I am a 29-year old woman who is an obsessive runner and has a knee injury as a result! I'm anxious to begin a fitness program with swimming, because swimming is the only activity my doctor has approved. The only problem is that I don't know how to swim for exercise! Even the lingo (2 X 400) is like a foreign language to me. I know how to swim, but it is just playful swimming. I'd love any advice any of you swimming veterans could offer (workouts, getting started). Thanks in advance!
Former Member
Here is a review of some of the "lingo"
2 X 200 means swim 200 yards (or meters) twice.
2 X 200 on 4:30 means swim 200 yards twice on 4 minutes 30 seconds. To do this you need to use a pace clock (or a wrist watch with a stop watch feature will do). You would leave (start swimming) "at the top" (when the clock hand is on the 60) then swim 200 yards. You start your swimming your second 200 after 4:30 has passed. So, if you take four minutes to swim 200 yards, you get 30 seconds rest. Usually the rest interval should be longer if you are swimming hard and fast and shorter if you are swimming easy.
2 X 200 with 15 sec. rest or RI 15 means that you swim 200 yards then rest for 15 seconds before swimming the second 200.
2 X 200 pull means that you swim with a pull buoy so that you are swimming with just your arms.
2 X 200 kick means that you kick. Some coaches will specify that this is done without a kick board. If you use a kick board you can chat and grumble with the person in the next lane.
Good luck with the swimming.
