So I just recently started back swimming for my cardio. My endurance is pretty bad, although Im a strong swimmer. At a moderate effort, 100 yards of freestyle is my max endurance at this point, with breast stroke being slightly higher.

I was just wondering if anyone had some good, basic level, swim workouts. My goal is to eventually be able to swim about a mile non stop, which i think is about 70 laps non-stop of a standard 25 yard lap pool.

A mile swim is standard in a lot of triathlons right

3/21/2011 2:46:12 AM

Olympic distance triathlons are a 0.9 mile swim (1.5 km), yeah. But I should not offer tips because that's my worst leg of the three.

[Edited on March 21, 2011 at 2:59 AM. Reason : ]

3/21/2011 2:58:53 AM

Dude if you can swim .9 nonstop you are doing better than me

3/21/2011 3:05:15 AM

I can breast stroke a mile without hesitation or trouble, but I'll be lucky if I can freestyle .5 mile.

3/21/2011 3:05:34 AM

I did something like this for 30 min in the pool, nursing school has shot my tri workout schedule to pieces
but I try to hit the water 1-2x a week:

300 yd warmup
200-300 yd drills (catchups, paddle with one arm, hypoxic breathing, pull buoy etc.)
5-8x100 free, with 10-30 sec. break in between, depending on fitness level
or sustained 500 pace
5x 25 sprints, 10 sec rest
200-300 kickwork
200 cooldown

I also take ideas from this website: http://ruthkazez.com/50swimworkouts.html

3/21/2011 12:51:47 PM

Basic Level:
1x100 Free Warm-up
4x150 with 30 second rest (50 Catch-up, 50 Kick, 50 Pull)
4x75 Free Build with 1 minute rest
3x100 @ 80% with 1 minute rest (50 free, 50 breast)
1x200 Cool down
1500 Total

with 30 second rest - meaning between each 50
Build - means start slow and end fast
@ 80% - meaning 80% intensity
with 1 minute rest - meaning between each 50


My standard swim routine:
1x200 IM warm-up with fins or slow without fins
5x250 with 30 sec rest (100 Free, 100 IM, 50 Kick)
1x200 Free Cool-down
1650 Total

3/21/2011 2:52:53 PM

hahaha.....i thought this said "swingers"

3/21/2011 4:28:53 PM

I got back into swimming about a year ago. Here is the routine I used for the first month or so:

200 yards
rest 12 breaths
200 yards
12 breaths
100 yards
8 breaths
100 yards
8 breaths
50 yards
6 breaths
50 yards
6 breaths
50 yards
6 breaths
50 yards
cool down

I was able to get up to swimming a mile freestyle after about two months.

3/21/2011 4:45:00 PM

100 yard, or possibly meters, freestyle is kicking my ass. Im not sure the pool measurement, what is usually standard in a gym pool? My stamina is pretty pathetic in freestyle, breast stroke is slightly better

3/22/2011 3:03:30 AM

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4122944961711350389#

3/22/2011 9:54:55 AM

Quote :

"100 yard, or possibly meters, freestyle is kicking my ass. Im not sure the pool measurement, what is usually standard in a gym pool? My stamina is pretty pathetic in freestyle, breast stroke is slightly better"

What's your breathing pattern like? When I started swimming, I was doing the standard breath every 3 strokes but the endurance was killing me (I was in shape too, running 20 miles a week and working out 6-7x per week total).

I switched it up and now take a breath every other stroke so that it's on the same side every time. It isn't as efficient, but I can go for much, much longer than I could when I was doing every three strokes.

3/22/2011 9:59:46 AM

I need to start switching it up a bit. I just do 50-70 lengths freestyle depending on how much time I have. I use hand paddles for roughly 1/3-1/2 of my workout. Yesterday I did:
10 lengths freestyle @ warmup pace
26 lengths freestyle @ moderate pace
Rest/stretch for a couple minutes
34 lengths freestyle with hand paddles (10 slow, 10 moderate, 10 pushing myself, and 4 cool-down)

I breathe every 3rd stroke, but I can't do the little flip turn so I get a few good breaths in the transition every time I hit the wall.

I don't know how to do the breast stroke, backstroke, etc. Never did swim team (obviously) even though swimming has always been a big part of my life.

I can't wait to get back into open water swimming when the lakes heat up. That always provides a good cardio boost over the pool activities for me.

[Edited on March 22, 2011 at 10:19 AM. Reason : s]

3/22/2011 10:16:16 AM

What's the advantage of swimming with the hand paddles?

3/22/2011 10:58:09 AM

you're moving more water with one stroke, works your shoulders harder

(at least i'm pretty sure)

3/22/2011 11:04:22 AM

Quote :

"What's the advantage of swimming with the hand paddles?"

