How to Return To Swimming after a Break

How To Return to Swimming

There are no shortcuts to returning to swimming. Trying to fast-track the process can lead to injury and more missed sessions. It's not worth it.

Where to Start

The best place to restart your swimming is in a pool. It offers a more controlled environment (compared to open water), and you're less likely to get injured by overexerting. However, if open water is your only choice, that's okay too. Just be aware that swimming in a wetsuit can put extra strain on your shoulders. Your first swim after a break should be about 30 minutes at an easy pace (or less if in open water). Keep your swims low-intensity and focus on technique.

How to Progress

After your first swim session, if your arms, back, and shoulders feel fine, you can continue to train 2 or 3 times per week. From there, you can also add 5 minutes per week to your workouts.

This gradual increase allows your body to adapt, with less risk of injury.

Also, perform gentle shoulder stretches after your swims to reduce muscle shortening, which can lead to shoulder impingement.

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

Returning to Normal Training

After three weeks of consistent swim workouts, you can start introducing a few harder efforts that are included in your training plan. However, scale them down as necessary, and switch sessions to focus on your technique if needed.

Once you start including harder efforts, you may find your heart rate is higher than you remember. That's normal, so don't worry. You'll soon get your fitness back.

Either way, the main thing is to be patient when you return to swimming - and do it the right way.