Warmup
● Duration: 10-15 minutes
● Components:
1. Gentle Swimming to Warm Up the Body
2. Mobility Drills for Flexibility
3. Muscle Activation to Prime Key Muscle Groups
4. Controlled Breathing Exercises
Warmup Breakdown (10-15 minutes)
1. Gentle Swimming (4-5 minutes)
Purpose: This will gradually raise your body temperature and get your blood flowing to
key muscle groups, preparing them for the main floating, gliding, or diving exercises.
● Freestyle:
○ 2 x 25m freestyle (slow and controlled pace). Focus on long, relaxed
strokes and smooth breathing. Keep your core engaged and ensure proper
alignment in the water. This helps reinforce the streamlined body
position that you will need during gliding drills.
○ Rest for 15 seconds between each 25m.
● Backstroke:
○ 2 x 25m backstroke (slow and steady pace). Focus on maintaining a
horizontal body position while keeping your head neutral and your hips
high. This helps with buoyancy and floating control.
○ Rest for 15 seconds between each 25m.
2. Mobility Drills (2-3 minutes)
Purpose: These drills will increase your range of motion and improve flexibility in the
key areas needed for effective floating and gliding.
● Shoulder Rotations:
○ Stand in the shallow end and perform 10 forward and 10 backward
shoulder rotations with your arms straight. This will improve shoulder
mobility for streamlined positions and diving entry.
● Arm Circles (Torso Twists):
○ Extend your arms out to the sides while standing in waist-deep water and
perform 10 large arm circles in both directions, twisting your torso as you
rotate. This warms up your shoulders and core, which are crucial for
floating and gliding control.
● Ankle Rotations:
○ Perform 10 ankle rotations in each direction while standing on one leg
(switch legs). Flexible ankles improve your kicking efficiency and
streamline position while gliding.
3. Muscle Activation Drills (2-3 minutes)
Purpose: These exercises will activate the key muscle groups (core, legs, and shoulders)
used during floating, gliding, and diving.
● Leg Kicks (with Kickboard or Wall):
○ Hold onto the pool wall or a kickboard and perform 2 x 25m light flutter
kicks. Focus on small, fast movements that come from the hips while
keeping your legs straight. This prepares your legs for kicking during
gliding and maintaining buoyancy during floating.
● Core Engagement (Water Plank):
○ In shallow water, hold a horizontal plank position with your face in the
water (if comfortable) for 20 seconds. Engage your core to keep your
body aligned and stable. This will help strengthen your core muscles for
floating and gliding.
○ Perform 2 sets of 20 seconds, resting 10 seconds between sets.
● Streamline Practice:
○ Push off the wall gently and practice gliding in a streamline position (arms
extended overhead, body straight). Glide for 5-10 meters focusing on
body alignment.
○ Perform 3 x 5-10m, resting 10 seconds between glides.
4. Controlled Breathing Exercises (2-3 minutes)
Purpose: This helps regulate your breathing, which is essential for relaxed floating,
efficient gliding, and smooth transitions during diving.
● Bubble Blowing (Front Float):
○ Stand in the shallow end and place your face in the water while floating
horizontally. Exhale through your nose and mouth, blowing bubbles for 10
seconds, then lift your head to inhale. This helps you practice exhaling
underwater during floating and diving.
○ Perform 3 sets of 10-second exhales with 10 seconds rest in between.
● Back Float Breathing:
○ Float on your back and practice slow, deep breathing. Inhale through your
nose for 4 seconds, then exhale for 6 seconds while focusing on
relaxation.
○ Perform 3 sets of deep breathing for 30 seconds.
Additional Tips for Warmup:
● Maintain Relaxation: As you go through the warmup, focus on keeping your body
relaxed, especially during the gentle swimming and breathing drills. This will help
prepare you for the floating and gliding exercises.
● Controlled Movements: Avoid rushing through the warmup. Controlled movements
during the freestyle and backstroke will prime your muscles for the more
focused exercises that follow.
● Flexibility Awareness: Pay attention to how your shoulders, hips, and ankles feel
during the mobility drills. Improved flexibility will help with achieving better
floating positions and more efficient gliding.
Why This Warmup Program Works for Floating Mastery:
● Gentle Swimming: Prepares the body by loosening up muscles, improving blood
circulation, and promoting full-body awareness in the water.
● Mobility: Ensures that the shoulders, core, and legs have the flexibility needed
for efficient movement in the water.
● Muscle Activation: Engages the primary muscles used during floating, gliding, and
diving, helping improve control and endurance during the session.
● Breathing Control: Teaches you to maintain calm, regulated breathing, which is
essential for maintaining buoyancy and minimizing drag during floating and
gliding.
By following this Swimming Warmup Program before each practice session, you'll be
better prepared to engage in the focused floating, gliding, and diving exercises outlined
in your 21-day program. This routine ensures that your body is ready for optimal
performance, while also helping to prevent injury and improve technique.
