Why are you not getting any faster in the pool? Maybe these 3 FREE Triathlon Swim Sets can help.
Its always fascinating when I watch athletes in training who smash the warm up, when it has been prescribed as slow and easy... or the athlete that does the easy parts of the session as hard as the main set. There are various reasons for varying the pace of the session.
Perhaps in the warm up it could be to just get the body moving. It might be working on specific technique work. It may also be pushing the body to new limits. If you want to change the speed you swim at, you need to vary the speed you train at. You also need to be swimming a minimum of two or three times a week.
One of the most common mistakes triathletes make is doing the easy stuff too hard, and then not going hard enough on the bits they need to... oh and that's not just in swimming! Then the athletes wonder why they don't get faster.
In our squad sessions we use Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) a lot - 10 is absolutely flat out... 7 is about threshold pace... 3 is easy swimming... 1 is standing doing nada!
So below, I have provided 3 FREE triathlon swim sets to help you develop your triathlon swim speed.
Session 1:
WARM UP: 500m - 75m F/C / 25m Choice
10x 50m - 25m 3L arm / 3R arm + 25m Swim (10 sec) - this is slow and easy, focus on technique and is still part of the warm up.
5x 200m - at a good pace with 15 sec rest (7/10)
5x 100m - 25m SPRINT (10/10) / 75m EASY (4/10) with 15 sec rest
25m 3L / 3R + 25m FISTS + 50m Swim - 10 sec
Session 2:
500m WARM UP as: 75 F/c Swim - 25 DOGGY PADDLE x5
MAIN SET: 6 repeats
1x 50m ABSOLUTELY FLAT OUT MAX EFFORT (RPE 10/10)
3x 50m ACTIVE RECOVERY / EASY SWIM ALL (RPE 4/10)
50's should all be off the same time with about 30sec REST after 1st one and 5-10sec after each active recovery 50. So if you swim 40sec for 50m flat out, you should start each 50m every 1min 10sec... swimming about 1min for the active recovery.
COMPLETE 6 SETS IN TOTAL
COOLDOWN: 500m EASY SWIM mixture of different strokes
Session 3:
Warm Up (continuous):
- 400m – Easy swim (75m Freestyle / 25m backstroke)
- 300m Easy swim (25m Backstroke; 25m Breaststroke; 50m F/c)
- 200m – Easy swim (25m Catch Up Drill; 25m 3L / 3R Arm Drill; 50m F/c swim)
- 100m – Stroke count
Main Set:
2x 400m as (200m steady (6/10) / 200m Very Fast (9/10) = quick time overall) with 1min rest after each. There needs to be a distinct change in pace after 200m
Straight into:
2x 200m – (100m Very Fast (9/10) / 100m Very Easy (3/10) = slow time overall) with 30sec rest. Make sure you shut it down after 100m and focus on form and breathing.
Cooldown:
300m EASY SWIM with a mixture of different strokes.
One of the best ways to improve your swim technique is to have a one-to-one swim technique session. Failing that come along to our squad sessions... there are regular weekly sessions at Morpeth, Northumberland!
Paul has fifteen plus years endurance coaching experience. He is a British Triathlon Level 3 Coach and a Triathlon Australia Performance Coach. Paul provides triathlon coaching using a fully customized training program which allows fun. Paul's training plans are designed to accommodate your lifestyle whilst developing your fitness, endurance for a peak race-day performance.
