Are you a new swimmer? Or getting back in the pool after a long time away? Here’s how to get started and feel more confident than ever in the water!

Feeling like a beginner swimmer is really tough. Maybe you are uncomfortable in a swimsuit, or you just don’t feel like you know what you are doing when you go the pool. Don’t worry, every swimmer has gone through this.

Overcoming your fears and finding confidence in the water is a journey – it will not happen overnight. Whether you are brand new, or coming back after some time off, it’s important to shift your focus on what is motivating you to swim.

Do you want to get healthier? Try a new sport? Overcome an injury? Try your first triathlon? Lose weight? Whatever it is, find what you truly want to gain from swimming and focus on those positive thoughts.

Dig deep and try not to allow fear or insecurity to get in the way of you reaching your goals.
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It is perfectly normal to have high expectations and feel a little disappointed after your first time swimming.

Maybe you are a great runner or basketball player, but you might feel a little awkward in the water? That happens all the time, so you are not alone!

A good goal for beginners is to learn how to swim freestyle.

If swimming makes you feel nervous, unsafe or uncomfortable, here are some tips for simplifying the experience and finding joy.

If you feel like you are in danger in the water:

If you feel insecure in a swimsuit:

Hear Jackie’s amazing advice on celebrating your body at the pool:

If you feel like you cannot breathe:

If you are anxious:

If you have no idea how to swim freestyle:

Getting used to exercising in the water is already a weird feeling, but wearing the wrong gear can make for a terrible experience. Your swimsuit and gear will help you move through the water and swim more efficiently without weighing you down.

We recommend purchasing a few items to make your swim really comfortable.

Check out our recommendation training products on Amazon.

You will not become a perfect swimmer overnight, it’s a journey! Find a family member, friend, or teammate to help you stay motivated, cheer you on, or even swim with you!

If you are swimming alone, you can always download the MySwimPro app and join our Private Facebook Group. This is a great group of swimmers who can provide support, accountability, and answer your questions!

You can also research local swim groups or masters swim teams for adults. If you are signed up to swim in a triathlon, swim meet, or organized event, contact the event director and ask if they have any support groups for athletes.

It is perfectly normal to feel exhausted, or defeated after swimming just a few laps in the pool. When you are just getting started, it is important to focus on your stroke, breathing, and kicking technique – NOT how far or how fast you are swimming.

Here are 10 Steps to Swimming Smarter Freestyle.

You can start swimming at any fitness level or age, you just have to work at your own level and start simple. Focus on repeating a few drills or movements in the water, and then move on to more advanced exercises once you feel very comfortable.

Sometimes beginner swimmers use a lot of energy trying to just swim fast when they start out.

This is counter-intuitive, because they burn themselves out before they’re even warmed up. If your goal is to complete a fully structured swim Workout, it’s important that you have energy throughout the entirety of the training session.

Try to stay patient at the start of the Workout. It’s easy to feel a false sense of speed when you’re starting out because you have a lot of energy. The more you swim, the easier it will become to control this initial speed and regulate your energy expenditure across the entirety of a swim Workout.

Once you feel comfortable swimming a few laps of freestyle, we definitely recommend learning the other strokes! Try breaststroke, backstroke, and even butterfly if you’re up for the challenge!

Switching up your strokes will work different muscle groups and is a fun way to make your Workout more interesting.

Do you like to just swim back and forth continuously? We recommend incorporating interval training so that your Workouts are more dynamic. You will improve your technique, improve your stamina, and have more fun doing it!

It’s very important to set goals for yourself so you can track your progress and stay on track. If you want long-term success, be clear about what you want to accomplish.

When setting goals, it’s crucial that they be very defined and methodical in your approach. To help you succeed, use the S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goal process. The five building blocks for reaching your goals are below:

Learn how to set a SMART goal here.

Swimming is unique because it uses muscles that you do not typical use in your regular day “on land.” Even if you are slower, or can only squeeze in a short Workout in your schedule – it is important to keep swimming!

Try to set a goal to swim a few times per week for a few weeks, and you will definitely see results. Patience is very important!

Swimming is a great sport because you can track your distance and times as you improve! We recommend logging each swim Workout in the free MySwimPro app, and taking notes of how you felt after each swim. Try to remember how fast or how far you swam, and keep a log in the app.

In just a few weeks, you will be feeling strong, confident, and healthier than ever thanks to your great swim workouts! Recognizing the small goals you reached will help you to stay motivated and excited to keep swimming!

By following a structured weekly training plan, you can be confident that every swim Workout you complete is helping you reach your goals. With a guided plan, you will know exactly what to focus on in the pool, and will see much more progress in your technique.

Get the MySwimPro app on your iPhone or Android to access our digital community, custom Workout creator, and swim log.

Our Community Champion would love to help! Contact us at support@myswimpro.com
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