Using a unique swimming distance like 300m is a great way to develop endurance but also combine aspects of speed that aren’t usually trained when doing longer sets of 400m and further.
Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, most weeks I will load three options up for you to do. Option A is for swimmers who are after a workout between 1,000 & 2,000 metres. Option B is for swimmers who are after a workout between 2,000 & 3,000m and Option C will be greater than 3,000m.
Option A
- 200m WU
- 8x 25m Drill;
- 4x 300m Build 1-4, 30sec RI;
- 200m CD (1,800m)
Option B
- 600m WU;
- 8x 25m Drill;
- 6x 300m Build 1-3, 30sec RI;
- 200m CD (2,800m)
Option C
- 1,000m WU
- 12x 25m Drill;
- 6x 300m Build 1-3, 30sec RI;
- 200m CD (3,300m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up covering of 200m (Option A), 600m (Option B), or 1,000m (Option C). During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed. It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.
Next up are eight (Options A and B) or twelve (Option C) repetitions of 25m Drill. Feel free to use fins whilst doing the drill/swim set. Do the drills below twice (Options A and B) or three times (Option C) through:
I wrote an article about Swimming Drills a few weeks ago. Click here to read and watch it.
The next set involves four (Option A) or six (Options B and C) reps of 300m swum either as Build 1-4 (Option A) or Build 1-3 (Options B and C). What a building set means is that you build your pace from one rep to the next getting quicker with each repetition up until you have done either the four reps (Option A) or the three reps (Options B and C). If you have more reps to do like in Options B and C then you build your pace across the next three reps (fourth through to sixth). In Option A: build from a steady pace for the first rep, a fast pace for the second rep, a faster pace for the third rep, and then the fastest pace for the fourth rep. In Option B and C: Build from a fast pace for the first rep, faster pace for the second rep, fastest pace for the third rep, and then start again with the fourth rep. See the example below. After each 300m rep, you get a 30-second Rest Interval (RI).
| Rep | Time | Build 1-3 |
| 1st | 6:02 | Fast |
| 2nd | 5:56 | Faster |
| 3rd | 5:47 | Fastest |
| 4th | 6:04 | Fast |
| 5th | 5:59 | Faster |
| 6th | 5:45 | Fastest |
Then it is time for a 200m Cool Down (CD). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the cooldown (like the warm-up) can be any stroke you wish to swim. You can also stop and rest after any length. I encourage you to stop and stretch during the cool-down.
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi Coaching.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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If you enjoyed this workout, I published a similar session 12 months ago.
12 Weeks to an Iron-Distance Swim PB: Week 7
Coach Ray is the author of the successful 12 Weeks to an Ironman Swim PB – Swim Faster with Smart Training eBook.