Building your speed from one rep to the next is a great way to develop your speed throughout a workout. This workout does that more than last week 400’s. 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 Drill/Swim;
- 6x 200m Build 1-3 40sec RI;
- 200m CD (2,000m);
Option B
- 400m WU;
- 12x 50m Drill/Swim;
- 8x 200m Build 1-4 40sec RI;
- 200m CD (2,800m);
Option C
- 1,000m WU;
- 12x 50m Drill/Swim;
- 10x 200m Build 1-5 40sec RI;
- 200m CD (3,800m);
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering 200m (Option A), 400m (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.
Next up is a drill set of eight repetitions (Option A) or twelve repetitions (Options B and C) 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 twice through for Option A and three times through for Options B and 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
After the set of drills takes the fins off.
The Main Set, for this workout, is made up of six (Option A), eight (Option B), or ten (Option C) reps of 200m. Take a 40-second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep. Within the set, you need to build your speed by getting faster for the first three reps (Option A), four reps (Option B), or five reps (Option C). Swim the fourth, fifth, or sixth rep (respectively for Options A, B, or C) at a relaxed pace and then recommence building your speed each rep until the completion of the set.
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.
You can repeat this session in a few weeks’ time and track your progress by measuring how much faster you are now swimming the distance.
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 to Develop Your Threshold Swimming Capability
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