Lap swimming is revered by fitness enthusiasts for its versatility. You can work out all parts of your body, set your own pace, and get amazing cardio — all while being buoyed by the warm pool.
For the complete beginner, it can really help to have some structure to get started. So, we’re sharing a few beginner swim workouts that you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy.
Lap Swimming Workout for Beginners #1: Basic stroke practice
In this workout, you’ll get to drill your favorite strokes with full-body swimming exercises for beginners.
Warm-up: Take 2-4 laps in the pool at an easy pace with the swim stroke of your choice. Don’t overdo it here — even Olympic swim workouts start things off slow.
Main set: Here we’ll get into the meat of workout. You can use a water-resistant fitness tracker to keep a log of your pace, heart rate, lap count, and more.
- Swim 4 laps with a medium-pace freestyle (also known as front crawl).
- Swim 4 laps with an easy backstroke. Effort-based pacing is key when you’re a beginner.
- Swim 4 laps alternating between freestyle and backstroke.
Do a number of off-the-wall kicks underwater to build kick endurance.
Be sure to focus on proper form and core engagement throughout. Alternating between strokes is a great way to prevent injuries like swimmer’s shoulder that can occur due to excessive repetition of a single movement.
Cool-down: Take a quick easy swim lap using the stroke of your choice.
Recommended gear: A swim cap can reduce your drag in the water slightly while protecting your hair from the chlorine.
Lap Swimming Workout for Beginners #2: Focus on breath technique
Don’t let your lap swimming workout take your breath away! It’s great to fall in love with swimming, but keep your wits about you and remember to breathe.
Warm-up: Do a few minutes of diaphragmatic breathing (filling and emptying your lungs completely) before you even get in the pool. Then take a couple easy laps and do some arm circles.
Main set: In these structured workouts, you’ll probably want to take more frequent breaths as a beginner. The goal, however, is to extend the number of strokes you can do between breaths.
- Do 4 laps of freestyle while breathing every 3 strokes.
- Up this to breathing every 5 strokes for 4 laps.
- If you’re feeling amazing, try breathing every 7 strokes.
- Do 4 laps of freestyle with a comfortable breath regimen, but alternate the side you breathe on with each lap.
- Optional kicking drill with breathing practice: Do 4 laps with a kickboard where you inhale through your nose while your head is above water and exhale slowly as your head goes into the pool.
Cool-down: Take a slow lap or two, and don’t forget to breathe in a relaxed way.
Recommended gear: Kickboards are great for getting your breath technique just right.
Lap Swimming Workout for Beginners #3: Build your arm strength
Arm technique is important for all sports, but especially for swimming. This is one of the reasons people swear by swimming as an excellent cross training for runners.
Warm-up: Give some extra time to the arm circles in this workout, but don’t go overboard! You’ll be working your arms pretty hard in a few minutes. During your warm-up laps, be sure to alternate between different strokes to engage different muscle groups.
Main set: Here’s where you’ll be feeling the heat. Although swimming is known for being a low-impact sport, that doesn’t mean it’s completely risk-free. Listen to your body, focus on great posture, and keep your shoulders in a comfortable position to prevent injury.
- Swim 4 laps of freestyle while concentrating on the pull phase of the stroke. Use a high elbow here and engage your upper back and shoulders.
- Swim 4 laps with a pull buoy (a device that elevates your hips, stops your legs from kicking, and forces you to work harder with your arms).
- Swim 4 laps of freestyle using only one arm per lap.
Cool-down: Do a few laps of easy swim and then stretch, stretch, stretch. You don’t want those arm and shoulder muscles to tighten up!
Recommended gear: Pull buoys are a great investment when you’re trying to improve your arm technique. Be sure to find one that fits your size — bigger, more muscular swimmers will want a pull buoy with greater buoyancy.
City Fitness: Philadelphia Gym Memberships with Pools
These are just a few ideas for swimming exercises for beginners. Feel free to switch things up to focus on kicking, endurance, and more! Join the CF Pool Club, Philadelphia’s Premier Gym with a Pool.
Here, all new members can enjoy a Complimentary Experience, giving you access to our facilities for a day. Come in, try out our pool, take a class, and relax in our sauna afterward. We’re here to help you make the most out of every workout!