Regular sprint sessions can help build and develop your speed and the ability to sustain that speed. This session 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.
I’ve written these sessions for a 33⅓ metre pool, but a lot of the older style pools are 33⅓ yards long (100 feet), so simply interchange the metres for yards and do the session.
Option A
- 200m WU;
- 6x 67m (33m Drill/33m Swim);
- 8x 67m Build 1-4 on ½ T Time + 10sec;
- 8x 67m (alt even reps Fast, off reps steady) 10sec RI
- 133m CD; (1,800m)
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 6x 67m (33m Drill/33m Swim);
- 10x 67m Build 1-5 on ½ T Time + 10sec;
- 10x 67m (alt even reps Fast, off reps steady) 10sec RI
- 133m CD; (2,267m)
Option C
- 1,000m WU;
- 6x 67m (33m Drill/33m Swim);
- 12x 67m Build 1-4 on ½ T Time + 10sec;
- 12x 67m (alt even reps Fast, off reps steady) 10sec RI
- 133m CD; (3,133m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (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 is a drill set. There are six repetitions of 67m Drill/Swim, where you do a drill for the first 33m of the repetition and then normal swimming for the next 33m swimming. Feel free to use fins whilst doing the drill/swim set. Do the drills below twice through:
I wrote an article about swimming drills previously. Click here to read and watch it.
There are two main sets. The first set is made up of eight (Option A), ten (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 67m sprint. These are done on half your T-Time plus ten seconds. More details about T-Times can be found below. The faster you swim each rep the more rest you get between you get.
This is a Build set, for Options A & C they are built 1-4 and for Option B it is Built 1-5. Starting with the first rep swim this at a moderate pace, the second rep at a fast pace, and keep getting qwikker until the fifth (Option B) or fourth rep (Option A & C) respectively. Start the build process again on the sixth (Option B) and fifth (Options A & C) rep respectively. And Option C commences again from the ninth rep. Some coaches and swimmers refer to this process of Building pace across reps like this as a Descending set because your time descends as you get faster.
The next set is made up of eight (Option A), ten (Option B) or twelve (Option C) reps of 67m swims. Alternate between a Fast Sprint on the even-numbered reps and a steady swim on the odd number reps. Take a ten-second Rest Interval (RI) between reps.
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.
Join over 2,800 people who have already signed up to be kept up to date with great workouts and training information in my informative newsletter.
Share this post so your friends can benefit as well.
If you enjoyed this workout, I published a similar session 12 months ago.
I am launching a new coaching service in the coming weeks and am now offering Foundation Memberships at the lowest price that they will ever be offered. You will gain access to ALL my training plans. The Foundation Membership is only offered whilst I build the site out and get my training plans built into the site. Join now for only $47 and gain access to Training Plans for beginner and recreational athletes:
- All distances of Triathlon (including both Ironman and Ironman 70.3);
- Swim training plans;
- Full and Half Marathon, 5km & 10km running events;
- Century and 40km TT cycle events;
- Mountain Biking events and tours;
- Strength training; and
- Getting started with both swimming and running.
If the programme you are after isn’t yet built into the site, let me know which one you are after and I will ensure that is the next plan built into the site for you.
Normally I charge US$350 for my coaching but you’ll get the advantage of
- A dedicated training plan on Training Tilt (value US$350)
- Access to a fortnightly group coaching call (value US$20 per call x2 = $40)
- The event Training Bible (value $27 for each event plan)
- Access to my popular Top 10 Healthy Recipes ebook (US$17)
- Access to my popular 7 Secrets of Endurance Training Success eBook (US$11)
- The dedicated Coach Ray / Qwik Kiwi Coaching support group (priceless)
That’s a total value of over US$445, and you will only pay US$47 per month. All at no risk, if you don’t get faster in the first 30 days you get a full 100% money back guarantee.
This price will be grandfathered for you at a low price for as long as you remain a member.
