which distance should i swim ?

phil · **Joined:** Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:53 am **Posts:** 30

I want to go swimming on a regular base ( 2 times a week ). Which distance should i swim at least to get a benefit from it ? Of course it is good to move at all. But making just 5 lanes won't be the key to success.

montana_4H_cowgirl_allie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:04 pm

oh wow ... making me think back to my swimming days ... if i can recall, these were some general sets of activities ... in order to get a decent benefit from swimming, i would suggest three days a week to get a good workout in ... the first day of the week is a full out swim meaning you do the regular strokes ... the middle day is strokes and exercises more specified to either upper or lower, alternating upper exercise, lower exercise, upper exercise, lower exercise, etc. ... and the third day full body workout again ...

this is what i can recall doing on full body days ...
1x500 free
1x100 fly
1x100 back
1x100 breast
1x100 free
1x100 IM
1x500 IM
5x100 free

and those were fairly easy days

for the upper/lower days ...
1x500 free
1x200 kickboard
1x200 crawl (with the knee float)
1x400 flippers
1x200 crawl
60 second vertical flutter kick with arms above your head and head and arms out of water -- this was way hard
60 second flutter kick holding onto wall
60 second vertical flitter kick with arms above head and head and arms out of water
1x400 crawl
1x300 free

phil · **Joined:** Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:53 am **Posts:** 30

I am not sure if i can swim 3 times a week. But nevertheless thanks for the information. Maybe i can adapt them to my training.

Kerry · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:52 pm **Posts:** 149

Cor - thats a lot of chopping and changing

What is IM and Kickboard ?

montana_4H_cowgirl_allie · **Posted:** Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:41 am

IM = Individual Medley (usually in the order fly back breast free) ...

kickboard is usually a foam board that you hold onto and rest your chest on, while you flutter kick so it solely works your legs to develop rhythm and strenth ...

Fewski · **Joined:** Fri May 04, 2007 4:40 pm **Posts:** 30

Work yourself up. If you havn't done much swimming before for long distances, for the first week or two just do freestyle and work up the muscles that you will use - they are different from lifting weights and jogging. After you feel that, start doing some of the things that was listed above, and continue to build from there.

nickflame · **Joined:** Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:57 am **Posts:** 114

I also used to swim twice per week, more for fun and my own pleasure; i think you will get a benefit, no matter what distance are you planning to swim; the set of exercises given to you by montana seems to me to be too much for an amateur. Have you ever swum before?

which distance should i swim ?

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