OP here. This was my first time at the pool w/o kids (usually I try to squeeze a workout in while they are in swim class, but it doesn't always work out.) I did 850 meters, which I feel pretty good about. Counting my 100s helped me keep track of things. I probably could have gone further, but I was already sharing a lane and then another guy came in and the thought of sharing a 25m lane with 2 other people is more than I can handle at this point! Thanks for the advice all. My arms are sore, but overall I am pretty happy with the way it went.

I just swim for time, sometime I could laps. I swim two strokes and vary things up: I start with breaststroke, then add crawl and keep mixing them up depending how I feel. So I do, 2 laps bs, then could do 2 crawl, 1 breast (or 3-1 or 4-1) and so on and then at the end 1 lap bs and 1 back stroke or do exercises with the board. I don't stop while swimming, so the slower bs gives me a chance to catch my breath. Other times may do full time bs or cd. Start with what makes you comfortable and build up from there. Swim 30-35 min.

I really like this workout as a ramp-up to a one mile swim:
http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Where-Start-From-Zero-Mile-Swim-Plan-Newbies-1644677

As far as keeping track of your laps - if you swim in a lap pool that has lane lines, you can use the doughnuts on the lane line. On my high school swim team we used one doughnut for every 100 yards... so if you are swimming 1600 yards, you pull 16 doughnuts towards the wall, leaving a space between those 16 and the rest of the line. Then every time you finish a 100 (4 laps), flip one of the doughnuts down the line. Much easier to remember where you are in a 100 than in 1600...

PP here, it takes me about 40 minutes to swim 1600 m

NP, it takes me about 45 minutes to do 1600 m because I work drills and intervals in there too. My workouts are generally between 1200-1600m. I do lose count sometimes, but I think it's easier if you count laps (down and back) rather than lengths. It's nice to be at the Wilson pool or another pool that has 50m lanes because it's harder to lose count and you don't have to turn as much.

Anonymous wrote:I swim 1600 m. It's a 25 m pool so that is 64 lengths of the pool.I think technically a lap is down and back so it's 32 laps for a total of 64 lengths. I do most of it freestyle. I tried to very my pace with the first couple hundred meters being slower the middle thousand being faster and then ending a little more slowly. I have to count religiously also I have to say the number over and over in my head.

How long does it take you to swim 1600m?

I swim 1600 m. It's a 25 m pool so that is 64 lengths of the pool.I think technically a lap is down and back so it's 32 laps for a total of 64 lengths. I do most of it freestyle. I tried to very my pace with the first couple hundred meters being slower the middle thousand being faster and then ending a little more slowly. I have to count religiously also I have to say the number over and over in my head.

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, but do you have trouble keeping track of how many laps you've swum? (The pool I'll be swimming in is 25 meters long.)

Yes!! I swim 1000 yds, and so I think of it as 20 laps of 50. I basically have to keep repeating the number in my head as I go or I completely forget.

I'm very new to swimming for exercise, and only recently have been able to do laps. Is it easier for someone who is used to swimming?

I swim only because I do triathlons and I hate training in the pool. I found the easiest thing to do is to sign up for Masters swimming. The area clubs run practices all over, so you get a coach, swim time, and workouts for a pretty reasonable fee. While many of the swimmers are really strong, there is always a slow lane for folks like me. With just twice weekly swims in the off season, I brought my 1500m time down from a 35 minute flail to a more respectable <25 min.

The pool is great for cardio fitness, but I think results may vary for bodysculpting/weight loss. A lot of people find that swimming makes you a lot hungrier than other sports and you end up compensating more than you want. Also, as you get better in the water, you become much more efficient and burn comparatively fewer calories

Dumb question, but do you have trouble keeping track of how many laps you've swum? (The pool I'll be swimming in is 25 meters long.)

I guess my first question is, how far can you swim without stopping? Here's a workout that's not too challenging:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/no-treadmill/swimming-pool-workouts/?page=1

I think it'd be worth it to look at some Youtube videos on proper swim stroke as it has changed a lot in the last 20 years.

I just started swimming this summer after running for 20 years. I had to build up to it, but right now my workout is doing 1600 m the following way: 300 m warmup. 8x50 m drills (25 drill and freestyle back) 800 m swim, and 100 m cool down.

Good luck! Swimming has done wonders for me.

I'm usually a runner, but I'm looking to mix things up a bit. I can swim, but don't have much experience with swimming workouts. Any tips? (Looking to achieve general fitness and some body sculpting.)