Swimming
Full-body cardio in the water — joint-friendly and breath-demanding.
Execution
- Body horizontal — bring the hips and legs close to the surface.
- Breathe sideways every 2-3 strokes (freestyle), or forward (breaststroke).
- Kick from the hips, not the knees — small, fast strokes.
- Long, even pulls beat thrashing — efficiency over power.
Tips
- Start with short distances (4 × 50 m) and rest, rather than chasing one 200 m attempt.
- Goggles cut friction and irritation dramatically — non-negotiable kit.
Full body and weightless
Swimming is the only widespread endurance sport with zero impact loading — buoyancy takes essentially all the body's weight off. For people with joint issues, significant excess weight, or in rehabilitation, it's often the only form that's pain-free at all.
At the same time, it's more demanding on breathing than any land-based sport: water pressure on the chest makes inhaling harder, and the breathing rhythm is locked to the stroke rather than freely chosen.
Technique beats conditioning
Unlike running, in swimming it's almost always technique that limits you, not endurance. If you're out of breath after fifty meters, it's usually not a conditioning problem but a body position sitting too low with too much drag. A few technique lessons help more here than extra laps.
What to keep in mind
- Heart rate runs lower. Lying horizontal in cool water, the heart beats roughly ten beats slower than on land at the same effort. Running zones don't transfer directly.
- No bone stimulus. As with cycling, there's no impact loading for bone density — strength training belongs alongside it.
- Neck in breaststroke. A constantly hyperextended head is a common source of complaints. Dip the head into the water regularly.
Programming
Two to three sessions of 30 to 45 minutes. Intervals over 50 or 100 meters with clear rest periods are usually more effective than continuous laps.