Why YOU Should Swim This Summer!

Fancy mixing up your fitness regime with something other than pounding the pavements or your gym’s dumbbells? Land-based exercises are great, until the temperate rises and you’re sweating from parts of the body you’d forgotten were capable of sweating. Because let’s face it, running in a heatwave is horrifying, unless it’s towards a perfectly serene and cool swimming pool.

So, for a break from the heat, grab your swimming kit and head down to your nearest pool, where you can get a workout out in without the discomfort (well discomfort from the heat anyway!) Swimming is one of the best cardio workouts you can do, allowing you to burn 700+ calories an hour. And it’s easy on the joints, so it’s a great alternative workout for runners and cyclists.

To help you dive right in, after a good warm-up of course, here are two 30-minute workouts you can try.

Improve Your Swim Technique

Warm Up 150 metres

50m front crawl, 50m of any stroke of your choice, 50m breaststroke

Main set 400 metres

Count your strokes per leg. Try to swim each second length with 1 fewer strokes. Kicking harder on the second length will help.

Concentrate on getting the maximum out of each stroke by finishing all the way to your thigh with a strong tricep extension

A 25m with your fists clenched, then 25m full front crawl stroke. The Punch Drill is a great way to learn to ‘feel’ the water.

Cool Down 150 metres

Easy. Your choice of mixed strokes to finish the workout. Slowly bring the high heart rate and heavy breathing down.

Improve Your Endurance

Warm up 150 metres

Main set 400 metres

Want an extra challenge? Build leg strength and try using a kickboard for 2 x 50m and move in the water by kicking only.

Aim to swim the second 50m faster than the first 50m

Aim to swim the second 50m faster than the first 50m

Cool Down 150 metres

Slowly bring the heartrate and heavy breathing down.