Works out your arms. The problem is that when you take them off, it feels like you aren't doing anything. You feel less efficient


In high school, our coach made us wear "fist gloves". Essentially they were balloons you'd where over your hand, but you could only make a fist while wearing them. Swimming with only a fist is tough to do, but you eventually find out where you are most efficient at swimming with your arms. After a couple hundred yards of that, you take the gloves off and you feel like you're doing something.

A couple times we'd go from fist gloves straight to hand paddles. That is a workout.

3/22/2011 11:47:13 AM

Quote :

"What's the advantage of swimming with the hand paddles?"

Builds muscle.

At first it seems easy and you're really moving with each stroke, but about 8-10 lengths in your shoulders start to burn. By the time you're done you can't wait to go back to swimming without them.

You can injure your shoulders if you overdo it, but for a recreational swimmer who isn't training super hard it's not going to be an issue. They make them in different sizes for people of different strength levels.


For the pool I use a medium sized Speedo Contour. Available cheap at Amazon.com:

Don't let the small size of the contour fool you. They are like using much bigger flat paddles.

For the lake I use these:


[Edited on March 22, 2011 at 11:58 AM. Reason : s]

3/22/2011 11:53:24 AM

you should get an experienced swimmer to help correct your stroke. many triathletes have AWFUL form and it can really slow you down. learn how to do a flipturn if you can't already - no use in open water but it'll make your pool workouts faster and more effective. And for god's sake, don't wear those dorky flat goggles. I can spot a triathlete geek a mile away cause of those

3/22/2011 2:27:45 PM

lol

dorky flat goggles?

3/22/2011 2:32:25 PM

these ... swimmers never wear them, even in open water races. but for some reason triathletes LOVE them! (see normal goggles below)




vs

3/22/2011 3:10:03 PM

OMG

that is beyond awesome. i've never seen anyone wear ones like that.

haha

3/22/2011 3:13:10 PM

nm, i have the normal ones but they are not comfortable

[Edited on March 22, 2011 at 3:52 PM. Reason : s]

3/22/2011 3:41:13 PM

Im pretty sure my stroke technique is decent, at least on free and breast. Im not messing with butterfly and back any more, my competitive swimming days are long behind me. My only goal is to be able to build my endurance for cardio and breathing strength, and do moderate swim workouts for lower impact cardio in place of pounding pavement for endless miles. I still run, but i hate it and its a chore, I much prefer swimming for a cardio workout.

3/22/2011 3:58:14 PM

I have these goggles. They are awesome.



I will have to give the paddles a shot at some point. I always assumed they were like flippers and used as an aid, I never wanted to use them because I thought it would make it easier to swim which isn't what I was going for.

3/22/2011 3:58:48 PM

you'll move faster through your laps, but work your shoulders more if that makes sense

3/22/2011 4:04:56 PM

^^ who makes those?


I have speedo goggles and swim fins now

i have the cheapo hand paddles, they do the job well enough

and a snorkel helps tremendously to work on your stroke

3/22/2011 4:17:01 PM

They're the Speedo Mirrored Vanquisher.

3/22/2011 4:28:49 PM

PS ... if you get bored of swimming laps and want fun way to workout, try Underwater Hockey!!!

3/22/2011 6:18:49 PM

I was going to say just keep swimming.... do what you can, take a breather when you need it and then keep going!

but then I saw what nerdchick wrote and had to agree.

Quote :

"you should get an experienced swimmer to help correct your stroke. many triathletes have AWFUL form and it can really slow you down. learn how to do a flipturn if you can't already - no use in open water but it'll make your pool workouts faster and more effective. And for god's sake, don't wear those dorky flat goggles. I can spot a triathlete geek a mile away cause of those "

I know she knows what she is talking about b/c her mom is an awesome swimmer and swim teacher.

3/22/2011 11:23:39 PM

Quote :

"Basic Level: 1x100 Free Warm-up 4x150 with 30 second rest (50 Catch-up, 50 Kick, 50 Pull) 4x75 Free Build with 1 minute rest 3x100 @ 80% with 1 minute rest (50 free, 50 breast) 1x200 Cool down 1500 Total with 30 second rest - meaning between each 50 Build - means start slow and end fast @ 80% - meaning 80% intensity with 1 minute rest - meaning between each 50"

this and ^^ that

oh and

FOR LIFE

most triathletes can't swim worth a shit. sorry.

but with 100 yards being your cardio endurance at this point i wouldn't even be thinking about anything longer than a super sprint tri.

3/22/2011 11:38:28 PM

Don't you know the perpetual joke about triathletes? We sucked at 1 sport, and are too type A to give it up, so now we suck at all three .

I swim with these mitten glove things in lieu of paddles. They still make your shoulders burn like a bitch, and added bonus is I feel like Swamp Thing with them on. Someday I will incorporate them into a Halloween costume.

3/23/2011 1:35:16 AM

Thank you wolf web. This thread has encouraged me to get back to swimming. I think I'm going to go to the pool today

3/23/2011 8:34:08 AM

Do goggles with foam eye surrounds actually work for anyone, or is that some kind of industry inside joke? The rubber suction cup type goggles work like a charm though.

