So you’re trying a new way to get ripped up and in shape? You’re getting tired of running on the treadmill or using an exercise bike? Consider swimming. Swimming offers something no other exercise does: the ability to work your body without harsh impact to your joints. You are actually lighter in the water and move freely without any impact. In addition, swimming is a great way to increase muscular strength and muscle tone, something you can’t find in most other cardiovascular exercises. When a swimmer is propelling himself through water- a substance about twelve times as dense as air- every kick and every arm stroke becomes a resistance exercise. You are training your heart and essentially every other muscle in your body. Even your legs get a great workout in the pool.

When you are doing any sort of sprint, you maximally contract your muscles, which requires a lot more work from your body than moving at a slower pace. In addition, testosterone and growth hormones are released in greater amounts with short maximal energy bursts that you do during sprint based exercises. Swimming for longer periods of time can release cortisol, a catabolic hormone that can break the body down. Sprinters use primarily fast twitch muscle fibers, which are thicker than slow twitch muscle fibers and continually grow in size with the right training. When you are doing pool sprints, you are focusing on power and high energy output for short duration of time. You will get yourself leaner much quicker. Think of how tired you are when you do running sprints. Now amplify that with moving your arms and legs with resistance throughout the entire length of the sprint. That only happens in the pool.

The best type of pool to exercise in would be an Olympic sized pool because it is simply bigger. If gyms have a pool, they are more likely half Olympic sized (25 meters each length). Most standard pools you would find in homes should be around 15 meters each length. Here’s a workout you can do for each type of pool doing the freestyle stroke. Remember you should always warm up with some laps before you start your working sets.

Olympic Sized Pool: Full sprint to one side and rest for 40 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Half-Olympic Sized Pool: Full sprint to one side and rest for 20 seconds. Repeat 15 times.

Standard Pool: Full sprint each way and rest for 20 seconds. Repeat 20 times.