If you can improve your efficiency you will swim faster and longer more easily. This session utilises Swim Golf to improve your efficiency and 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 25m Drill;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 8x 50m Swim Golf 10sec RI;
- 8x 25m Drill;
- 200m CD (1,600m)
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 12x 25m Drill;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 8x 50m Swim Golf 10sec RI;
- 12x 25m Drill;
- 200m CD (2,200m)
Option C
- 800m WU;
- 12x 25m Drill;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 8x 50m Swim Golf 10sec RI;
- 12x 25m Drill;
- 8x 50m Swim Golf 10sec RI;
- 200m CD (3,000m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (Options 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 is a drill set of eight (Option A) or twelve repetitions (Options B and C) of a 25m Drill. Feel free to use fins whilst doing the drill set. Do the drills below twice through (Option A) or three times through to make twelve reps (Options B and C):
Following that is a drill set of eight (Option A) or twelve repetitions (Options B and C) 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 (Option A) or twice through to make twelve reps (Options B and C):
I wrote an article about swimming drills previously. Click here to read and watch it.
The main set involves eight reps of 50m Swim Golf. During this set, you will need to count your strokes for each 50m rep (of which there will be eight reps). Time each length and add the time (in seconds) to the number of strokes taken to complete to get a Golf Score. i.e. if it takes you 50 seconds and you take 50 strokes your Golf Score will be 100 (50 + 50). With each rep try and get a better Golf Score than the previous rep by either swimming more efficiently (without a drop in speed) or by swimming faster (and maintaining your efficiency). After each rep take a ten-second Rest Interval (RI).
The next set involves repeating the first Drill set of either another eight (Option A) or twelve (Options B and C) reps.
Prior to the Cool Down (CD) Option C has another set of Swim Golf to complete.
For the Cool Down (CD) swim 200m. 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: 4x 100m
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