How to Return To Swimming after a Break

If you’ve taken time away from swimming, it’s normal for your first sessions back to feel harder than expected. Even if your bike or run fitness is strong, swim fitness and technique take time to rebuild.

The key is to return gradually and consistently.

What to Expect When You Restart

When you first get back in the pool, you may notice:

• Faster fatigue than before

• Shortness of breath

• Loss of rhythm or technique

• Sessions feeling harder than planned

This is completely normal and improves quickly with regular swimming.

How to Ease Back In

To rebuild swim fitness safely and confidently:

• Focus on technique first, not speed

• Take extra rest between repeats if needed

• Break sets into smaller chunks

• Reduce total distance if required

• Swim little and often rather than forcing long sessions

Consistency is more important than completing every meter.

Follow the Plan — With Flexibility

Your MyProCoach plan is designed to build swim fitness progressively. If a session feels too demanding early on:

• Adjust the distance or rest

• Keep the effort controlled

• Prioritise good form over intensity

As your fitness improves, you’ll naturally complete more of the prescribed work.

When to Retest or Adjust

If you’ve had a long break from swimming, your swim threshold may no longer be accurate.

• Use feel (RPE) initially if needed

• Retest your swim fitness when sessions start to feel manageable again

This will help ensure your training zones remain appropriate.

Need Extra Support?

If you’re unsure how to modify your swim sessions or feel stuck after a few weeks, contact our coaching team — we’re happy to help.

Watch to learn how Phil improved his swim speed and fitness after an eight-year hiatus: