Slim down without breaking a sweat

Whether you're training for your first triathlon or burned out on cardio machines, swimming is an excellent head-to-toe workout (and it burns 700 calories an hour!). We asked Cami Stock, a masters swim coach at the Sports Center at Chelsea Piers in New York City, how to get started.

* Find a pool Try a community center, YMCA, health club, or even a local community college. Many offer weekly times when anyone can swim.

* Start small "Don't just jump in and try to swim for a half hour," Stock says. Do two full laps (back and forth equals one), pause to catch your breath, and repeat three times. Try to practice two or three times a week.

* Perfect your form "Swimming is all about technique," says Stock. Use every other lap to do a different drill: Hold a kickboard to concentrate on your kicking, or swim with a buoy between your legs to work on your stroke.

* Build it up When swimming 300 yards feels easy, increase your total distance by up to 10 percent per week. Join a masters team for built-in guidance and motivation (find one at usms.org).

online bonus!

Want to train like a triathlete? Sign up for a free triathlon-based training program at getanedge.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning