Swim Workouts
14 June 2020
23:02
The following are basic swim sets that you can combine in various ways into a single swim session. The typical order of the sets within a single session is the following:
Warm-up: AE and/or SS
Main sets: MF and/or AnE and/or ME
Cooldown: AE and/or SS
It is possible to add an AE or SS set in the main set to allow a longer recovery between high-effort sets.
The MF, ME and AnE ability sets are always part of the main set. They should always be preceded by a warm-up. The more intense the main set of the workout, the longer the warm-up must be.
Aerobic Endurance Sets
AE1: Recovery
Swim steadily for 10 to 20 minutes or more in pace zone 1, concentrating only on one aspect of technique. You can use this as a recovery workout following a hard bike or run workout, or as a swim session cooldown.
AE2: Aerobic Threshold Intervals
Swim intervals in pace zone 2 at a distance that takes 6 to 12 minutes. Recover after each for 10 to 15 % of the preceding work-interval time. Total work-interval distance may match the distance of the swim portion of your next A or B race. Build up to this set over a few session. A variation of this set is to recover between intervals with a 25 to 50m drill.
Example: 4x500m in 7:30, leaving every 8:15 (45sec pause)
AE2-2: Aerobic Threshold Intervals
Swim long and steady in zone 2 especially in open water.
AE3: Tempo Intervals
Swim 3 to 7 intervals, each taking about 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Intensity is pace zone 3. Recover after each for 5 to 10 % of the preceding work-interval time. The total interval time for the session should be something in the range of 10 to 20 minutes.
Example: 5x200 in 3, leaving in 3:15
Note: Do not undertake this set until your SS are very well established because the risk for injury is high if your skills are poor
Following an extensive warm-up including short, fast repeats (such as SS1), do 1 to 3 sets of 3 intervals of 25m each. Wear a t-shirt or other such drag device, or use paddles for each interval. Take a long (40 - 60s) standing recovery at the wall after each. Between sets, swim easily as described in AE1 for 25-50m. The first time you do MF1, do only 1 set of 3 intervals. Gradually increase the number of sets. Stop this set at the first sign of shoulder discomfort, which is an indicator of poor swim skills. Instead of continuing, go to the SS1 set before returning to MF1 sets.
Swim in a river, lake or ocean with alternating sets against and with the current. Swim each high-exertion set against the current at nearly maximal effort without breaking form, taking 8 to 10 strokes (each arm) in each set. Recovery by swimming easily with the current for 60 to 90 s. Complete 3 to 8 of these sets.
Swim any set other than warm-up or cooldown while using paddles. When you first use paddles, start with small ones, use them only for AE sets, and do no more than 10% of the total workout distance with them. Over the course of several weeks, increase the size of the paddles. Do not do more than 50% of a workout with them and never increase both paddle size and total distance within a workout at the same time. A the first sign of should discomfort, go back to SS.
Start this set with swimming one length of the pool at a slow to moderate effort. Over the next several 25s, swim each subsequent length more briskly, but never all out. While swimming a length, focus your attention on the one PDLC skill you are trying to improve: posture, direction, length or catch. Think of nothing else for each 25. Don't time these 25s, your focus must be on technique.
When you finish a 25, stop and rest at the wall. Make each recovery long. You should be breathing easily before starting the next 25.
The number of 25s you do in a session can be just a few as a part of the warm-up or cooldown, or they can make up the entire session.
Do any set wearing fins or keeping a pully buoy between your thighs. These toys are especially helpful during intervals within the main set for maintaining body position on top of the water while you focus on a single PDLC skill.
This is a session with work intervals that take 6 minutes or longer. The recovery intervals are about 5 to 15% of the preceding work-interval duration. As fitness improves, reduce the duration of the recovery intervals. Intensity is pace zones 4 to 5a. The total work-interval distance for the set may gradually increase over a few weeks to equal the distance of your next A or B race.
Example: 5x400m in 6:00 start in 6:40
Swim intervals that take 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Intensity is pace zone 4 to 5a. Recover after each for about 5-10% of the preceding work interval. Total work interval time may be gradually increased to match the total distance of the swim portion of your next A or B race.
Example 8x200 in 3:00 leaving every 3:10
Swim steadily for 12-20 minutes in pace zone 3
Complete 3 to 5 work intervals, each with a duration of 2 to 3 minutes and each with a recovery that is 10 to 25% of the preceding work interval time. Intensity is pace zone 5b. This session will gradually boost your aerobic capacity.
Important: Do not let the technique break down.
Example: 5x200m in 2:40 leaving every 3:00
Swim 1 to 4 intervals with duration of 30 to 60 seconds at pace zone 5c and with long recoveries that have at least the same duration in order to fully recovery before the next interval. The recovery intervals may get longer as the set progresses. Total work interval for 1 swim set is less than 4 minutes.
Important: do not let the technique break down.
This set is particularly beneficial in the late build, peak and race week periods when you are preparing for a swim in which you anticipate starting the swim very fast.
Example: 3x50m in 35s every 1:30
After your standard pre-test warm-up, swim 10x100m at a maximal but maintainable effort with exactly 10s recovery intervals after each 100m. Time the entire set including intervals and then remove 90s to produce a test "score". Record the time of this test in your diary to gauge progress over time. Perform this test during the rest and recovery period.
After your standard pre-test warm-up, swim continuously for 1000m as if racing while concentrating on maintaining good technique. Record the time of this test in your diary to gauge progress over time. Use your finish time for this test to determine your swim-pace zones for the next training period. You can do this test at the end of each rest and recovery break.
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