Mastering Your First Swim Class: Ultimate Guide for Warmups, Drills, and Overcoming Fear

Setting Up Lanes Based on Ability Levels

One of the first tasks in our class was arranging everyone into lanes by comfort and skill. Those who had the most experience went into the middle lanes, intermediates took the adjacent lanes, and beginners were assigned to the outer lanes near the wall, where there’s more space and a sense of security. It’s important to note that these assignments aren’t set in stone—if you discover you’re either under-challenged or overly challenged, speak up. Moving between lanes ensures everyone swims with others at a similar level, making the session smoother and more enjoyable.

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Breaking Through Fear
For many, just getting into the water can be a big step. We tackled these fears through several fun, confidence-building exercises:

• Stand and Kick: Standing on the pool gutter, we practiced small kicks to get used to water movement and body alignment.
• Trust Falls & “Antitrust” Falls: We stood at the edge or in shallow water, leaning backward into the pool (or had a partner gently push us) to experience buoyancy in a controlled, playful way.
• Marching in Shallow Water: Simply walking through the water helps you gauge resistance and get comfortable with the pool environment. It may seem basic, but it’s an excellent way to ease into the sensation of moving in water.

Swim Caps 

A properly fitted swim cap can make a big difference in comfort and performance:

• Wet the Cap: A quick rinse lets the material glide over your hair without snagging.
• Partner Method: One person holds the front of the cap at their forehead while the other stretches the back of the cap over their head. This helps avoid tears and leaves less chance for hair-pulling.
• Adjust and Tuck: Once the cap is on, smooth out any wrinkles and tuck stray hairs under the edges.

Prescription Glasses Technique

Swimmers with prescription needs often debate how to handle glasses or contacts. Some prefer prescription goggles, available in various strengths. Others use contact lenses beneath standard goggles. If you bring your everyday glasses onto the deck, protect them from splashes and foot traffic by placing them on an extra kickboard. This small step keeps them elevated and less likely to get knocked around during busy sessions.

Race Clock Usage

Understanding the pace clock is a must for any swimmer looking to self-monitor progress:

• Top vs. Bottom: “On the top” means the second hand is pointing at :00, and “on the bottom” is :30.
• Other Key Marks: :15 and :45 are frequent start or turn-around points.
• Leaving in 5-Second Intervals: In a crowded lane, swimmers often leave the wall in staggered 5-second increments. If someone starts at :00, the next swimmer waits until :05, then :10, etc., preventing overlap and collisions.

Circle Swimming

Circle swimming keeps multiple people moving in one lane without running into each other:

• Swim down on the right side of the lane.
• At the wall, flip or turn while maintaining that right-side position.
• Swim back on the right side.

If you only have two swimmers in a lane, you can “split” the lane (each person sticks to one side). But with three or more, circle swimming is the best way to manage traffic flow.

Workout Structure Breakdown

Most structured swim practices break down into several key segments:

• Dryland: Exercises on deck to warm up joints, activate core muscles, and improve flexibility. These might include squats, push-ups, or band work.
• Warmup: Gentle swimming or skill drills. It’s a time to increase blood flow to your muscles and prepare for more intense work.
• Pre-Set: A short, focused burst of intensity—often quick kicks or sprints to prime your body for the main workout.
• Drill Set: Time dedicated to improving technique—body position, breathing pattern, and stroke mechanics.
• Main Set: The cornerstone of the workout that targets endurance, speed, or other specific goals (like VO₂ max). You may tackle pyramids, intervals, or timed sets.
• Cooldown: Easy, slower swimming to bring your heart rate down gradually, reduce muscle tension, and prevent soreness.

During our first class, we explored a simple Pre-Set (flutter kick and back kick intervals) and then eased off for what served as both a light Main Set and Cooldown, allowing everyone to get used to the class structure.

Length vs. Lap in a 25-yard Pool

The distinction between a “length” and a “lap” can be confusing:

• A length is from one end of the pool to the other (25 yards in a standard short-course pool).
• A lap traditionally refers to there and back, totaling 50 yards.

Understanding this terminology helps keep everyone on the same page when someone says “Swim four laps” versus “Swim four lengths.”

Learn to Swim – Sample First Session

Warmup

• Stand & Kick 3 × 20s (on the third, move a lot of water to simulate a “splashing” or “fast” kick)
• Sit & Kick 2 × 20s (easy pace, focusing on pointing toes and keeping legs straighter)
• Marching Assessment (wading through shallow water to feel resistance, followed by an easy swim back if comfortable)

Pre-Set

• Sit & Kick: 3 × 10s hard with 30s rest between each

Drill Set

• Jump In × 2 (practicing safe entries)
• Trust Fall × 2 (falling back into the water)
• Anti-Trust Fall × 1 (partner gently pushes you in to build comfort with buoyancy)

Intermediate Swim – Sample First Session

Warmup

• Stand & Kick 2 × 20s
• Jump In × 1
• Trust Fall × 1
• Anti Trust Fall × 1
• Marching Assessment & Swim Back

Pre-Set

• 2 × 25 Flutter Kick (Free Kick) FAST with 60s rest
• 2 × 25 Back Kick FAST with 60s rest

Drill Set

• Mushroom Top Drill:
  1. Float with face down
  2. Blow out air to sink
  3. Transition from Mushroom Top to Streamline, then back to Mushroom Top
• Standing Streamline: Emphasize body alignment—hands together, elbows tight to head, core engaged, legs together

Main Set

• 2 × 25 Swim (easy) with 60s rest

Triathlon Training – Sample First Session

Warmup

• Jump In × 1
• Trust Fall × 1
• Anti Trust Fall × 1
• Marching Assessment & Swim Back
• 2 × 50 Easy Freestyle
• 2 × 50 Kick with a Board (focus on steady flutter kick and breathing rhythm)

Pre-Set

• 4 × 25 Progressive Speed (start each 25 easy, finish fast) with 60s rest

Drill Set

• Mushroom Top Drill:
  1. Float with face down
  2. Blow out air to sink
  3. Transition from Mushroom Top to Streamline, then back to Mushroom Top
• Standing Streamline: Focus on proper alignment—hands together, elbows tight to head, core engaged, legs together
• 2 × 25 Single-Arm Freestyle Drill (focus on catch and pull)
• 2 × 25 Fingertip Drag Drill (emphasize high elbows and relaxed recovery)
• 4 × 25 IM (Individual Medley), easy effort to assess each student’s baseline in fly, back, breast, and free

Main Set

• 1 × 100 Moderate Freestyle, 30s rest
• 2 × 50 Freestyle Fast
• 2 × 25 Starts Fast
  (Effort levels should simulate race pacing without hitting maximum sprints.)

Lifeguard Training – Sample First Session

Warmup

• 4 × 25 Swim Easy
• 4 × 25 Kick Easy

Pre-Set

• 2 × 25 Fast Starts (diving off the block)

Drill Set

• 3 × 50 Swim with Lifeguard Tubes (practice towing and positioning)
• 1 × 50 Elementary Backstroke (focus on relaxed, efficient movement)

Main Set

• 8 minutes Treading Water, passing around 2 bricks among 14 students
• 4 × Surface Dives to the Bottom (2 feet-first, 2 head-first)

These four sample workouts illustrate how the same foundational framework—warmup, pre-set, drill set, main set—can be adapted for different objectives, whether it’s learning to swim, improving technique, training for a triathlon, or preparing for lifeguard duties. Keep practicing the fundamentals introduced in your first session, and look forward to building upon these skills in the classes ahead. Good luck, and see you at the next practice!