21-Day Floating Mastery Program Overview
Weekly Structure:
● Duration: 1.5 hours/day, 6 days a week
● Focus Areas:
○ Floating Mastery (Week 1)
○ Gliding like a Fish (Week 2)
○ Diving like a Pro (Week 3)
Week 1: Floating Mastery
Objective: Improve buoyancy and learn to relax and float effortlessly in the water like
a piece of wood.
Days 1-6
1. Warm-up (10 mins):
○ 4 x 25m easy freestyle with relaxed breathing. Focus on long, slow
strokes to warm up the body.
2. Floating Drills (40 mins):
○ Starfish Float (10 mins): Float on your back with arms and legs spread
wide. Relax your body completely and focus on slow, deep breaths. Try to
feel how your body naturally floats and adjust as needed.
○ Front Dead Man's Float (10 mins): Lie face-down in the water with
arms and legs loose. Focus on exhaling fully while keeping your body
relaxed, and come up for air slowly. Practice transitioning from floating
face-down to back float smoothly.
○ Vertical Floating (10 mins): Practice treading water with minimal
movements, focusing on staying vertical and relaxed. Reduce your arm
movements and use your legs to maintain buoyancy.
○ Back Float with Minimal Movement (10 mins): Stay on your back,
floating effortlessly with as little movement as possible. Adjust your
head and hips to maintain a horizontal position.
3. Body Positioning Drills (20 mins):
○ Body Line Floats (10 mins): Push off the wall gently and float on your
back in a straight line. Engage your core and adjust your hips to keep your
body aligned. Repeat this 10 times, focusing on body balance.
○ Float Transitions (10 mins): Practice switching between back float and
front float smoothly without losing control of your buoyancy.
4. Cooldown (10 mins):
○ 50m easy backstroke, focusing on relaxed floating and smooth strokes.
Week 2: Gliding Like a Fish
Objective: Develop a streamlined body position and practice gliding effortlessly
through the water to reduce drag and improve efficiency.
Days 1-6
1. Warm-up (10 mins):
○ 4 x 25m freestyle with a focus on slow, controlled strokes. Ensure you’re
feeling relaxed and ready for gliding drills.
2. Streamlining Drills (45 mins):
○ Push-off Glides (15 mins): Start by pushing off the wall in a streamlined
position (arms extended overhead, legs together). Hold your breath and
glide as far as possible, focusing on maintaining a straight body line.
Repeat 8-10 times.
○ Underwater Glides with Dolphin Kicks (10 mins): Push off the wall and
perform 2-3 dolphin kicks underwater to help you glide further. Focus on
maintaining a tight, streamlined body.
○ Glide with Controlled Strokes (10 mins): Push off the wall, glide for 5
seconds, then take 3-4 slow freestyle strokes while maintaining a
streamlined position. Focus on smooth transitions between gliding and
stroking.
○ Streamlining After Breathing (10 mins): Practice streamlining after
taking a breath in freestyle. Focus on recovering quickly into a
streamlined position after each breath.
3. Core Control in Water (15 mins):
○ Water Plank (5 mins): In the shallow end, hold a horizontal plank position
(face-down) in the water, engaging your core to maintain balance. This will
improve your core strength for better gliding.
○ Leg Raises (10 mins): While holding the side of the pool, raise your legs
to the water surface, engaging your core. This strengthens the muscles
needed to maintain a streamlined position while gliding.
4. Cooldown (10 mins):
○ 50m easy freestyle with slow, long strokes to relax the body.
Week 3: Diving Like a Pro
Objective: Focus on clean and efficient diving technique with smooth water entry,
streamlined body position, and quick transitions into swimming.
Days 1-6
1. Warm-up (10 mins):
○ 4 x 25m easy freestyle with focus on breathing and long strokes.
2. Diving Drills (50 mins):
○ Shallow Poolside Dives (15 mins): Stand at the edge of the pool, dive
forward into the water, and focus on keeping your body tight and
streamlined. Perform 8-10 dives, refining your entry and body positioning
with each attempt.
○ Crouch Dive with Glide (10 mins): Start from a crouching position, dive
into the water, and glide as far as possible before starting your stroke.
Focus on reducing resistance and improving your glide after the dive.
○ Dive with Dolphin Kicks (15 mins): Practice diving followed by 3-4
dolphin kicks underwater before transitioning into your freestyle stroke.
The goal is to maintain your speed and streamline from the dive into
swimming.
○ Standing Dives with Explosive Push-off (10 mins): Practice diving with
a strong push-off from the poolside to increase speed and distance on
entry.
3. Glide After Diving (15 mins):
○ 4 x 25m dives followed by a glide. Focus on holding the streamlined
position as long as possible after the dive before beginning your strokes.
4. Cooldown (10 mins):
○ 50m backstroke, focusing on relaxation and smooth breathing.
Additional Tips:
● Body Awareness: Pay attention to how your body moves in the water, especially
during floating exercises. Proper alignment will make it easier to float and glide.
● Relaxation: Relaxing your muscles while floating is crucial to maintaining
buoyancy. Deep, steady breathing helps with this.
● Controlled Breathing: In all your exercises, practice slow and steady breathing.
It’s especially important when floating and diving, as it helps you stay calm and
reduces drag.
