Swim Workout

Saturday Swim Sessions – 4 Weeks to a Faster 1,500m with only 4km per Week: Week 1

Over the next four weeks, I will post two 2k swim workouts a week that when done together will make you faster over 1,500m. The sessions are best suited to doing on a Saturday and Wednesday or 3-4 days apart.

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.

Session One: 1,500m TT

  • 400m Warm Up;
  • 1,500m Time Trial;
  • 100m Cool Down;

Start the workout with a Warm Up covering 400m. During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

Then swim 1,500m as fast as you can, continuously without stopping. This will serve as a benchmark of where you are at currently. Post your time, by writing it in the comments section below. This will keep you honest over the coming weeks as you move towards the end of the four-week programme and a faster 1,500m time.

Complete your workout with a 100m Cool Down. Feel free to pause and stretch when needed and/or include stretching as part of each break until the distance is covered.

Session Two: Technique Session

  • 400m Warm Up;
  • 8x 50m Drills;
  • 100m Easy;
  • 8x 50m Drills;
  • 100m Easy;
  • 8x 50m Drills;
  • 200m Cool Down;

Start the workout with a Warm Up covering 400m. During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

Swim 50m doing an appropriate drill prior to continuing on with normal freestyle swimming to complete 50m continuously. Pause prior to conducting the next repetition for a total of eight repetitions. Do the drills in the following order (examples of how to do each drill can be found by clicking on them).

  1. Kick On Side (KOS)
  2. Kick On Side (KOS)
  3. 6/1/6
  4. 6/3/6
  5. Kick On Side (KOS)
  6. Kick On Side (KOS)
  7. Broken Arrow
  8. Popov

The pause referred to above is a stop of about 10 seconds. 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.

Do three sets of the drills separated by swimming an easy 100m in between the sets.

Complete your workout with a 200m Cool Down. Feel free to pause and stretch when needed and/or include stretching as part of each break until the distance is covered.

Next week’s workouts will develop your endurance as well as your Threshold Speed swimming.

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, here is a similar session I published previously.

Saturday Swim Session: 100’s and 50’s

Get my 4 Weeks to a Faster 1500m With Only Two 2km Sessions per Week through Training Peaks. Results Guaranteed. Purchase here. Use discount code CR25 to get a 25% discount.

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