 (hard with long recovery)
Cool-down
1x100, 2x50
Click on star to vote