Swimming Workout for Two Miles

Two miles is a common distance swum by competitive or advanced swimmers. Athletes training for a triathlon may also swim this distance. Swimming two miles is about a two-hour workout at 3,200 m. Since the athlete is swimming for distance, a swimmer will likely swim freestyle, also referred to as the crawl stroke, which is the most efficient stroke. Although you are working out in water, you still sweat and should drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Bring a water bottle and keep it by the side of the pool for quick breaks, if needed. Also make sure to eat at least 45 minutes before your workout to help supply your body with the energy and let food digest.

Performing a quick warmup will help prepare your body for exercise. The warmup should not be long, as the freestyle workout will take a majority of your allotted time. Swim 100 m freestyle and 100 m flutter kick with a kickboard. These 200 m do not count toward your two-mile workout.

The easiest, quickest and most efficient way is to swim nonstop freestyle for two miles. Try counting your arm strokes across the pool and keeping the numbers the same for each length as you swim for a consistent speed. It is probably easiest to keep track of how far you’ve swum by counting out 64 50-m laps. You can also break between miles. Swim 32 50-m laps, drink some water for a short break, then continue swimming the remaining 32 50-m laps. Try not to break longer than five minutes as you may be reluctant to continue swimming if you break for too long.

Cool-downs are meant to be as much a mental break as to decrease your heart rate. Concentrate on your breathing by breathing in through your mouth and out your nose. Use a kickboard to do a kick of your choice for at least 100 m. Kick at a leisurely pace.

When you are working your way up to swimming long distances, it is important to pace yourself. Either begin your freestyle workout by swimming at a consistent speed throughout the duration or start slowly and gradually increase or build speed as you get closer to your finish. The choice is yours.