top of page

How to Stay Motivated While Swimming

Writer's picture: Cameron TaylorCameron Taylor

Updated: Mar 4, 2023

Swimming is a great exercise that not only helps you stay fit, but can be a fun and enjoyable activity. However, like with any exercise, it can be difficult to stay motivated and make swimming a regular part of your routine. In this blog post, we will discuss ways to keep yourself motivated and make the most out of your swimming workouts. From setting achievable goals to taking breaks and having fun, we will provide tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your swimming sessions. So, let’s dive in and learn how to stay motivated while swimming.


Set realistic goals

If you’re trying to stay motivated while swimming, one of the most important things you can do is set realistic goals. It can be tempting to try to push yourself too hard, but this will only lead to frustration and disappointment. If you set achievable goals that you can gradually work towards, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated and make steady progress.

When setting goals, make sure they are both challenging and achievable. It’s also important to break down your goals into smaller steps so you can track your progress and feel a sense of accomplishment as you work towards your ultimate goal. Consider setting a goal for each session or week, and make sure it’s something that won’t overwhelm you.

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your successes. Acknowledge your efforts and reward yourself for the progress you’ve made. This will help keep you motivated and ensure that you continue to strive for bigger and better goals in the future.



Race against yourself

Swimming can be an intimidating sport, especially when you are surrounded by other swimmers who are faster than you. It’s easy to get discouraged, but you can stay motivated by challenging yourself instead of trying to beat the competition. You can do this by setting personal records that you strive to beat each time you swim. Comparing your times to past results can give you a sense of accomplishment and will keep you motivated to continue swimming and improving.

To do this effectively, you should keep track of your times in a logbook or on a spreadsheet. You can also use apps such as MySwimPro which allow you to track your progress over time. Every time you swim, challenge yourself to beat your previous best times. As you continue to swim and improve, you will be able to look back and see how far you have come. This will give you a huge sense of accomplishment and will keep you motivated to keep going.


Vary your workouts

Swimming can be an extremely repetitive activity. This can lead to boredom and lack of motivation over time. One way to stay motivated while swimming is to vary your workouts.

Mix up your routine by changing the sets you do, the distance you swim, and even the stroke you use. By varying your workouts, you will be able to challenge yourself and stay motivated for a longer period of time.

You can also add variety by trying something new. For example, if you usually swim freestyle, try backstroke or butterfly. Or try adding a kickboard or fins to your routine to increase the difficulty.

Swimming drills are another great way to mix up your workouts and challenge yourself in new ways. Drills can help improve your technique and focus on specific aspects of swimming like body position, kicking, or breathing.

Finally, try changing your environment every once in a while. Swimming in a different pool or in open water can make the experience more exciting and add a new challenge.

By varying your workouts, you’ll be able to keep yourself motivated and achieve the results you want.



Track your progress

Keeping track of your progress can be a great way to stay motivated while swimming. Whether it’s tracking the time it takes you to complete a set, noting how many laps you’re able to do in one session, or measuring your heart rate at different points during your swim, having a record of how you are progressing can be incredibly helpful.

Tracking your progress is also a great way to set realistic goals and measure your success. For example, if your goal is to shave 10 seconds off of your lap time, you can track your progress and see just how far you’ve come. It’s a great feeling when you reach the milestones you’ve set for yourself.

There are a few ways you can track your progress while swimming. You can keep a logbook with detailed notes on your swimming performance. You can also use a smartwatch or fitness tracker to track your heart rate, distance, and stroke count. There are even apps that help you track your progress so you can easily access your data.

The most important thing to remember when tracking your progress is, to be honest with yourself. Only compare yourself to your performance from earlier training sessions and don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t reach the goals you’ve set for yourself right away. Celebrate successes, learn from mistakes, and keep striving for better results.

34 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page