Building your ability to sustain your threshold pace in a swim is an important capability for triathletes and open-water swimmers. These sessions further develop that ability by progressing your fitness by completing reps of different distances at different intensities. The session gets tougher, as you work through it. This session will benefit triathletes of all distances, as well as other open-water swimmers.
Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, and 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.
Read this article here for an explanation of Swim Intensity.
The inspiration for these workouts comes from an article by Steve Tarpinian in an old issue of Triathlete.
Option A
- 300 WU;
- 8x 25 Drill;
- 8x 50 FAST 30RI;
- 8x 100 Easy 20RI;
- 300 CD (2,000)
Option B
- 500 WU;
- 12x 25 Drill;
- 12x 50 FAST 30RI;
- 10x 100 Easy 20RI;
- 300 CD (2,900)
Option C
- 800 WU;
- 16x 25 Drill;
- 16x 50 FAST 30RI;
- 12x 100 Easy 20RI;
- 300 CD (3,900)
For the Warm Up (WU) start with a 300m swim (Option A), 500m (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.
Follow this with a set of drills. Option A completes eight, 25m reps of drills (twice times through the four drills below). Option B completes twelve, 25m reps of drills (three times through the four drills below). Option C completes sixteen, 25m reps of drills (four times through the four drills below). Take a pause of about ten seconds after each drill. It’s a chance to grab a drink, review the programme, and think about the next drill you will do. If you need 15-20 seconds or longer you are welcome to take it because the rest duration isn’t physiologically critical to the aim of this set. Having a quick break is neurologically critical though, so make sure you don’t just roll straight from one rep to the next.
- Kick On Side (KOS) – left-hand side
- Kick On Side (KOS) – right-hand side
- 6/1/6
- 6/3/6
There are two main sets.
The first set is made up of eight (Option A), twelve (Option B), or sixteen (Option C) reps of 50m, swum as fast as you can sustain. Take a 30 second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.
The second set is made up of eight (Option A), ten (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 100m swum at a low intensity. Take a twenty second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.
For the Cool Down (CD) swim 300m. Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the Cool Down (CD) (like the Warm Up (WU)) 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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Get my 12 week Intermediate Ironman 70.3 & Olympic Triathlon Swim Training Plan with 25% off
When you cross the finish line of your triathlon Swim, you will have swum faster than you have in previous events.
Designed for busy triathletes targeting an Olympic distance or ½ IM event who are looking to compete in an IM event, the primary goal of this training plan is to prepare you to Swim faster during YOUR event.
Starting 12 weeks before the YOUR event, this plan progresses through phases to build you to your peak performance. Each week contains three swims. You will build up to 2,700 metres swimming in a single session so you can get the sessions done quickly. Although not necessary, I recommend using a multisport watch to track your sessions in the pool.
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Prior to using this plan, you should be able to complete a swim of 800 meters or yards continuously, and 2,000 metres or yards total within a workout.
When purchasing, use the discount code “web25” to claim your 25% discount.