Introduction High-intensity swimming requires athletes to have explosive power, endurance, lactic acid resistance, aerobic metabolism, and other qualities. Pre-competition physical training is mainly based on high interval training, promoting ATP-CP synthesis in the body. It can enhance the resistance to lactic acid and promote lactic acid clearance. Objective This article explores the effect of high-intensity pre-competition training on the physical fitness of swimmers. The results can be used as a reference for swimmers to perform high-intensity training before the competition. Methods Eight swimmers were selected by random sampling. The study subjects received eight weeks of high-intensity training before the competition. The athletes’ gas metabolism and anaerobic thresholds were detected before and after training. At the same time, the physiological and chemical indicators of the experimental subjects were detected in this paper. Finally, this paper analyzes the experimental results by employing mathematical statistics. Results The metabolism function of the athletes changed significantly in the later period of pre-competition training (P<0.05). Serum lactate concentration had no significant effect on the anaerobic threshold (P>0.05). Conclusion High-intensity exercise has a particular promotion effect on improving the physical quality of swimmers. This exercise can lay a solid foundation for the swimmer’s physical fitness. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies – investigation of treatment results.