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3 Training programmes for a splashing comeback

       

What you should do to get back to the pool after a long pause?

We have listed out some possible swimming plans collated by professional swimming coaches for your first swim back!

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Training plan 1

Start with a warm-up of 400-600m low-frequency freestyle.

Next, you could move on to some technique drills.

Decide the strokes you want to practice with the drills below and mix and match however you want, so long as they add up to 400m in total.

For freestyle, try swimming with single-arm freestyle drills:

- Try swimming with either your left or right hand first while putting the other hand at your hip or at the front for 25m

- Change your hand and do the same for another 25m


For butterfly stroke:

- Start with 5 strokes of the left hand

- Repeat with 5 strokes of the right hand

For breastroke, try swimming with the 3-2-1 breaststroke legs drill:

- Hold your breath while kicking 3 breaststroke legs, followed by a full stroke

- Then, swim 2 breaststroke legs, followed by a full stroke

- Lastly, swim 1 breaststroke leg, followed by a full stroke


After you have finished, go for 10 - 12 laps of 25m sprints. With every 25m reached, swim slowly to cool down yourself down at the other side of the pool before starting again.

It is better to set a time for yourself to complete the entire programme.

For example, you could set a 1-minute time limit for each sprint (including the cooldown) to keep your heart rate or an overall 30-minute time limit for the entire programme.

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Training plan 2

Similar to training plan 1, this one has a slight tweak in the last part of the programme.

After you have finished the swimming drills, instead of doing 10 - 12 laps of 25m sprints, you could also opt for 400 - 1000m of freestyle, depending on your strength and endurance. 

Feel free to gradually increase the distance. In the meantime, it would be good to record the time needed for every 100m to keep up your heart rate.

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Training plan 3

You will need a kickboard for this programme! 

Start by warming up with a low-frequency freestyle of 400 - 600m.

Then, move on to 200m kick boarding with any stroke of your preference.

Afterwhich, the main set of the programme would be a 400m freestyle and 400m of any other stroke. It is advised to set a time limit for each 100m.

Get these training sidekicks:

Do note: These training plans are designed for advanced swimmers after a long pause in your practice.

If you are a beginner, feel free to try these programmes out but do adjust the intensity based on your capabilities. Keep in mind to start at a low intensity and gradually increase it over time.

In the meantime, we hope these programmes help you to get you back on track - you'll be swimming at top speed in no time!