Utilising both Pull Buoy and Paddles is a great way to improve your specific swimming strength. 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.
Option A
- 200m WU;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 4x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
- 4x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 4x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
- 4x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 200m CD (1,600m)
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 8x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
- 8x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 8x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
- 8x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 200m CD (2,600m)
Option C
- 600m WU;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 12x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
- 12x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 12x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
- 12x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
- 200m CD (3,800m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (Option B), or 600m (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 (Options A and B) or twelve (Option C) repetitions 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 doing them twice through for Options A and B or three times through for Option C:
I wrote an article about swimming drills previously. Click here to read and watch it.
Coach Ray’s Top 3 Swimming Drills to Get You Swimming Smooth
Following the set of drills take the fins off and complete four sets of 50m reps. If you are doing Option A it is four sets of four reps, Option B is four sets of eight reps and Option C is four sets of twelve reps. The sets of 50m are different each time.
The first set is four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 50m wearing hand paddles with a 20-second Rest Interval (RI) between reps.
The second set is four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 50m freestyle with a 20-second Rest Interval (RI) between reps.
The third set is four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 50m wearing hand paddles and a pull buoy with a 20-second Rest Interval (RI) between reps.
The fourth and final set is four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 50m freestyle with a 20-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.
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If you enjoyed this workout, I published a similar session 12 months ago.
Saturday Swim Session: 200’s
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