How To Swim Laps For Exercise

Swimming as an Exercise

If you aren’t used to submerging yourself in water for exercise, you might just feel like — well, a fish out of water — when you are in the pool. But with a bit of practice, you can learn to successfully swim laps for exercise. Swimming as exercise provides an excellent cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening workout, allowing you to work vigorously without placing stress on your bones and joints. For anyone considering swimming for fitness, a few simple techniques can help you transition from a swimming novice to an enthusiast.

Step 1

Balance yourself in the pool by pressing your upper chest into the water, which should elevate your hips closer to the surface. Attempt to keep your head, shoulders, hips, and feet in a horizontal position throughout your swimming exercises. This foundation is crucial for beginners looking to build proper form.

Step 2

Propel yourself forward through the water using your preferred swimming stroke. The crawl, or freestyle, is the most efficient and strenuous, while the sidestroke and breaststroke are less intense. These strokes are great swimming exercises for beginners since you can practice each technique until you find what works best for your routine of swimming for exercise.

Step 3

Push your hands through the water each time you perform a stroke. Avoid lifting your hands out of the water, because this increases resistance. The Georgia State University Department of Kinesiology and Health suggests that it should feel as though you are “climbing a water ladder with your hands and forearms resting against solid rungs of water.” This tip helps make swimming laps for exercise more effective.

Step 4

Roll your body from side to side with each stroke. Rather than just turning your head to breathe, your entire body should rotate with each stroke. When your left hand is extended in front of you, your left side should be much deeper in the water than your right side. This technique allows you to cover more distance, making your swimming for fitness routine more efficient.

Step 5

Inhale while your body is rolled to the side. In this position, your face should be out of the water, allowing you to inhale. Exhale while your face is submerged in the water during body rolls. This breathing method is a core part of swimming exercises to maintain endurance.

Step 6

Tuck your legs into your belly as your hands reach the pool wall. Place both feet against the wall with your knees pointing toward the surface of the water. As your feet swing toward the wall, push one of your elbows back behind you. This wall technique is especially useful when practicing swimming laps for exercise regularly.

Step 7

Straighten the elbow you shoved back and extend the arm toward the opposite side of the pool. Just before you kick off the wall, slice your other arm through the air over your head, extending it to the opposite side. These transitions build stamina and strength during swimming exercises for beginners.

Step 8

Push off the side of the pool with your feet, tilting your body slightly to one side as you do so. Once your feet leave the wall, continue rolling your body toward that side until you are positioned on your stomach. Perform this step every time you reach a wall to keep your swimming for exercise routine smooth and continuous.