The concept of ‘exercise snacking’ has never been more popular. Not only is it convenient and accessible, but there is solid scientific evidence that short bursts of physical activity can yield real benefits for our health. But can a swimming workout be an effective ‘exercise snack’?
A study published in the European Heart Journal found that just 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week (almost as low as two minutes a day) was enough to significantly lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and early death. The study defined vigorous activity as any exercise that leaves you out of breath and raises your heart rate, including swimming.
But does ‘exercise snacking’ really work in the pool? Unlike a short run, walk, or online workout at home, going for a swim requires a bit of effort beyond the swim itself, so we often want to spend longer in the pool to make the most of it. However, head of swim for David Lloyd Clubs, Nuala Muir-Cochrane, believes short swims are worth it: “If you only have 10 minutes, consistency matters more than volume. Even two or three short swims per week can improve swim fitness noticeably,” she says.
With that in mind, I added some 10-minute swims to my routine of strength training and yoga workouts for two weeks to see if it made any difference to my health and fitness. Here’s what I discovered, plus what experts told me about optimising a short swim to either energise, recover or relax.
Benefits of 10-minute swimming workouts
1. Aids muscle recovery
To make the most of my short pool sessions, I often paired them with a gym visit, realising that I’ll need a post-workout shower anyway, so I may as well take a dip first. According to Francesca Bagshaw, performance physiologist at Nuffield Health’s Manchester Institute of Health and Performance, a short swim is perfect for recovering after the gym, a run or exercise class because it combines low-impact movement with increased circulation.
“After a hard session, muscles can feel stiff and fatigued due to microscopic muscle damage, inflammation and metabolite build-up,” she explains. “Gentle swimming helps stimulate blood flow without placing additional mechanical stress on joints and muscles,” Francesca recommends keeping the intensity low to moderate if recovery is your goal, to promote mobility, relaxation and circulation, without additional fatigue.
Samantha Russo, master swim coach for Virgin Active, adds, “In the pool, the water holds most of your bodyweight, so your joints get a break, but your muscles are still working gently through a big range of motion. Because water gives soft resistance in every direction, an easy swim is like active stretching with a built-in massage for the muscles, so you loosen up rather than lock up.”
2. Supports muscle building
Water is around 800 times denser than air, making swimming (or any movement in water) an effective resistance workout. Your muscles need to work harder to propel the body through the water, and multiple muscle groups will be involved, including those in your arms, legs, back and core.
My fortnight of short swims probably didn’t help me gain muscle – the resistance of the water never changes, so practising progressive overload (gradually increasing the weight, as I can in the gym) isn’t possible. I would have to either increase my speed, distance or duration to do this. But I felt that my short swims did support gains from strength training in the gym. Maintaining muscle has been useful for staying strong, not just for my gym workouts, but also for my yoga classes and occasional run.
10 minutes might not seem like a long time, but if you’re headed for the shower anyway, why not throw in a quick workout?
(Image credit: Kerry Law / Future)
3. Boosts energy levels
While it isn’t my preferred timeslot, I would sometimes schedule a short, pacier swim in the morning to boost my mental and physical energy before work. If you prefer morning workouts, you might find that adding a short, fast swim after the gym or an exercise class will energise you for the day ahead.
Samantha is a fan of morning swims: “In the morning, your circulation and nervous system are still in ‘low power mode’, and a short swim acts like a full-body wake-up call,” she says. “The cold water stimulates your skin and nerves, your breathing and heart rate increase, and more oxygen-rich blood is pushed to your brain and muscles. That mix of oxygen, movement and endorphins clears brain fog and lifts your mood far better than a cup of coffee.”
Francesca adds, “For best results, morning swims should be kept relatively short and refreshing rather than exhaustive, particularly before work or further training later in the day.”
4. Lowers stress levels
Much has been discovered about the effects of immersion in water, and how it can induce an ultra-calming ‘blue mind’ state. This is partly why I favour an evening swim, not just to avoid the busiest times at the pool, but to lower my cortisol levels and put a full stop to the day. This can have a calming effect on the nervous system, explains Francesca.
“Steady, rhythmic swimming encourages controlled breathing patterns and can help shift the body toward a more parasympathetic, ‘rest and digest’, state. This reduces physiological arousal and can lower stress levels after a busy day,” she says.
“Warm or temperate water can reduce muscle tension and promote peripheral vasodilation [widening of the blood vessels], helping the body feel physically calmer. The repetitive nature of swimming has a meditative effect for many people, supporting mental decompression and reduced cognitive stress.”
