Workout Samples for Swimmers

Ruth Kazez leads you through a program to get you from zero to one mile of swimming in six weeks. Young or old, fit or not, six weeks seems to be the most common length of time it takes to be able to swim a mile without stopping for breath. It requires three times per week and the willingness to be somewhat uncomfortable while stretching your aerobic capability.

There is more to swimming than just doing lap after lap, turning when you reach the wall at the end of the swimming pool. You can swim in places with no walls - open water swimming. Depending on the reasons you do open water swimming, you may find it more psychologically rewarding; open water swimming can certainly be just as productive for...

Ruth Kazez's easy to understand transition workouts for swimmers moving from the "Zero to One Mile" workouts to the next level.

Swimmers, would you like to receive a set of swimming workouts each week to help you plan your practices? These workouts are designed to help your swim training, to build fitness, and to give you some variety in your exercise regimine.

A series of workouts by Ruth Kazez designed for triathletes but very good for any swimmer.

Do you have some feedback on swim training that could help another swimmer? Share your swim tips and ideas here. You are a swimmer, and have the basics of a swimming workout figured out and want to be a better, but once you get in the pool to get the workout started, you feel a little lost?

This swimming workout features three longer swims followed by two sets of shorter swims at a faster effort. The goal is to gradually swim at a faster pace as the workout proceeds, starting with three easy 300's and concluding with a fast set of 75's.

If it's going to take more than an hour to get to the pool, change, shower, and change again, these workouts may be perfect for you. Assuming you have less than an hour for the swim, changing, and just a run through the shower, you might be able to get through these basic swims. If you're sore the next day, though, add a little swim down. Even a hundred yards will help. (Ruth Kazez)

This swimming workout features four rounds of 3 x 100's at the same speed with decreasing rest on each subsequent 100 within a round. The workout challenges swimmers to maintain a swimming pace or speed even though the swimmer is not getting the same rest after each swim. This workout can also help a swimmer find a repeatable or sustainable swimming pace that can be used for longer swims.

This swimming workout features a series of swims that get shorter as the workout progresses. The workout challenges swimmers to swim faster as the swimming distances get shorter. Swimmers can vary this same workout by mixing in different strokes, changing the amount of rest between swims, and by changing the amount of rest between each set of swims.

This swimming workout is 6x250 swims with the third and sixth "broken" into smaller chunks. The aim is to get you to push yourself more as you go through them from the first 250 to the third one, then back off a little bit for the fourth one, then back at the effort on the fifth and the sixth one. Swimmers can vary this same workout by mixing in different strokes, changing the amount of rest between swims, and by changing the amount of rest between each set of swims.

You try to swim faster through the workout as the distance you swim decreases. This swimming workout starts with a good effort 800, but you take a very short stop 1/2 way through it to get your time to use as a goal for the next swim, a 400.

This swimming workout has swims that get shorter while the swimmer aims to hold a steady, strong effort. As the swims get shorter, swimmers may find themselves going at faster paces even though they are trying to hold a steady effort early on each swim. Swimmers can vary this same workout by mixing in different strokes, changing the amount of rest between swims, and by changing the amount of rest between each set of swims.

A swim workout for swimmers comprised of 100's, counting down from 5-4-3-2-1, aiming to hold a good pace.

This swimming workout features three rounds of shortening distances from 150 to 50, increased effort as that distance decreases. You can vary this same workout by following different patterns of shifting efforts and by altering the distance of the repeats.

This swim workout features mixes swimming 100's of changing effort levels and swimming at consistent effort levels. Try to get a feel for how hard you swim and how fast you swim. You might learn that swimming a little "less hard" results in faster swimming.

This workout makes you think about changing speeds during a swim, but also aims to get you to be able to learn how to pace yourself through a longer swim so that you still have some energy in reserve to pick up the pace at the end. It is designed to take between 85-minutes and 95-minutes. If that is too much time or distance, then cut things out, but do not always cut out the same thing every workout. And never skip the loosen at the end of the workout.

This swimming workout features ever-changing rest intervals while the swimmer aims to maintain the same pace for each swim. It can be very challenging to keep a swimming pace or swim effort under control, this workout may help a swimmer learn how to do just that. Aim to hold the same steady, moderate effort through the entire set. As the rest gets shorter, how do you do it? The swims are in sets of two, one with increasing rest, one with decreasing rest.

This swimming workout features shifting efforts within swims of 100's and 150's. You can vary this same workout by following different patterns of shifting efforts and by altering the distance of the repeats.

When you think of swimming, what do you think of? Olympic swimmers, swimming world records? Splashing around in a swimming pool? Relaxing in the sun on a beautiful beach, occasionally dipping your toes in the water? If your fitness routing includes swimming, you can take your workout from the pool with you to the beach and get in a great swim...

A series of swimming workouts for swimmers to help increase overall fitness, become a faster swimmer, or just to give a swimmer a new workout for thier next trip to the swimming pool for swim practice or for their swimming workout.

A series of swimming workouts for swimmers to help increase overall fitness, become a faster swimmer, or just to give a swimmer a new workout for thier next trip to the swimming pool for swim practice or for their swimming workout.

A series of swimming workouts for swimmers to help increase overall fitness, become a faster swimmer, or just to give a swimmer a new workout for thier next trip to the swimming pool for swim practice or for their swimming workout.

A series of swimming workouts for swimmers to help increase overall fitness, become a faster swimmer, or just to give a swimmer a new workout for their next trip to the swimming pool for swim practice or for their swimming workout.

Sometimes you want to focus on one distance. While no one workout can make you better, swimming shorter distance repeats than the aimed for race distance can help your body develop the speed for that distance. In this case, to get better at racing 100's swim some fast 75's.