100s are a great distance to improve your speed and if you repeat them enough you will also enhance your endurance and stamina. This workout is perfect for Ironman and Olympic distance triathletes or people doing longer ocean swims.
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 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 8x 100m Build 1-4, 20sec RI;
- 4x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 200m CD (1,800m)
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 12x 100m Build 1-4, 20sec RI;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 200m CD (2,600m)
Option C
- 600m WU;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 20x 100m Build 1-4, 20sec RI;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 200m CD; (4,000m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (Option B), or 600m (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 is a set of eight (Options A & B) or twelve (Option 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 twice through for Options A & B and three times through for Option C:
I wrote an article about Swimming Drills previously. Click here to read it and watch the videos of how to do the respective drills.
Take your fins off for the next set.
The main set is made up of eight (Option A), twelve (Option B), or twenty (Option C) repetitions of 100m. Break these into sub-sets of four reps and in this sub-set build the pace across the four reps. Do the first one at a moderate pace, the next at a fast pace, the third at a faster pace, and then the fourth at your fastest pace. Repeat the process until you’ve completed your eight, twelve, or twenty reps.
Next up put your fins back on for another drill/swim set. Use the same drills as previously and for Option A do once through for a total of four reps, for both Options B and C complete all eight reps again completing two reps of each drill.
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.
Saturday Swim Session: Broken 400s
Coach Ray is the author of the successful 12 Weeks to an Ironman Swim PB – Swim Faster with Smart Training eBook.