Samantha adds that some may find evening swims contribute to a better night’s sleep: “Your core body temperature rises slightly in the water, then drops as you shower and dry off, and that drop is a natural signal to your brain that it’s time for bed.”
5. Burns calories
The number of calories you burn during a swim will depend on various factors, including the duration, distance, intensity and your bodyweight. For example, according to Harvard Medical School data, someone who weighs 155lb could expect to burn approximately 200 calories over a 30-minute low-intensity swim, rising to 360 calories for a high-intensity 30-minute swim.
Just 10 minutes of swimming will amount to a third of that calorie burn, but the ‘afterburn’ – or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) – may help burn a few more. The ‘afterburn’ concept suggests that we consume more oxygen to help our bodies restore and repair following intense exercise, essentially burning calories at a greater rate. However, research suggests this amounts to just a handful of extra calories burnt.
However, I can be confident that spending an extra 10 minutes swimming in the evening burns more calories than my alternative (usually sitting on the sofa watching TV). It’s the same for a 10-minute walking workout.
10-minute swimming workouts to try
Multi-stroke sprint swimming workout
Nuala recommends this swim workout for beginner-intermediate level swimmers. “It improves cardiovascular fitness without the need for a long session, while using different muscle groups through the stroke changes. The easy swim at the end helps recovery and reduces stiffness,” she says.
How to do it:
- For the first five minutes, alternate between front crawl, breaststroke and backstroke for one length each.
- On every fourth length, sprint at your near maximum effort. Maintain controlled technique even when swimming faster.
- For the final five minutes, cool down with gentle continuous swimming with whichever stroke feels most relaxed. Focus on long strokes with steady breathing and low effort.
Maintaining form is crucial, says Nuala: “For front crawl, keep your head still and look slightly downward rather than forwards; in breaststroke, glide briefly after each kick rather than rushing the strokes; and for backstroke, keep your hips high and do small continuous kicks.”
Varied swimming workout
Cheryl Pottinger, swim teacher for Better, suggests this 10 minute routine which goes up and down the speed scale over 300m (in a standard 25m pool).
How to do it:
- Warm up with one length of front crawl, followed by one length of breaststroke at normal pace.
- For your main set, swim front crawl with a 10 second rest after each practice, starting with one length at your maximum speed.
- Follow it with two lengths at 80% of your maximum speed.
- Shift down a gear for the next three lengths at normal pace.
- Swim the next two lengths at 80% of your maximum speed.
- Finish this section with one length at maximum speed.
- Cool down with one length in a stroke of your choice at normal pace.
Recovery swim
As a gentle short swim to aid relaxation after a gym session, Cheryl recommends this sequence. It incorporates the lesser known side stroke, which is relaxed, energy efficient and builds core stability as it forces your midsection to engage as you balance on one side.
How to do it:
- Warm up with one length of front crawl and one length of breaststroke at a relaxed pace.
- Swim the next two lengths in side stroke, one length on the right side and one on the left. This stroke requires balancing on one side of the body, reaching forward with one arm while the other pulls back, and scissor kicking the legs. “Focus on the power in the muscles during the pull and kick, and the stretching of the muscles during the glide,” says Cheryl. Watch a demo here.
- Finish with one length of steady-paced breaststroke, and a final length of head-first sculling (lie on your back using your arms to propel you backwards).
Tips for making the most of a 10-minute swimming workout
- Make it your post-gym habit: All the effort involved in travelling to and from the pool, let alone changing in and out of clothes, may not feel worth it for just 10 minutes in the pool. So, I often tacked it onto the end of my regular gym session. If your gym has a pool, make the most of it and view it as part of your workout ‘cool down’ and recovery before showering and heading home.
- Tailor your swim to the time of day: There are still benefits to be had if you take a relaxing swim in the morning, or a higher intensity swim in the evening, but you might be working against your energy levels. As Francesca recommends, a pacier swim early in the day can boost alertness, while a lighter intensity swim in the evening can aid post-workout recovery and sleep.
- Choose quieter pool times: This goes for however long you wish to spend swimming, but having a lane all to yourself allows you to follow a plan without compromise. I find evenings are best for me but check your local pool timetable to avoid sharing space with unexpected aqua aerobic classes or school swimming lessons.
- Bring a poolside kit bag: With just 10 minutes in the pool, you don’t have time to keep nipping back to your locker to fetch forgotten kit. Have a small kit bag pre-packed with anything you might need (think spare hairclips and hairbands, anti-fog goggle spray, kickboard and pull buoy if you’re using them), and keep it at the end of your lane (make sure it isn’t a trip hazard).
