This session is used to assess your current swimming ability and set a benchmark time for future workouts. There are other methods for setting benchmark times and assessing ability but I use these workouts as an alternative for athletes that haven’t done much swimming lately.
Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, and 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.
Read this article here for an explanation of Swim Intensity.
Option A
- 600m W/U;
- 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 12x 25m Pick Ups 10sec RI;
- 3x 100m 20sec RI;
- 200m C/D (1,800m)
Option B
- 800m W/U;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 12x 25m Pick Ups 10sec RI;
- 3x 100m 20sec RI;
- 200m C/D (2,200m)
Option C
- 1,200m W/U;
- 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
- 12x 25m Pick Ups 10sec RI;
- 3x 100m 20sec RI;
- 800m C/D (3,200m)
For the Warm Up (WU) start with a 600m (Option A), 800m (Option B) or 1,200m (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. There are eight (Option A) or twelve (Options B & C), 50m repetitions made up of 25m Drill, then straight into 25m normal swimming. Feel free to use fins whilst doing this set. Do the drills below twice or three times through:
For the main set there are three 100m reps to be swum. Swim these as fast as possible and record your times. Take a twenty second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.
For the Cool Down (CD) swim 200m (Options A & B) or 800m (Option C). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the Cool Down (CD) (like the Warm Up (WU)) 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 (CD).
Take the average of your three 100m times to determine your T-Time.
The concept of T-Time has been developed by a number of authors with a number of different names utilised (the most popular would be Swim Smooth‘s CSS or Critical Swim Speed). There are various versions of the test (i.e. 1,000m TT, swimming 200m & 100m TTs, 3x 300m or 3x 100m) that all approximate the same thing. My preferred method is Swim Smooth‘s 400m & 200m TT, but I use this method as an alternative for athletes that haven’t done much swimming lately.
For more on T-Times:
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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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.
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Prior to using these plans, you should be able to complete swim sessions of 600m in distance.
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