Swim your way to better fitness.
Swimming is ideal crosstraining to give your body a break from the pounding of tennis. “It’s non-weight-bearing, but you can improve aerobic and anaerobic fitness, which you need for tennis,” says Mel Goldstein, the Indianapolis-based director of U.S. Masters Swimming Club Development and Coaches Services. Swimming “elongates muscles and makes them more pliable, which can improve performance on the court,” he says. If you don’t know how to swim, it’s never too late to learn. Most YMCAs offer lessons for adults or stroke-improvement classes for those whose skills are rusty. For coached group workouts, sign up with your local U.S. Masters Swimming program at usms.org.
In this workout from Goldstein, you’ll swim 2,200 yards, or 1.25 miles. (Most health club pools are 25 yards long; an Olympic-size pool is about 55 yards.) The warm-up and cooldown improve aerobic fitness, and the middle of the swim can be as anaerobic, or filled with quick bursts, as you want. Expect it to take about 45–60 minutes.
400-yard warm-up, using any combination of strokes.
8 x 50-yard kicks. Aim to go 50 yards in 45–60 seconds, rest 15 seconds, and repeat eight times. For variety, alternate flutter kicks with and without fins and breaststroke, or whip, kicks.
10 x 100-yard full strokes. After every 100 yards, rest for 15 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Try to swim each interval in the same amount of time. Alternate between freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. And if you can do butterfly, go for it.
400-yard cool down, using any combination of strokes.
Before You Jump In
While a bathing suit and pool are technically all you need to swim, you’ll enjoy it more if you make a few small investments.
• Speedo Air Seal XR Goggles Chlorine can do a number on your eyes. Protect them with goggles. Find a pair that fits snugly but comfortably and that adjusts easily. These have a gasket system to keep air in and water out. $20, speedo.com
• Finis Zoomer Fins For lap swimming, a pair of specially designed short fins, called training fins,” will improve your technique and build leg strength. $38, finisinc.com
• Finis Alignment Kickboard Perfect your kicks with a kickboard. This one has a hand strap that helps you maintain proper alignment from fingertips to toes. $20, finisinc.com
• TYR Wrinkle-Free Silicone Cap Avoid green hair with a cap. A silicone coating prevents snagging when you slide it on. $10, tyr.com
Originally published in the July/August 2010 issue of TENNIS.