Choosing a Training Level

Because level 1workouts consist primarily of posture, balance, and swimming-skill drills, these practices are excellent for isolating skills and refining technique, or for a warm-up before intense workouts. Regardless of your swimming background, I encourage you to start with level 1 and to work through all the practices in the order presented. Skilled swimmers may find that they can breeze through more than one of these practices in a single pool session. Less-skilled swimmers might do just one practice per pool session and, in fact, may need to repeat a practice a couple of times before

moving to the next one.

In any exercise regimen, there is a certain excitement, anticipation, and eagerness over moving to the next level. For long-term success, however, it is necessary to be fully prepared for each step up. In each of the levels 1 through 4, be sure to complete every practice before moving up to the next level. I encourage you to make at least two full passes through the level before moving on to the next one. You should be able to complete all the practices in a level without straying out of the target heart-rate range any longer than brief periods. You should also feel confident with the skill drills and focus points presented in your current level before moving up to the next level. If not, you may want to review and practice the areas you are not confident with. When a skill eludes you, often the problem is that you have not mastered an earlier skill. If you find that you are struggling to complete workouts as you progress through a level, then backtrack, either returning to the beginning of the level or even, perhaps, to an earlier level.

If you are an accomplished swimmer who is chomping at the bit to get to the hard work, I strongly suggest that you still progress through the workouts in levels 1 through 4 in the order in which they are presented. If you decide to skip over any levels, however, be sure to at least read through them in order to familiarize yourself with the terminology and training concepts presented in each section.

Every workout level will repeatedly revisit the most fundamental skills. As the practices progress through a level, you will notice a logical pattern of increasingly difficult skills. This repeated cycling through all the skill levels is a cornerstone of long-term stroke development.