3/23/2011 11:06:37 AM

i need to find my googles...might start swimming again

3/23/2011 11:15:51 AM

ya know, its funny this thread was made b/c i was just talkign to cody how i wanna start swimming.

i mean i can do the underwater frog style but thats about it

[Edited on March 23, 2011 at 11:33 AM. Reason : theres a year round pool about mile way from our house ]

3/23/2011 11:33:15 AM

Gotta make sure you get funny swim caps:

3/23/2011 11:34:53 AM

If you can only handle 100 free right now than your stroke and breathing technique are probably lacking. If you don't want to employ a friend or even the lifeguard to fix your form than you should try to naturally fix it by restricting your workout to timed sets to see where you're having the most difficulty. Do 6x25's free at 30 seconds. Then, break it up with a 100 breast. Do another timed set with 4x50's free on the minute. If you aren't tired after that then you should follow the other set suggestions on here. If you are tired, you need practice and more importantly, stroke correction.

Are you sore after the 100 free or just breathing heavily?

3/24/2011 6:49:26 AM

just breathing heavy

3/24/2011 12:28:44 PM

You can always swim with your head above water until you get better cardio. Maybe do one length with a normal stroke/cadence and then one full length with your head above water breathing on every stroke. Sometimes I have to do this in rough water because it's so difficult to get consistent breaths.

It's bad form and you could get injured if you did it a lot, but a handful of 30 minute workouts with bad form aren't going to hurt you. Just stop if you start to feel tingling in your fingers/toes.

Whenever I've taken an extended break I've found that lung capacity and cardio go up tremendously after just four or five swims. Stick with it and get some coaching on your form and things should come together pretty quickly.

[Edited on March 24, 2011 at 12:44 PM. Reason : s]

3/24/2011 12:35:12 PM

I honestly think my stroke form is pretty good, just have to work on the breathing.

3/24/2011 4:04:33 PM

Like I said above, try breathing every other stroke instead of every three. It helped me greatly when I couldn't make it one lap without breathing heavy.

3/24/2011 4:14:53 PM

If You cant swim 100 yards and you are a healthy adult, you do not know proper swimming technique. There is nothing else to it.

the great majority of those who are posting in this thread should not be giving advice about swimming

3/24/2011 5:07:36 PM

Ladies and gentlemen, lets all welcome Michael Phelps

3/24/2011 6:41:10 PM

Every stroke is too soon to breath, you'll hyperventilate.
Do not swim with your head above water. You should correct your breathing instead.
Are you exhaling when your head is in the water? Do not hold your breath when swimming.
Are you turning your head to breath (keeping your ear in the water)?
Even with bad breathing technique you should be able to swim a 25 in 25 seconds. If you can't do that, it's not just your breathing.

3/25/2011 7:19:58 AM

There are two types of people posting.
Those who know how to swim, telling you that your technique likely needs improvement,
And people who don't know how to swim telling you to swim with improper technique.

So hard to determine which advice to follow, eh

3/25/2011 10:41:48 AM

When people tell me they can't run a marathon I say "Bullshit! You just have bad form."

When they tell me they have started walking with hopes that they'll be able to run a 5k by the end of the year I laugh in their face and tell them to get off my track with that nonsense.

Aerobic conditioning is clearly not important here. Thanks to instructional videos on Youtube we are all elite endurance athletes.

3/25/2011 11:50:59 AM

everybody is an expert on the internets people

3/25/2011 11:59:51 AM

i'm a sexpert on the internets

3/25/2011 12:27:38 PM

I feel so bad for advising someone now to follow your suggestions...

Nowhere did I, or anyone, tell the guy to give up or stop trying, merely that the odds were that he should focus on technique.

3/25/2011 1:10:38 PM

It just sounds like you're talking a lot of shit, but offering zero substance.
I, too, recommended he get some coaching on form.

Let's face it, all the technique in the world isn't going to undo being out of shape. Just as there are plenty of people who can't run a quarter mile it shouldn't be a surprise that some people can't swim 100 yards.

Sometimes you have to learn to walk before you can run. Ultimately, he's going to have to put in his time in the pool. I offered techniques that will help him get started on that journey.

If you have something to add to the conversation please speak up.

[Edited on March 25, 2011 at 2:30 PM. Reason : l]

3/25/2011 2:30:20 PM

Very basic keys to basic freestyle stroke
1. keep your ears in the water, unless you are breathing
2. long reach
3. kicking comes from the hips, not the knees, you should feel it at your hips, knees are not rigid of course, but the bulk of the power comes from the full leg motion.
4. breathing - every three to five strokes when you are starting out. A good way to practice that is to practice w/ a pull buoy and attempt to only breath 3-5 breathes each 25

honestly there are not a whole lot of tips to give online. Get someone who knows how to swim to give you advice while watching your stroke.

I would practice kicking for a while if you are out of breath.

3/26/2011 6:38:38 PM