Swimming Exercise Routine

Learn how to do different swimming exercise routines in order to get great work outs. Other forms of training like running require a lot of pounding on your bones and joints, but swimming is much easier on your body. It can also be used to do great workouts if done correctly.

1. Start out all of your swimming exercise routines with a warm up and some stretching. Like all sports and physical activity, warm up will get your muscles ready for the training and stretching helps to prevent injury. Do a slow warm up lap to get your heart rate moving a little bit. Then get out of the pool and stretch every part of your body. Do the stretches slowly and with good form for best results.
2. Start out slowly with your swimming exercise routines. As with most workout routines, swimming will require a lot of energy and a good bit of time. You do not want to get burned out too quickly. Try swimming exercises for ten to fifteen minutes when you first begin. If that seems a little too difficult then stop at five to ten minutes. You want to slowly build up your endurance and muscular strength to prevent injury. You also do not want to strain your muscles too hard early on, especially if you have not worked out in a while. Straining your muscles when they have not been used in a long time for physical activity can lead to intense soreness for four to five days following your workout, and this is not something anybody enjoys experiencing.
3. Long distance swimming exercise routines are great for endurance training. It may take some time to build up to this level of stamina, but you will be able to do great workout routines once you have gotten your body into basic shape. Long distance, slow paced swimming will get you into great cardio vascular shape. Swim about 50 to 70 percent of your top speed and try to do so for about 30 to 60 minutes. This training will really improve your endurance. Doing laps around the pool or in a lane is the most efficient way to do long distance training. Try to do two to three days of long distance training per week for best results.
4. High intensity swimming exercise routines are great for overall fitness and muscular strength. You need to incorporate high intensity training once you have achieved basic endurance and can swim for around 30 minutes at a long distance pace. When doing high intensity training, swim 25 to 50 meter intervals at full speed with breaks in between each. This will really get your heart rate moving, and it will work out essentially every muscle on your body. Try to do two days of high intensity training per week in order for maximum results.
5. Try isolating different body parts while doing your swimming exercise routine to change things up. Hold onto a flotation device and use only your legs to swim for a great leg workout. Follow the same instructions with just your arms as well, or you can even use one arm at a time. By doing this work out once or twice per week you will be throwing your body off guard, which is a good thing when it comes to exercise. Try to work each arm and leg equally for the best results, and be sure not to over train any portion of your body.
6. Make sure you cool down and stretch after swimming to prevent injury and reduce recovery time. Your swimming exercise routine should end with a couple cool down laps at a slow pace and finally with some more stretching. Do the stretches slowly and with good form for optimal results.