Swim Session

Saturday Swim Session: Broken 800s to Improve Stamina & Race Pace

Swimming longer and faster requires greater endurance and this endurance set helps improve these areas of your swimming. 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;
  • 800m, 60sec RI;
  • 4x 200m 20sec RI;
  • 200m CD (2,000m);

Option B

  • 800m WU;
  • 800m, 60sec RI;
  • 4x 200m 20sec RI;
  • 200m CD (2,600m);

Option C

  • 1,000m WU;
  • 800m, 60sec RI;
  • 4x 200m 20sec RI;
  • 800m;
  • 200m CD (3,600m);

Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 800m (Option B), or 1,000m (Option C). During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

The Main Set is made up of a Broken 800. There are two parts to this Broken 800. The first part is swimming 800m as fast as you can. Try to keep this section nice and consistent. Once you’ve completed the 800m take a 60-second Rest Interval (RI) and then commence the second part which is made up of four 200m reps with a short 20-second Rest Interval (RI) between each rep.

If you are doing Option C, you have another steady state swim of 800m prior to the Cool Down (CD).

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 – 25’s For Top End Speed

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