Saturday Swim Session: Swim Speed Improver – Session 02

The ability to repeat high intensity efforts will develop your VO2 max. This workout is of benefit to all swimmers (including triathletes and open water swimmers – especially short course triathletes).

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. This weeks workout sees Options A & B, a little bit longer than they normally are.

Read this article here for an explanation of Swim Intensity.

This series of workouts were put together to help build the speed over shorter (50m & 100m) distances. Although the individual workout might not target pure speed over these distances they form part of an overall periodised plan to achieve that outcome.

Option A

  • 400 WU;
  • 12x 25 Drill;
  • 8x 50 20RI;
  • 200 Easy;
  • 8x 50 20RI;
  • 200 CD; (1,900)

Option B

  • 600 WU;
  • 12x 25 Drill;
  • 10x 50 20RI;
  • 200 Easy;
  • 10x 50 20RI;
  • 200 CD; (2,300)

Option C

  • 800 WU;
  • 16x 25 Drill;
  • 12x 50 20RI;
  • 400 Easy;
  • 12x 50 20RI;
  • 200 CD; (3,000)

For the Warm Up (WU) start with a 400m swim (Option A), 600m (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.

Next up is a drill set. There are twelve (Options A & B) or sixteen (Option C) 25m repetitions of Drill. Feel free to use fins whilst doing this set.  Do the drills below three times (Options A & B) or four (Option C) times through:

  1. Kick On Side (KOS) left side 
  2. Kick On Side (KOS) right side 
  3. 6/1/6 
  4. 6/3/6

The first main set is made up of eight (Option A), ten (Option B) or twelve (Option C) 50m reps, swim these as fast as you can sustain and take a twenty second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.

Swim an easy 200m (Options A & B) or 400m (Option C) before the next set.

Swim another set of eight (Option A), ten (Option B) or twelve (Option C) 50m reps, swim these as fast as you can sustain and take a twenty second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.

For the Cool Down (CD) swim 200m. 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.

Share this post so your friends can benefit as well.

Download the Garmin (.FIT) files for this workout for FREE

Get the Garmin (.FIT) files for these workouts

I’ll send you the Garmin (.FIT) files for these sessions.

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Unleash Your Potential with the Qwik Kiwi Swim Speed Improver 2.0 Plan! 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️

    Are you ready to elevate your swimming speed and reach new personal bests? The Swim Speed Improver 2.0 is a 5-week targeted training plan for swimmers who typically swim between 1,500m and 2,000m per session. Designed to enhance your speed over 50m and 100m, this program delivers proven results with:

    Three High-Impact Swim Sessions per Week: Each workout is optimized to improve speed, efficiency, and power in the water. 🏅💦

    📞 Fortnightly Group Coaching Calls: Connect with Coach Ray, ask questions, and receive direct feedback in live sessions. 🤝💬

    🌐 Supportive Community Access: Become part of the exclusive Qwik Kiwi Coaching Tribe, a vibrant network of athletes dedicated to achieving their goals. 👥💙

    Guaranteed Results: See improvements in your speed or get your money back, no questions asked! 💸💯

    Don’t just swim; swim faster. 🏊‍♀️💨🏊‍♂️ Start your journey today with the Swim Speed Improver 2.0 and experience a transformational change in your swimming performance.

    Sign up now and claim your spot in our next coaching call! 🔗💻

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.