Swimming workouts - Triathlon Week

AudreyJ · 03-03-2005, 06:31 AM

Training for my big olympic distance coming in May.

I'm just wondering the types of swimming workouts everyone is doing...
I can make up all my workouts for running, but swimming is a different story.

1.) How many days per week
2.) How many yards/meters per session
3.) Repeats, intervals, long swims....what is the workout??

Thanks!!

Pimm · 03-08-2005, 12:08 PM

I don't know weather I can deliver some usefull help. I'm a "wanna-do-it-on-my-own" kinda guy, ut I can only give you some hints on the Net.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (signing up for the newsletter provides a 5 week workout)
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (8 week plan you can fill in yourself)

I know I'm not giving you the best help right now, but these are some "do-it-yourself" suggestions ...

Personally I train my swimming 3 times a week without much planning. I'm in the beginning stages, trying to get the hang of things like breathing properly, and having enough physical strength to cover large distances. I've learnt what I could on technique by observating and asking people and coaches.

_____________________

One tip perhaps : do not focus on a weekly programme if you're one of those people with a busy agenda. Try to make a schedule on 10-14 day basis : it will provide you more time and motivation to achieve your goals instead of the disappointment of not being able to get in another session due to lack of time ...

Good Luck!

foratc10 · 03-29-2005, 07:42 AM

Although you have probably already answered your question (at least to your satisfaction) I use a couple of books by Gale Bernhardt to guide my workouts. A good basic guide to various race lengths (and training time available) is "Training Plans for the Multi-sport Athlete" She also has a handbook of swimming specific workouts which I use. The workouts make sense and I tailor them to meet my time available.

Good Luck!

Smartt/RST · 04-03-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudreyJ

I'm just wondering the types of swimming workouts everyone is doing...
I can make up all my workouts for running, but swimming is a different story.

The idea of swimming being "a different story" is one I hear very often but I feel is not really the case. Yes, the logistics of swimming are very different, due to the confines of the pool, the timing of when you reach the wall, having to feel your pace without looking at (eg) heart rate, etc. However, triathlon is an aerobic sport, and no matter which discipline you are training, you are still training with the goal of improving aerobic endurance performance. This simply means that the underlying physiology and concepts of training are the same, no matter what sport you are training for. I would encourage you to perform more high intensity training in the pool than you do on the bike or run, but the overwhelming majority of sets/intervals that you do should be aerobic in nature and really very similar to running track workouts: for a few reasons however, you can reduce the recovery intervals in the pool vs. what you would do running.
Take home point: don't try to reinvent the training wheel for your swimming workouts, it's not all that different.

MJL · 04-05-2005, 12:56 PM

One idea is to go to a pool that has Masters swimming- oftentimes, they will leave up their workouts on a board (you can cheat and use their workouts).

I came up with a quick workout that is very adaptable depending on how you're feeling that day. It's 1,500m, but you can double it for a longer, regular workout:

200 IM (Use a one-arm butterfly since you're still warming up)
300 Free
8x50 Free on 1min
100 Kick
100 Pull
150 (3x50) Drills
250 Slow Free

You can also easily change some to negative splits, stroke counting, etc.

I personally enjoy having one 'base' workout that I can adapt at will. Good luck!

RyanIUswimmer · 06-16-2005, 02:37 PM

1000 warm-up

500 at 150-170 HR
2x400 Pull at 150-170 HR
3x300 IM aerobic continuous
4x200 kick at 10-15 sec rest
5x100 hard with full recovery (target heart rate 200)

300 EZ

Total 4800 yards