Endurance is a critical component of fitness for triathletes and long distance open water swimmers. The reps within this session build your pace to develop the skill and mindset to finish an open water swim or swim leg of a triathlon with stamina. There are some progressive paces used to build your fitness. This is a great session for triathletes and open water swimmers to do to build their sustained speed.
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.
The inspiration for today’s workout comes from Workouts In A Binder – For Swimmers, Triathletes and Coaches written by Nick and Eric Hansen.
Option A
- 8x 75m WU (2x F/S; K no Board, Bk/Br/Fs; Breathe every 4 strokes);
- 3x 250m (Build 1-3) 20RI;
- 1x Broken 250m,
- 100m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 40RI;
- 2min RI;
- 400m Pull -ve Split;
- 100m F/S, 100m Bk CD (2,200m)
Option B
- 12x 75m WU (3x F/S; K no Board, Bk/Br/Fs; Breathe every 4 strokes);
- 2 sets of
- 3x 250m (Build 1-3) 20RI;
- 1x Broken 250m,
- 100m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 40RI;
- 2min RI;
- 400m Pull -ve Split;
- 100m F/S, 100m Bk CD (3,500m)
Option C
- 12x 75m WU (3x F/S; K no Board, Bk/Br/Fs; Breathe every 4 strokes);
- 2 sets of
- 3x 250m (Build 1-3) 20RI;
- 2x Broken 250m,
- 100m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 10RI;
- 50m 40RI;
- 2min RI;
- 800m Pull -ve Split;
- 100m F/S, 100m Bk CD (4,400m)
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) made up of eight (Option A) or twelve (Options B & C) repetitions of 75m. Complete the following sequence of four reps either twice through (Option A) or thrice times through (Options B & C):
- Freestyle;
- Kicking without using a kickboard;
- One length each of backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle; and
- Breathing every four strokes.
Next up is a split set. Option A completes it once through, Option B completes it twice through and Option C completes a slightly different version of it twice through.
Start with a sub-set of three, 250m repetitions. Take a 20 second Rest Interval (RI) between reps. Build your pace form the first rep, through to the third rep. Start by swimming fast for the first rep, faster for the second rep and then fastest for the final rep.
The next sub-set is a ‘Broken 250‘ Options A & B do a single rep and Option C does two reps. The total of this sub-set is 250m and it is broken into a 100m rep followed by ten seconds Rest Interval (RI), then two 50m reps each followed by ten seconds Rest Interval (RI) and then finally a third 50m rep which is followed by a 40 second Rest Interval (RI).
That completes the split set. Option A can then move on to the next set and Options B & C return to the start of the split set to complete their respective sets for a second time. Once complete take a two minute Rest Interval (RI).
The final set is a single 400m (Options A & B) or 800m (Option C) rep that is swum as a negative split (i.e. the second half is faster than the first half).
For the Cool Down (CD) swim 200m made up of 100m freestyle followed by 100m backstroke.
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 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.
Get my 8 week Swim Fitness Builder Training Plan with 25% off
This programme will build your swimming fitness and develop your confidence and speed in the water even more.
Designed for Beginner & Intermediate triathletes and swimmers who are looking to improve their swimming fitness.
Being 8 weeks in duration, this plan progresses you from being comfortable completing sessions between 600 & 800m in distance through to 1,600m in distance over the 8 weeks. This programme has 3 swim sessions and a flexibility session each week.
When purchasing, use the discount code “web25” to claim your 25% discount.
Prior to using these plans, you should be able to complete swim sessions of 600m in distance.
Purchase of this plan gives you access to my fortnightly coaching calls where you can ask me any training or racing related questions.
When purchasing, use the discount code “web25” to claim your 25% discount.
The 20 Most Popular Swim Sessions from www.CoachRay.nz
With over 200 articles covering swim workouts published when this ebook came out, I condensed it down to the Top 20 most popular swim workouts. As viewed by people like you, the readers of my website.
You won’t find a more useful or durable swimming book. These waterproof pages are made to be used and abused on the pool deck, and oversize flat will hold the workouts upright for easier viewing.
Thousands of swimmers and triathletes have used the original workouts in a binder to strengthen the strokes and improve the times. And Nick and Eric Hansen deliver 100 new workouts that incorporate a full range of strokes, drills, and skill building to help you develop more power, endurance, and speed. Athletes can choose between a standard “A workout” and a modified “B workout“, for those with less time or stamina.
Regardless of experience or ability, you’ll enjoy the variety packed into these pages and the unique training plans that help put it together.
Nick Hanson is a former US national team swimming coach University of Wisconsin head coach and University of Arizona assistant coach. Currently, he coaches master swimmers in Loveland, Colorado.
Eric Hanson has national and international experience as an athlete in a coach of the US national team. He served as assistant coach of the 2003 Pan-American games US team and head coach of the 2002 short course world championships. Now as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin, he oversees both men’s and women’s swim programs.