Swimming Exercises: The Building Blocks of Great Workouts

Have you ever watched elite swimmers practice and noticed they don't just swim back and forth doing laps? There's a method to their training – a thoughtful mix of different exercise types that target specific aspects of swimming performance.

Just as a complete fitness routine includes both cardio and strength training, a well-designed swim workout incorporates various exercise types that work together to build a balanced swimmer. Let's dive into these different swimming exercises and discover how they can transform your experience in the water!

Main Exercise Types: Your Swimming Toolkit

Swim: The Complete Package

What it is: Regular, full-stroke swimming using all components of the selected stroke – arms, legs, breathing, and coordination working together in harmony.

What it feels like: There's something uniquely satisfying about putting all the pieces together in full swimming. When everything clicks, you experience that wonderful sensation of moving through water with your entire body working as a coordinated unit. It's the most natural exercise type and often where swimmers find their "flow state."

Training benefits:

• Develops full-stroke coordination and timing – the symphony of movement that makes swimming efficient
• Builds overall swimming endurance from fingertips to toes
• Reinforces proper technique for the selected stroke
• Provides adaptations specific to the chosen intensity level

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• For the majority of workout sets – it's the foundation of swimming training
• Endurance-building segments when you need sustained effort
• Race pace and speed work to simulate competition
• Steady swimming sections that build aerobic capacity

Example in a plan:

6 x 100m Freestyle Swim @ Zone 3 (30 seconds rest)

Pull: Upper Body Power

What it is: Swimming using predominantly arms with minimal or no leg movement, typically using a pull buoy between the legs to keep them afloat without kicking.

What it feels like: Pull exercises create a unique sensation – your legs float effortlessly while your upper body does all the work. Many swimmers discover a new appreciation for water position during pull sets, as the buoy elevates your hips and creates that coveted "swimming downhill" feeling. Your arms and shoulders definitely feel the focused work, and there's something meditative about the rhythmic pulling motion without the splash of kicking.

Training benefits:

• Isolates and strengthens the upper body – building the power you need for faster swimming
• Enhances feel for the water and pull mechanics – developing that elusive "catch" phase
• Improves arm technique and power through focused repetition
• Develops upper body endurance for maintaining form throughout races
• Reduces lower body fatigue while still getting quality training

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• For upper body focus segments when arm strength needs attention
• When combined with hand paddles for additional resistance
• To isolate arm technique issues without kick compensation
• Recovery days for leg muscles while maintaining upper body work

Example in a plan:

4 x 200m Backstroke Pull with Paddles @ Zone 2 (20 seconds rest)

Kick: Leg-Powered Propulsion

What it is: Isolated leg movement, usually with arms extended on a kickboard or in streamline position, eliminating the arm component entirely.

What it feels like: Kick sets are humbling for many swimmers! Without your arms to help, you suddenly realize how much you rely on your upper body for propulsion. There's an intense focus on leg muscles that's different from full swimming – you'll feel quadriceps, hamstrings, and core muscles engaging in new ways. But there's also something pleasantly straightforward about kick sets – just you and the rhythm of your legs powering you through the water.

Training benefits:

• Develops leg strength and endurance – creating a powerful engine in your lower body
• Improves body position and core stability as you learn to maintain good alignment
• Reinforces proper kick technique without arm movements masking inefficiencies
• Reduces reliance on arms for propulsion – creating a more balanced swimming style
• Strengthens kick timing and rhythm for better overall coordination

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• For lower body focus segments when leg drive needs improvement
• When addressing kick technique issues that disappear during full swimming
• To build leg-specific endurance for race finishes
• During periods focusing on kick development to balance out arm-dominant swimmers

Example in a plan:

8 x 50m Butterfly Kick with Fins @ Zone 4 (15 seconds rest)

Drill: Technical Refinement

What it is: Technical exercise that modifies the normal swimming stroke to emphasize specific aspects of technique – like exaggerating one element or temporarily removing another.

What it feels like: Drills create an interesting mental and physical experience, as they often feel awkward at first! There's a deliberate focus on body awareness as you concentrate on specific movements. The "a-ha!" moments in drills are particularly rewarding – when suddenly you feel how a small change in hand position or timing creates a dramatic difference in your swimming efficiency.

Training benefits:

• Isolates and corrects specific technical elements – fixing problems one piece at a time
• Creates awareness of body position and movement patterns you might otherwise miss
• Breaks down complex stroke mechanics into manageable components
• Reinforces proper technique through focused repetition
• Prevents technique deterioration under fatigue by building stronger movement patterns

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• During technique-focused sessions when skill development is the priority
• As part of warmup to establish proper movement patterns
• When addressing specific technical issues identified in your swimming
• In combination with full swimming for technique reinforcement and transfer

Example in a plan:

4 x 75m Freestyle Drill (Catch-Up) @ Zone 1 (15 seconds rest)

Ready for your next swim? 🏊

TraPlaGo makes swimming more fun and effective with personalized training plans! From beginners to pros, generate workout plans that perfectly match your goals. Transform your pool time into an exciting journey!

