Getting Started with Swimming: A Comprehensive Guide for Absolute Beginners

If you’re just starting a regular exercise routine or looking to change up your current one, there are numerous reasons to incorporate swimming into your regimen. It’s low-impact, making it easy on the joints, and it provides a full-body workout. Additionally, swimming is an aerobic exercise suitable for individuals of all ages, abilities, and fitness levels, contributing to the recommended 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise for optimal health.

If you haven’t been in the pool in a while, or if you’ve never tried swimming for exercise, here’s everything you need to know to get started.

Beginner’s Swimming Workout: Building Pace and Distance

To prevent pain or injury, Dr. Mark Slabaugh, a board-certified sports medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, advises following a gradually intensifying interval swimming program. “Typically, a beginner’s distance should start with four laps of any basic stroke,” he explains. In most standard competition-length pools, one lap equals 25 yards.

There are four fundamental swimming strokes to consider: backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle. If you prefer starting with something simple, you might want to begin with the breaststroke. However, if you’d rather not submerge your face in the water, backstroke is a good option, according to Mike Koleber, head coach at Nitro Swimming in Cedar Park, Texas, and former president of the American Swimming Coaches Association

For your first workout, you can either grab a kickboard (typically available at most pools) and practice gentle kicking while holding the kickboard to your chest. You can kick on your stomach or back, depending on your preference. This is a great starting point for beginners, according to Koleber.

If you’re new to swimming or haven’t swum in a while, consider taking swimming lessons, suggests Koleber. Many health clubs and community centers offer programs for adults to learn how to swim. You can also search online for swimming schools, instructors, or programs in your area.

.Don’t be discouraged if you have to take a break in the middle of a lap or if you can’t finish four laps during your first workout. Just do your best and take pride in what you’ve achieved. “What matters is that you stay motivated, return the next day, and give it your best shot again,” according to Koleber.