When you are a non-swimming athlete and your time in the pool is basically limited to backyard games such as Marco Polo and Sharks and Minnows, you may need a swimming routine to get you better prepared for a fitness test.
This system requires swimming five days a week, but each week includes the following staple workouts:
Technique
Practicing the stroke technique you will use on military fitness tests is the first step. For strokes such as the sidestroke, breaststroke and the modified sidestroke — referred to collectively as the combat swimmer stroke (CSS) — you should receive technique training. This can occur in person with a knowledgeable coach or by watching videos and practicing as much as possible. Once you can swim a yard per second (or close to it) and be efficient enough to get across a 25-yard pool in 5-6 strokes, you are ready to get into swimming shape.
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Swimming Conditioning Workout
Military.com tactical fitness expert Stew Smith breaks down the combat swimmer stroke (CSS) in three strokes.
The 50-50 swim workout helps non-swimmers get into swimming shape quickly. It has reduced recruits’ times from 10 minutes to 8 minutes for 500-yard swims (CSS) in less than a month, but you must practice it 4-5 times a week. After warming up with a 500-yard swim (any stroke), it looks like this:
Repeat 10 times.
- Swim freestyle fast for 50 yards (get winded).
- Swim a 50-yard CSS (try to catch your breath).
- Take minimal rest (3-4 breaths).
Leg Day Routine
On leg days, top off with a swim workout with scuba fins. To improve your ability to handle long swims with fins, you will need to strengthen your feet, ankles, legs and hips. One- to two-mile, open-water swims will be the norm when attending any military program that requires diving.
Warm up with a 500-yard swim (any stroke, no fins), then try the CSS with turtle-backing swim workout. Wear fins for this workout:
Repeat 10-15 times.
- Swim the CSS for 75 yards with fins.
- Swim the turtle-back for 25 yards with fins.
- Do this nonstop. Work to catch your breath during the turtle-back segment.
As you improve your leg endurance with fins, build up to all CSS for 2,000-3,000 yards nonstop on your leg days.
Upper-Body Days
On upper-body days, you can continue with the 50-50 workout or incorporate calisthenics and pool skills between sets to enhance the swim workout. The combination of upper-body calisthenics, swimming and a variety of pool skills, such as treading, bottom bouncing and floating, will be seen again in any military dive training program.
Make sure these are part of your training week at least once a week. Warm up with a 500-yard swim (any stroke) before doing what we call Swim PT:
Repeat 10 times.
- Swim 100 meters (CSS or freestyle).
- 1 minute of pool skills
- Push-ups 10-20
- Abs of choice 20 (sit-ups, flutterkicks, plank pose, etc.)
- If you have access to a pull-up bar on the pool deck, add 5-10 pull-ups as well.
Even if you are a swimming athlete, there are new techniques and strategies for performing all of the aquatic activities each week. While it may not take as long for the swimming athlete to master, it should still be practiced a few times a week, with a primary focus on other weaknesses out of the water. Consider doing two days a week with scuba fins, and the remaining days can be focused on swimming, with an emphasis on conditioning and technique/pool skills.
For more swimming workout ideas, pool skills and techniques, check out the Military.com Fitness Section for articles and videos to help perfect the skills needed to get through military dive and swimming schools.
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