Sha Klatt

We are in the glorious days of SPRING SWIMMING! With the temperatures starting to rise, It is a wonderful time of year to be in the water.

“Swimming is amazing therapy, peace, tranquility and exhilaration…not to mention low-impact on joints as well as a great full body, head to toe workout,” says swimming leader Sha Klatt. While we all know It’s important to cross train in our workouts, we might not always think of swimming as the perfect way to give joints and bones a break while creating long lean muscles from head to toe and incredible lung power. Well, it is! Not to mention, you get to stay cool on those too-hot-for-a-jog days.

Not a regular swimmer? No problem. Sha has put together a fun summer swim workout that will keep your core temp down while you get toned from head to toe.

So, give your bones and joints a break, jump in and use this outline for your next workout!

“Stay Cool in the Pool”
Endurance-Building Swim Workout

As you get started with swimming, pace yourself: cut this workout in half and build up your endurance until you can complete the entire workout.

Become “one” with the water and let the water work it’s magic. You’ll feel amazing when you’re finished!

Warm-up: 200m Swim (8 lengths of a 25m pool)
Start with a body stretching warm-up in the water. Swim your choice of strokes, but swim very slowly, reaching your arms out as far as they can go while you glide through the water. This helps lengthen your muscles and gives a good stretch.

500m Freestyle Pyramid:

2 x 25m (2 lengths of the pool): Rest 20 secs after each 25m. On the 2nd 25 swim a little faster (that’s how you “build”)
2 x 50m (4 lengths): Rest 30 secs after each 50m. Increase your speed with each segment.
2 x 100m (8 lengths of the pool): Rest 30 secs after each 100m. A little bit faster now, and sprint the 2nd 100!
2 x 50m (4 lengths): Now you can start to pull back on your speed, rest 30 sec.
2 x 25m (2 lengths): This time slow it down and feel the power in each stroke, long glide.

400m Kick (lower body only):

With fins on and holding kick board out in front of you, kick for 100m (4 lengths) of each kick: dolphin kick (butterfly) for 25m, backstroke kick (flip over on your back) for 25m, freestyle kick for 25m, then remove fins for breaststroke kick for the last 25m.

300m Pull (upper body only):

Place a pull buoy between your legs and squeeze your them together tight. Using your arms only, “pull” each stroke for 100m of backstroke, 100m of breaststroke and 100m of freestyle

200m Sprints:

Swim 4 X 50m of freestyle all out! Rest 30 seconds after each 50m

200m Warm-Down:

50m Ab kick: with fins on, turn around so your back is facing the direction you want to swim and pull your knees up into your chest like you are sitting in a chair with your head above water, calves along the top of the water. Using your abs to hold your torso up as you kick, lean slightly backwards at about a 45 degree angle while you kick backwards with your fins, completing 2 lengths of the pool
50m Swim slow, your choice of stroke: stretch out
100m Relaxing side kick with fins and kick board

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Need a little more inspiration to get you on board with swimming? Check out this great article Why I Swim by Lynn Sherr.

Each week at Swim Fit we go over techniques and tips that help participants enjoy the water and improve swimming skills. No matter what level swimmer you are, Sha can help you improve and reach your health goals. We always end the workout with a mini “spa session” in the hot tub or steam room — you leave feeling amazing and carried through the day!

If you have any questions about the iGnite swimming program, email Sha at sha@igniteyourlifenow.com.