Master swimming techniques while getting a full-body workout with this one-of-a-kind class.
As a Club member, you have access to something many others only get to experience on vacation: a pool. Swimming is one of the best workouts that exists because it works the entire body without putting pressure on joints. But if your only pool activity in recent years has been sipping mai tais in the shallow end, you might be intimidated to jump into a class.
With Equinox’s new Swim Basics class, there’s no need for any athletic anxiety. Both brand new and experienced swimmers can benefit from Swim Basics, which is centered around mastering the most popular swim strokes while simultaneously getting a full-body workout. The class is also beneficial for anyone rehabbing for an injury who is looking for a low-impact way to work out. (Just get the all-clear from your doctor first.) It’s Equinox's latest one-of-a-kind class that you won’t find anywhere else.
What Is Swim Basics?
Alex Temple Ward, a master swim instructor at Equinox and who teaches the class, explains that Swim Basics is both an intense workout and a way to learn basic swim skills. “Members can expect to learn skills that will help them accomplish a freestyle or front crawl stroke and an elementary backstroke. The goal is to get swimmers from one end of the pool to the other without stopping,” he says.
Just like with other fitness classes, Ward says that Swim Basics starts with a warmup, which is done out of the water. Then, it’s into the pool and time for drills, which Ward says are all centered around important swim skills, such as kicking or pulling (propelling the body by moving the arm and hand through the water from the front of the body toward the hips).
Ward says that core strength and stability, arm positioning and pulling technique, breathwork, and conditioning are all integral to the drills. Each drill can also be modified to be easier or harder, depending on one’s skill level. “There will always be options for those who feel they are excelling and can move on, as well as folks who feel they are not quite comfortable adding another layer of technique to their stroke at any given time,” he says.
While swimmers of every skill level can benefit from the class, if you are an experienced swimmer, it’s important to keep in mind that the class is open to beginner swimmers as well, so don’t expect a pro-level pace.
How Your Body Will Benefit
Just like with other classes at the Club, you can expect a one-of-a-kind workout that will benefit the body in several major ways. “Swimming, and learning how to swim, is a full body workout,” Ward says. “This class heightens bodily awareness in the water, and members can expect their strength to increase due to the resistance water creates.” Since water is denser than air, muscles have to work harder than they would on land, which is why swimming is such a great strength-building exercise.
Ward says that class-goers can expect to increase endurance and VO2 max capacity (the amount of oxygen the body can hold) with certain breathing drills too. If you attend Swim Basics regularly, you’ll notice that you have more endurance to push harder during your other workouts. “Repetition is key in this class, so one's endurance will be tested and coaches will offer personalized notes on technique throughout class to make sure energy efficiency is maximized,” Ward says.
What To Expect Before You Go
Excited to give it a try? If you’re a male-indentifying member, Ward recommends wearing briefs or jammers, but says trunks are okay too. If you identify as female, he says to leave the bikinis and loungewear swimming pieces at home and to wear an athletic one-piece or two-piece suit instead. Swim caps are required for class and Ward recommends bringing goggles too. They aren’t required, but he says that wearing them will make the class more enjoyable.
If you are an injured athlete or are rehabbing an injury, be sure to get the greenlight from your doctor and coach before coming to class. As long as you get the go-ahead, Ward says that Swim Basics is a great class for injured athletes because the workout is low-impact and allows class-goers to move at their own pace and work past their ailment without full effects of gravity.
It’s also important to know that the class sizes are small, ranging from 12 to 16 people max, depending on the Club. That means it’s extra important to add the class to your calendar and book early—it fills up!
While you can expect a heart-pumping workout every time, Ward says that new and different drills are taught each week, making each class a completely new experience.