Dive Into Your Best Body Ever

Slip into your swimsuit and treat your body to one of the best all-over toners. Not only will swimming keep you cool during those dog days, but it also torches major calories (more than 600 an hour).

Want to get serious about your strokes? Follow these pointers from Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard—and get more benefit out of your pool time.

Breathing

It’s all about timing—breathing too often can slow your stroke. The ideal: Inhale on every third stroke, then exhale while underwater. There isn’t enough time to breathe in and out when your mouth breaks the surface; if you try, you’ll gulp water instead of air.

Your stroke

Every swimmer has her go-to style. But to build power you need to mix things up. Freestyle is great for total-body toning. Breaststroke will give you leaner legs and a shapely butt. Butterfly improves upper-body strength. And backstroke results in a trim, powerful core. Swim at least one lap of each stroke during your workout.

Teamwork

Swim team isn’t just for kids! Join a Master’s team (find one at

usms.org/placswim)—you’ll get coaching and organized workouts, plus the chance to participate in clinics and competitions.

What’s more, getting your group on makes you more likely to stick with the workout schedule, since people are counting on you to not bail on the team.

Bonus: Training with more-advanced swimmers can spur you on, making you work even harder in the pool.