● Leg Positioning: Keep your legs close together and toes pointed when gliding and
diving for optimal streamlining.
This 21-day program will progressively improve your floating ability, streamline your
glide, and help you dive with better technique, all within your practice time of 1.5 hours
a day, 6 days a week. Keep track of your progress, and feel free to adjust the intensity
as needed based on how comfortable you feel.
Cooldown Stretching
● Duration: 10-15 minutes
● Components:
1. Gentle Swimming to Relax Muscles
2. Full-Body Static Stretches
3. Deep Breathing for Relaxation
Cooldown Breakdown (10-15 minutes)
1. Gentle Swimming (2-3 minutes)
Purpose: Relax your muscles after the main workout and cool down your body gradually.
● Easy Freestyle (2 x 25m)
Swim slowly using long, relaxed strokes. Focus on smooth breathing and fluid
movements.
● Easy Backstroke (1 x 25m)
Use gentle, flowing backstroke to relax your shoulders and stretch out your
back.
2. Full-Body Static Stretching (8-10 minutes)
Purpose: Lengthen muscles used during swimming, focusing on the shoulders, back, core,
and legs to promote flexibility and reduce muscle tension.
Upper Body Stretches
● Shoulder Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each arm)
Extend your right arm across your body and use your left arm to gently press it
towards your chest. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Focus: Shoulders, especially useful after gliding and streamlining drills.
● Triceps Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each arm)
Raise one arm overhead and bend the elbow so your hand reaches down your
spine. Use the opposite hand to gently press the elbow down. Hold for 30
seconds and repeat on the other side.
Focus: Stretches the triceps and shoulders, which are activated during floating
and streamlined positioning.
● Chest Opener (1 min)
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Interlace your fingers behind your back and
straighten your arms, lifting your chest and looking slightly upward. Hold the
stretch for 1 minute.
Focus: Stretches the chest and shoulders, areas worked during freestyle
strokes and floating positions.
Core and Back Stretches
● Cat-Cow Stretch (1-2 minutes)
In waist-deep water or on the pool deck, get into a tabletop position (on all
fours). Arch your back towards the ceiling (cat pose), then drop your belly down
and lift your chest and tailbone (cow pose). Repeat slowly for 1-2 minutes.
Focus: Stretches the spine and engages the core, helping with back and core
tension after floating and gliding drills.
● Standing Side Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each side)
Stand in shallow water or on the pool deck. Reach one arm overhead and gently
lean to the opposite side. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, feeling the stretch
along your side and obliques. Repeat on the other side.
Focus: Stretches the core and sides, improving flexibility for floating and
streamlining.
● Seated Forward Fold (1 min)
Sit on the pool deck with your legs extended straight in front of you. Reach
forward towards your toes, keeping your back flat, and hold for 1 minute.
Focus: Stretches the hamstrings and lower back, which are used during
streamlined gliding and kicking.
Lower Body Stretches
● Hip Flexor Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each leg)
In shallow water or on the deck, get into a lunge position with one foot forward
and the other knee on the ground. Push your hips forward gently to stretch the
hip flexor of the back leg. Hold for 30 seconds on each side.
Focus: Stretches the hip flexors, which are used during kicking and streamline
positions.
● Quadriceps Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each leg)
Stand in the shallow end or on the deck. Grab your right ankle and pull it
towards your glutes, keeping your knees together. Hold for 30 seconds, then
switch legs.
Focus: Stretches the front of your thighs, which are heavily engaged during
kicking.
● Calf Stretch (1 min total, 30 seconds each leg)
Place your hands on the pool wall or deck, extend one leg back, and press your
heel into the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.
Focus: Stretches the calves, which are used during kicking and treading water.
3. Deep Breathing (2 minutes)
Purpose: Relax your body and mind after the session, improve lung capacity, and help
you recover mentally.
● Deep Breathing in Back Float (1 min):
Lie on your back in the water, floating gently. Focus on slow, deep breaths.
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and exhale through
your mouth for 6 seconds.
Goal: Practice relaxation and breath control to enhance your floating ability.
● Standing Deep Breathing (1 min):
Stand in the shallow end with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale deeply through
your nose, raise your arms overhead, and exhale through your mouth while slowly
lowering your arms.
Goal: Focus on calming your mind and body.
Why This Cooldown Stretching Program Works for Floating Mastery:
● Upper Body Stretching: Focuses on the shoulders and chest, which are used
extensively in maintaining streamlined positions and controlling buoyancy during
floating.
● Core and Back Stretching: Targets the core muscles and spine, helping you
maintain better body alignment for gliding and floating exercises.
● Lower Body Stretching: Addresses the hips, thighs, and calves, which are key
muscle groups used in kicking during gliding and treading water.
● Deep Breathing: Reinforces the relaxed breathing you need during floating,
while also improving lung capacity and promoting relaxation after the workout.
By following this Cooldown Stretching Program after each session, you'll reduce muscle
stiffness, improve your flexibility, and help your body recover faster. It will also
reinforce the key muscle groups and movement patterns you're developing during your
21-day Floating Mastery Program.
