What’s a good goal for a beginner swimmer? Something concrete and aspirational / somewhat ambitious but also achievable

General Forum
1

And should the focus be on optimizing speed, technique or efficiency in the water?

Thanks, everyone!

2

@Bret
Yes, I also don’t want to push myself so hard that swimming stops being enjoyable. Trying to swim a mile would be frustrating right now. Perhaps aiming for 200m non-stop is a good start, with a focus on efficiency and reducing strokes per length.

3

Consider setting a goal of 1500 meters or yards.

Focus on technique because you can’t achieve optimal speed or efficiency without it.

4

Zinn said:
Consider setting a goal of 1500 meters or yards.

Focus on technique because you can’t achieve optimal speed or efficiency without it.

I recommend bumping that to a mile (~1,600m, ~1,750yds) because it feels more rewarding!

5

@Skyler
My Local Masters Swim Committee typically runs short course championships in the spring and fall. The ‘mile’ event is either 1500 meters or 1650 yards.

This way, you can get similar satisfaction while saving time for a celebratory beer afterward.

6

@Zinn
Haha, I only have about 2 minutes for that beer! But I’ll definitely skip the extra 100 for a free drink.

7

Zinn said:
Consider setting a goal of 1500 meters or yards.

Focus on technique because you can’t achieve optimal speed or efficiency without it.

1500m would take me a long time to swim. I can probably manage half of that in a workout with plenty of breaks.

8

@Luca
You’ll get to 1500 one day. Remember, intermediate goals are worth celebrating! Start with 500 or 750 meters—whichever feels meaningful and challenging for you.

9

Focusing on good technique should be your main goal. Speed and distance will naturally improve once your technique is solid.

10

I started swimming for exercise, setting a distance goal of 50 lengths non-stop. I currently swim that four times a week, and it’s improved my cardio fitness significantly. Now I’m focusing on improving my pace since I’ve built a solid fitness base.

11

@Brogan
Why do you think you can’t swim fast given your age? I recently saw someone who started in his mid-40s and now swims 4K in an hour. It’s inspiring and gives me new goals.

12

Rudy said:
@Brogan
How do you measure your progress? Do you track it with a smartwatch?

I use an Apple Watch; it provides various metrics showing my positive progress. My HRV is higher, my resting heart rate is lower, and my cardio fitness level has improved from ‘average’ to ‘high.’

13

Rudy said:
@Brogan
How do you measure your progress? Do you track it with a smartwatch?

Generally, improvement in any cardio activity means getting faster while maintaining the same or lowering your average heart rate. I use an Apple Watch to track that.

14

How beginner are you?

Is swimming 200m non-stop challenging for you? (Distance)

What about achieving 25m in 30 seconds or 50m in 60 seconds? (Speed)

Or aiming to reduce your stroke count by 3? (Efficiency)

Are you working on proper breathing techniques?

How about breathing every 3 strokes or even every 5?

Can you achieve smooth hand entries?

15

@Darby
Yes, 200m non-stop is quite a challenge. That seems like a solid goal. Hopefully, practicing 2-3 times a week will help me master it.

16

Set a goal to swim twice as long as you can currently manage without stopping.

Focus on technique, and the speed will follow.

17

CharlotteMia said:
Set a goal to swim twice as long as you can currently manage without stopping.

Focus on technique, and the speed will follow.

If they say they’re a beginner, then does that mean they currently swim for 0 minutes? How do you double that?

18

Prioritize technique and enjoyment while swimming. If you’re comfortable in the water, the distance will follow.

19

I recently set a goal to swim a mile nonstop.

I’m not a total beginner. I swam a lot in elementary school and can swim, but just haven’t done laps in years.

20

Determine where you currently stand and set small, engaging goals for yourself. These could include any of the following: total distance regardless of time (try with fins or kickboards for variety), focusing on specific strokes, or progressive goals like gradually increasing from 50 yards.

You could work on distance intervals, ensuring you keep a larger distance per set. You might want to focus on specific components of your swim, like flip turns and acceleration off the wall.

Consider resistance workouts with paddles, interspersed with vertical kicks for a hybrid session. Whatever you choose, ensure it challenges you just enough but is still achievable.