For the past few months, SwimSwam has been posting a daily swimming workout to help inspire swim coaches around the world who are looking for new ideas to try with their swimmers. Since most of the world’s pools are currently closed for business, we wanted to give swimmers and coaches an alternative set of dryland workouts to use to stay fit during the quarantine. These workouts will be designed to be done around the house. Some will use basic equipment, like medicine balls or stretch cords, while others will be all body-weight exercises.
These workouts are provided for informational purposes only.
See more at-home training ideas on our At Home Swim Training page here
Yes, we know, you’re a swimmer, and unless you’re part of that subset of swimmers that also does cross country or track, running is probably anathema to you. But, we’re thinking at this point, you might be ready to get outside, get some fresh air, and yes, might even be desperate enough to start running. And while we’ve seen some high-level swimmers already put up some fairly serious milage, today’s workout is designed especially for those of who haven’t run since you were forced to for PE class (although it’s easily scaleable if you have been running).
We’re assuming that you are able to run around your neighborhood and in a way that conforms to good social distancing guidelines. If you’re not able to do that, here’s a fun streamline workout from a couple weeks ago that you can do again.
Warmup
I’m a firm believer that not everyone needs the same warmup. If you haven’t been running much, I’d focus on a dynamic indoor warmup or yoga. If you have been running, start with an easy five minute jog, then a little light/dynamic stretching.
Workout
The main gist of this running workout is that you’ll run or sprint for 30 seconds, then walk for 60 seconds. Again, if you haven’t been running much, then the “run” portion doesn’t need to be super fast. Focus on good form and controlling your breathing. If you are more comfortable running, try to make those 30 seconds sprints something close to all-out. Do 6-8 repetitions, depending on how you’re feeling.
If you’re still feeling good after those 6-8 reps, go ahead and double the interval lengths. Sprint/run for 60 seconds, then walk for 120 seconds, 2-4 times. Yes, that seems like a long time to be walking, but if you’re pushing the run/sprint segments hard, you’re still going to be feeling it by the end.
When you’re done, do an additional 5 minutes of walking/jogging as as cool down, then make sure you spend some time stretching. Better yet, spend a lot of time stretching. As the old adage goes, “be kind to your quads, and your quads will be kind to you.”