How to Swim Smarter, Not Longer: The 2 Key Strategies for Busy People

No more excuses!

Happy Sunday!

As a swim coach who's worked with athletes’ parents for years, I’ve heard it countless times:
“I love swimming, but I just don’t have the time.”

Between work, family, kids’ swim meets, and all of life’s responsibilities, your time in the pool becomes precious.

The good news? You don’t need hours of daily training to make real progress in the water. In fact, with the right approach, even 2–3 focused sessions a week can yield impressive results.

Most adult swimmers aren’t training for the Olympics, they’re training for life: to stay healthy, feel strong, improve technique, and maybe get a little faster while juggling careers, families, and life outside the pool.

To me, the key is to stop trying to swim more and start swimming with intention.

Many parents who were former swimmers think this way: “Well… I only have time to swim 2 thousand yards, so why bother…”

You don’t need 5,000-yard workouts or hours in the pool to make it count.

You just need a plan and a purpose. Today, we’ll focus on the two strategies that, in my opinion, consistently deliver the most value for time-crunched athletes. Which is basically what I do these days, as I am putting a lot of work in the gym also.

1. Show Up With a Plan (Always)
   If you enter the pool without a structured workout, chances are you’ll waste your limited time doing laps that don’t move the needle. Sure, this is better than nothing, but inevitably, you will end up not satisfied and will stop going.
   
   The Fix:
   Have a written plan for your Main Set before you arrive. Know your goal for the day: aerobic base, speed, technique, threshold? Stick to sets that fit your schedule. Even 30–40 minutes of focused training can be transformative with the right intensity and structure.

   A written plan isn’t just a time-saver. It gives your session a mission.
   

2. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

   You’ve heard it before, but it’s especially true in swimming: more yards do not always lead to better results. If you’re swimming with poor form, inefficient technique, or without variation in pace and rest, you’re reinforcing bad habits.

   
   The Fix:

   Keep your technique razor-sharp, especially when tired. Use structured intervals. Build in rest. Don’t just “swim laps.” Use drills, descends, and negative splits to build awareness and control. End sets before form breaks down.

   We’re not just trying to swim empty yards. We’re trying to swim with skill.

Here are some simple yet very effective sample Main Sets you can do that will be much better than just swimming unintentional, mindless laps.

Sample 5-Day Main Set Plan (30–40 Minutes Each)

Assumes roughly a pace of 100 FR @ 2min. Main Sets only. Warm-up, drill, and cool-down are not included.