Endurance is a critical component of fitness for triathletes and long distance open water swimmers. The reps within this session build your pace to develop the skill and mindset to finish an open water swim or swim leg of a triathlon fast. This is a great session for triathletes and open water swimmers to do to build their 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.
The inspiration for today’s workout comes from Swim Workouts for Triathletes written by Gale Bernhardt and Nick Hansen.
Option A
- 2x 300m WU (100m Choice 30sec RI, 4x 50m Breath 3rd Stroke 20sec RI);
- 2x
- 200m Pull 20sec RI;
- 3x 50m Build 1-3 15sec RI;
- 400m alt 100m Easy, 100m Pick Up;
- 6x 50m CD F/S / Bk 20RI (2,000m)
Option B
- 3x 300m WU (100m Choice 30sec RI, 4x 50m Breath 3rd Stroke 20sec RI);
- 3x
- 200m Pull 20sec RI;
- 3x 50m Build 1-3 15sec RI;
- 600m alt 100m Easy, 100m Pick Up;
- 6x 50m CD F/S / Bk 20RI (2,850m)
Option C
- 3x 300m WU (100m Choice 30sec RI, 4x 50m Breath 3rd Stroke 20sec RI);
- 3x
- 200m Pull 20sec RI;
- 4x 50m Build 1-4 15sec RI;
- 800m alt 100m Easy, 100m Pick Up;
- 6x 50m CD F/S / Bk 20RI (3,200m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) swimming two (Option A) or three (Options B or C) reps of a combined distance of 300m. This 300m is further broken down in to 100m of any stroke of your choice (I’d recommend not using freestyle – especially if this session is done early in your build up), followed by a 30 second Rest Interval (RI). Next up to complete the 300m rep are four sub-reps of 50m breathing every three strokes. Take a 20 second Rest Interval (RI) after each sub-rep. Once you’ve done the fourth sub-rep (and 300m), you start the next rep with your 100m of your choice of stroke and continue until you’ve completed two (Option A) or three (Options B & C) reps.
Next up is a set made up of two (Option A) or three (Options B & C) reps. As with the Warm Up (WU) these are also made up of sub-reps. Start each rep by swimming 200m with a Pull Buoy, then take a 20 second Rest Interval (RI). Follow this with three (Options A & B) or four sub-reps of 50m. Each rep build your pace so that you are successively faster each sub-rep. Take a fifteen second Rest Interval (RI) after each sub-rep. Once you’ve completed your three (Options A & B) or four sub-reps, complete the cycle again until you’ve completed your total of two (Option A) or three (Options B & C) reps.
The final set is a total of 400m (Option A), 600m (Option B) or 800m (Option C) alternating each 100m from easy swimming to picking up your pace (starting at an easy pace and progressively picking up your pace through the 100m to finish the distance sprinting).
For the Cool Down (CD) swim four (Option A) or six (Options B & C) 50m reps at a nice gentle pace, take a 20 second Rest Interval (RI) between reps.
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 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.
Share this post so your friends can benefit as well.
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Being 8 weeks in duration, this plan progresses you from being comfortable completing sessions between 600 & 800m in distance through to 1,600m in distance over the 8 weeks. This programme has 3 swim sessions and a flexibility session each week.
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Prior to using these plans, you should be able to complete swim sessions of 600m in distance.
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The 20 Most Popular Swim Sessions from www.CoachRay.nz
With over 200 articles covering swim workouts published when this ebook came out, I condensed it down to the Top 20 most popular swim workouts. As viewed by people like you, the readers of my website.
It’s no secret: most triathletes are weak swimmers. Improving your swim will make you a faster, more confident triathlete, and you’ll enjoy your time in the water.
Swim Workouts for Triathletes, 2nd Ed. will help you develop real swimming speed. This waterproof book of 75 swim workouts provides the structure, variety, and drills triathletes need to become more efficient and faster swimmers. Each workout is designed around a specific goal–endurance, speed, form, muscular endurance, or anaerobic endurance–making it easy to prepare for events of different distances and improve all-around swimming skill.
Supplement your current training plan with these workouts or use one of the book’s four swim training plans to prepare for triathlon’s most popular swim distances. You’ll improve your efficiency and feel for the water with illustrated technique drills. New 30-minute workouts help slower swimmers or those with limited pool time get up to speed.
Swim Workouts for Triathletes means no more swimming in circles. Take this waterproof book to the pool with you, and you’ll be swimming real workouts that will make you a faster swimmer and a better triathlete.