Whether you plan to compete or train socially, a reputable club is the best
way to start. Most larger cities have clubs that are nationally endorsed, but
privately run.
USA Swimming is a national organization that supports clubs across the
country. USA Swimming sanctions competitions and provides coaches and swimmers
with a variety of resources. It is also a resource to find a club in your area,
just click:
http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=503&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en
.
This site also provides information about time standards for various age
groups, recent national competition results, swim clinics and camps, a chat room
for people interesting in swimming, and various other swimming-related
resources.
How to set up an effective training program
If you are not able to join a club in your area, there are still ample
opportunities to compete as many competitions are open to individual swimmers
for an entrance fee.
When beginning a training program, it is important to remember:
to consult a physician prior to beginning any physical activity
to start slow and build up distance and speed
that proper nutrition is a vital part of any training program
above all, have fun–after all, that is what this is all about
Every effective workout should contain the following components:
Warm-up: this should consist of a variety of strokes and stroke
drills, all done at a slow to moderate pace. For the average 3000 yard workout,
8 yards of warm-up is sufficient.
The following sites demonstrate effective stroke drills that could be
included in a warm-up:
Workout: Swim workouts are generally structured on what is known as
"yards-on-time", which means that they are broken into sets of "X" yards on a
certain time interval.
For example, a set may be 5 x 100 yards freestyle on 1:45. This means that
you will swim 100 yards of freestyle in 1:45 or under and leave again when the
1:45 has passed. You will repeat this 5 times to complete the set.
The interval time should be adjusted for individual skill levels.
During the body of the workout, you should try to maintain a pace that is at
or about 80% of your maximum effort. In the beginning, you may also choose to
structure your workouts on rest intervals rather than set intervals. What that
means is that you would swim 5 x 100 yards freestyles with 10 seconds rest, for
example. So, instead of working on 1:45 as in the above example, you simply swim
the 100 yards at 80% of your maximum effort, stop and rest for 10 seconds and
repeat 5 times. This may be easier for the novice as it allows you to work at a
comfortable pace without stressing the clock. If you choose to use this method,
be sure you are working to your full potential and try to transition into
yards-on-time over the course of several weeks.
Your total distance covered will also vary with your skill level. 2000 yards
(including your warm up) may be a good place to start. Over the course of your
development as a swimmer, it is important to set goals for yourself and
gradually increase distance and intensity.