Brendan Hansen's Summer Swim Fitness Program

Brendan Hansen, Olympic gold medalist, captain of the 2008 Beijing Olympics U.S. Swim Team and Director of Training & Performance for PureSport, designed this moderate swim workout exclusively for That's Fit.

Equipment Needs:

Goggles
Swim cap
Flippers
Kick Board

Benefits of Swimming:

Improved range of motion in all joints
Increased aerobic threshold
Healthier joints from exercising in a gravity-free environment
Increased metabolism
Weight loss

Warm Up
4 x 1 lap freestyle (1 lap, repeated 4 times)
­ Take a 15-second rest at each end of the pool
­ Check heart rate after laps four and eight; it should be 30-50 beats per minute below max
(max is 220 minus your age)

Work Out*
6 x 2 laps flutter kick w/ kickboard and fins if available (2 laps, repeated 6 times)
­ Take a five-second break between sets of two
­ Place hands on the front of the board with your arms straight and your head out of the water, breath normally

4 x 1 lap choice of stroke (1 lap, repeated 4 times)
­ Take a 10-second rest after each lap
­ Build within each lap from slow to fast

2 x 1 lap butterfly kick with fins (1 lap, repeated 2 times)
­ On your stomach, hands in a streamlined position

2 x 1 lap flutter kick (1 lap, repeated 2 times)
­ On your back keeping your stomach tight
­ Make small kicks with a slight bend at the knee

Cool Down
3 laps freestyle
­ Try to get as much distance as possible per stroke so you are taking the least amount of strokes per lap

Before You Get into the Pool:

• Contact a local swim instructor to set up one or two lessons to brush up on your strokes and learn how to breathe properly while swimming. Improper breathing is the most common problem in a swim workout. If you just need a technique reminder, visit GoSwim.tv.
  
• It is very important to make sure when you first start swimming that you don't try to break the pool record. Speed is not the answer to being fit with swimming; it's more the distance and overall time working out. When you can learn to take your time swimming, you can focus more on technique.
• The hands down, most important technique all beginners should learn is to streamline every time you push off the wall. It's a great way to save energy and be more efficient. When pushing off, keep your core tight, toes pointed with your arms overhead and hands together. Make sure your arms are squeezing your ears to ensure perfect head position. When underwater, allow the body to glide to the surface and begin swimming.
• Wear fins during your first few workouts to learn the ropes. Fins allow the swimmer to do more of the exercise and for a longer period of time. As a beginner, it is very hard to keep the lower half of your body from sinking to the bottom when you get tired. Fins enhance the kicking motion and make it easier to stabilize your body and propel forward.
• Use a kickboard -- it not only helps you isolate a portion of your workout specifically to your legs, it also enables the swimmer to stay on top of the water without worrying about body stabilization. When using a kickboard, keep the arms resting out in front of the body and make sure the legs are the only thing moving you forward.
• Don't muscle or force yourself through your swim exercises. Learning when and where to apply force is one of the most important lessons you will learn in your first few days of swimming. Swimmers call this getting a "feel for the water," and it takes time to do no matter what level you train.
• There are endless ways to use swimming to improve your cardiovascular abilities and improve your fitness level. Be sure to try them all in each workout so you can find what you enjoy most and customize your workout to suit your goals.
• Understand that it will not be easy the first few times in the water, but the learning curve is small, and you will see an improvement in your swimming each time you get in the water. Just like any other exercise, consistency is key.
• Focus on your recovery. Swimming can be deceiving because you won't see yourself sweat and you won't realize how much fluid you've lost during your workout. Rehydrating after swimming is critical.

*This workout is designed for a common pool length of 25 yards. If you are working out in an Olympic-sized pool, swim one less lap.