Utilising Time Trials is great for assessing your current level of performance, but the most important aspect of a session involving a Time Trial is the training stimulus that you give yourself. It is great for developing your sustained speed.
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;
- 4x 50m Drill/Swim;
- 4x 25m Pick Ups, 10sec RI;
- 1,000m Time Trial;
- 200m CD (1,700m)
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 8x 50m Drill/Swim;
- 8x 25m Pick Ups, 10sec RI;
- 1,500m Time Trial;
- 200m CD (2,700m)
Option C
- 800m WU;
- 8x 50m Drill/Swim;
- 8x 25m Pick Ups, 10sec RI;
- 1,500m Time Trial;
- 200m CD (3,100m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (Option B), or 800m (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 four (Option A) or eight (Options B and C) repetitions of 50m Drill/Swim, where you do a drill for the first 25m of the repetition and then normal swimming for the next 25m swimming. Feel free to use fins whilst doing the drill/swim set. Do the drills below, once through for Option A and twice through for Options B and C:
I wrote an article about Swimming Drills a few weeks ago. Click here to read and watch it.
Take your fins off for the next sets.
Next up is a set of four (Option A) or eight (Options B and C) 25m Pick Ups with a ten-second Rest Interval (RI) between each rep. These are done by picking up the pace within each repetition. Start off with a few easy strokes before picking up the pace to a moderate pace for a few strokes, then pick up the pace again to a fast pace for a few strokes, then pick up the pace again to a faster pace for a few strokes, then pick up your pace again for a few strokes to your fastest pace through to the end of the rep. The purpose of these Pick Ups is to increase the heart rate to a level that is close to that which it will be operating during the Time Trial.
After the set of Pick Ups take a wee break of about a minute before commencing the Time Trial of 1,000m (Option A) or 1,500m (Options B or C). Swim it as fast and as consistently as possible.
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 11
Coach Ray is the author of the successful 12 Weeks to an Ironman Swim PB – Swim Faster with Smart Training eBook.