Do you get stuck in a rut, doing the same swim workout day after day? Break out of it! Try to add some variety by changing swimming strokes, set distances, repeat lengths, and rest intervals. Here are a few ideas for you to consider to help you shake up our swimming workout routine.

Do you always do your sets with a certain amount of rest between each repeat? Why not adjust the rest as the set progresses.


Start off the first swim repeat of the workout with 10 seconds rest, and add 5 or 10 seconds as you go along while maintaining or increasing your effort level. You could also start with more rest and subtract 5 seconds between repeats. You could go down and back up, or start at the top and go down. Here is an example swim workout set:

• 100 swim - :10 rest
• 100 swim - :15 rest
• 100 swim - :20 rest
• 100 swim - :25 rest
• 100 swim - :30 rest
• 100 swim - :25 rest
• 100 swim - :20 rest
• 100 swim - :15 rest
• 100 swim - :10 rest

Try doing some broken swims, where you take extra rest at some point during each repeat. This can help you learn how to swim faster at the end of a race. Here are a few examples of broken swim sets for a 100:

• 6 x (50 swim - :10 rest - 25 swim - :20 rest - 25 swim) with 2:00 rest between each set of repeats.
• 6 x (25 swim - :20 rest - 50 swim - :10 rest - 25 swim) with 2:00 rest between each set of repeats.

What else could you do to mix up your swim workouts? Change swimming strokes. If you always do freestyle, mix in a second or third stroke.

Do a 25 of the new stroke, then the rest of the repeat with your "regular" stroke. For example:

• 6 x 75 on :15 rest, done as 25 back, 50 free.
• 1 x 500 swim, every 4th 25 is a different stroke

How about using your equipment in a different way?

• Ever try using a pull-buoy as a kickboard?
• How about a pull-buoy or kickboard as an aid for a drill, like catch-up? Hold it in front of you with one hand while the other takes a pull, then when the hand taking the pull reaches forward, trade the hold on the board or buoy and use the other hand for the next stroke. It works!
• You can use many styles of kickboards as a pull-buoy. It takes some getting used to, but the different feeling makes things interesting.
• Do you always do kick sets with a board? Try doing some without one.
• If you have never used flippers in your workout, give them a try. Use them for kick sets and swimming sets.
• As long as you don't over do it, paddles can add some variety to the things you do in the water.

Have you considered mixing in a triathlon style workout once in a while? Mix up swimming with other kinds of exercise. Spend the same amount of time working out as you normally would, but change the scenery.

• Swim, then put on your shoes.
• Head out for a bike ride, or onto a stationary trainer.
• Follow that with a run outside or on the treadmill.
• You could do an aquathlon (a run/swim/run) or do a bike/swim/bike.

How about mixing in other types of dryland exercises with your swimming workout? Try swimming, getting out of the pool and doing some dryland work on the pool deck, then getting back in for more swimming, and repeat. You can also try water aerobics (a class is best for this) or water running with an Aqua-Jogger Belt.
The things you can do to change your workout are unlimited. Let your imagination go, try new things, copy what others do, experiment, and have fun.

Swim On!