Try TraPlaGo now → and start enjoying swim training.

Specialty Exercise Types: Setting the Stage and Cooling Down

Warmup: Your Success Foundation

What it is: Preparatory swimming at the beginning of a workout designed to ready your body and mind for the training ahead.

What it feels like: The warmup creates an interesting transition experience – you can almost feel your body "waking up" as circulation increases and joints loosen. Many swimmers notice that the water "feels" different at first – perhaps a bit cold or resistant – and then gradually becomes more welcoming as the warmup progresses. There's also a mental shift as everyday thoughts give way to focus on technique and the upcoming workout.

Training benefits:

• Gradually increases heart rate and blood flow – priming your cardiovascular system
• Loosens joints and muscles – preventing injury and improving range of motion
• Establishes proper technique before intensity increases – setting patterns for success
• Mentally prepares for the workout ahead – creating the right mindset for quality training

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• At the beginning of every workout – no exceptions!
• Length scales with total workout distance for appropriate preparation
• Typically uses "choice" stroke for comfort as you ease into the session
• Usually incorporates mixed swimming, drills, and some kick for complete preparation

For more on the importance of proper warmup, check out our detailed guide to warmup and cooldown practices.

Cooldown: The Recovery Runway

What it is: Easy swimming at the end of a workout to gradually return your body to a resting state while initiating recovery processes.

What it feels like: The cooldown has a uniquely satisfying quality – there's the sense of accomplishment from completing the main workout combined with the physically pleasant sensation of continued gentle movement. Your breathing gradually normalizes, muscles start to release their tension, and there's often a mental clarity that comes during these final, reflective laps.

Training benefits:

• Gradually decreases heart rate – avoiding that "abrupt stop" feeling
• Begins recovery processes that continue long after you leave the pool
• Flushes metabolic byproducts from muscles – reducing soreness later
• Provides time for mental reflection on the workout – cementing technique points and lessons learned

When TraPlaGo uses it:

• At the end of every workout – a non-negotiable finish
• Length scales with workout intensity and volume – harder workouts get longer cooldowns
• Uses "choice" stroke for comfort – swim what feels best to your body
• Always performed at lower intensity (Zone 1) – easy, relaxed swimming

How TraPlaGo Creates the Perfect Exercise Balance

One of TraPlaGo's most intelligent features is how it balances different exercise types to create comprehensive, effective workouts. The app ensures a thoughtful approach to exercise selection by considering:

1. Purpose-Driven Selection: Matching exercise types to your workout's purpose and goals – sprint training needs different components than endurance work

2. Stroke Compatibility: Considering which exercise types work best with particular strokes (butterfly kick is incredibly valuable, while butterfly pull is more specialized)

3. Equipment Integration: Pairing appropriate tools with each exercise type to enhance the training effect

4. Training Phase Awareness: Adjusting the ratio of exercise types based on generation mode – technical work is emphasized differently across modes

5. Ability-Appropriate Selection: Tailoring complexity based on your preferences and settings – ensuring the right challenge level

The exercise types are strategically distributed throughout your workout to create:

• Proper technical foundations before intensity increases
• Balance between strength development and technique work
• Appropriate intensity progression that builds through the session
• Recovery opportunities between challenging segments

This comprehensive approach ensures well-rounded development of all swimming components, regardless of which generation mode you select. The result is a workout that feels purposeful and complete – addressing all aspects of swimming performance rather than just accumulating distance.

Finding Your Exercise Sweet Spots

As you gain experience with TraPlaGo's workouts, you'll likely discover which exercise types resonate most with you:

• Some swimmers love the meditative quality of pull sets and the elevated body position they create
• Others find their greatest joy in kick sets that build powerful leg drive
• Many discover that certain drills create breakthrough moments in their technique
• Most develop appreciation for how different exercise types complement each other

Pay attention to these preferences – they often reveal both your natural strengths and areas with potential for improvement. At the same time, be willing to embrace the exercise types that feel most challenging – that's often where the greatest growth happens!

The beauty of TraPlaGo's approach is that you don't have to figure out the perfect balance yourself. The app intelligently combines these exercise types into cohesive workouts that develop complete swimming ability while keeping your sessions varied and engaging.

Want to understand how these exercises fit into the larger workout structure? Learn more about series and set design to see how TraPlaGo combines exercises into effective training sessions.