 Every day or week people decide they will start swimming laps as a way to get fit. It seems pretty simple - just make a time, get some gear together and turn up at the pool. The hardest thing should be finding a lane that's not too crowded or making sure your goggles don't leak. Unfortunately, however, it's the actual swimming that turns out to be the big challenge (even for those experienced former squad swimmers). While it might seem a more flexible or spontaneous option to just make it up as you go, it generally results in shorter, less effective workouts without a lot of noticeable progress over time.
First of all, swimming with a set plan gives you a clear goal for your session. Whether that goal is a set distance you want to cover, a specific skill you need to work on (for example breathing or kicking) or a particular heart rate range you want to hit, simply diving in the pool and hoping to 'wing it' is fairly unlikely to happen on the fly (unless you happen to be a coach with a back catalogue of sets stored in your long term memory). Like most things in life, you need to sit down and make a plan when you have something specific to achieve. Having a plan removes guesswork. When you have a set to work from, you will move from one item from the next with purpose rather than procrastinating or just resting for extended periods between laps. Trying to constantly plan the next part of your session as you swim actually creates a lot of mental fatigue, which can soon translate into physical tiredness. Without a plan the easiest path can be to repeat familiar sets, avoid introducing new challenges and then finish early because it got boring or you couldn't think of anything else to do. Swimming to a plan allows for better pacing and energy management. By going with the warm up/main set/cool down formula you can distribute your energy over the whole session rather than starting off fast and then burning out quickly. Set rest times within the session allow you to reset regularly and knowing in your mind that you can do this part then rest is much easier than thinking you still have 1.5km to go. Having a plan also allows for measurable progress over time. Even if your plan is just to swim for fitness and fun, you still want to see improvement as you progress. While you might get to a set distance and stick with it, you can still improve your times over each interval from 50 to 1500m. Seeing this improvement is motivating and reinforces that progress - you know that turning up each week is beneficial because you can see the results in your times. Finally, having a set plan will keep variety and different experiences in your swimming. While you might only see yourself as a sprinter or distance swimmer and have a preference for what you enjoy, it is important to spend time on your least favourite things as well. This will help to improve all your swim skills as well as help you become a well-rounded athlete. Doing the things you perceive to be more challenging is ultimately satisfying after the task is complete. If it's in your plan you are much more likely to complete it rather than trying to motivate yourself when planning on the spot. If you are keen to swim with a plan but don't know where to start, check out Get Swimming's 10 pack swim session plans for 1k, 1.5k, 2k and 2.5k. Each pack contains ten unique swim sessions covering speed, distance, aerobic and technique. No more hanging on the pool wall wondering what to do! (https://www.getswimming.com.au/10-pack-programs.html)
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