Winter Swim Improvement Workout #1

Now that the Tri season is over for me it’s time to work on some swim Improvement. I have been looking for well planned swim workout since typically I go and just do a 4X100 Warm up then 2X800 or 1X1600 then cool down. Not sure I am really getting any benefit from that. If nothing else it makes it very obvious that I am a triathlete and not a swimmer. Of course the multitude of toys, the terrible form and slow pace probably does not help either.

Active.com posted this in an email to me this morning, likely because someone saw me swimming and figured I needed some serious help. So my next swim will use this planned workout rather than my typical do whatever I feel like workout. Will also start using Swimplan.com to try and find more workouts. It would be nice if I could get down to 1:40 X 100M sustainable over 1600M. Currently I could probably do the 1:40 but that would also be the end of any effective workout.

Warm Up
300, breathe on your weaker side on even lengths

Drill
4 x 75, first 50 of each is kicking on your side, last 25 is swim
4 x 100, count strokes on first 25. Descend stroke count with each 100. Rest=15 seconds

Main Set
3 x 200 on cruise interval*
4 x 75, middle 25 backstroke, rest=10 seconds
4 x 50, descend stroke count, rest=20 seconds
3 x 100 on cruise, rest=05 seconds
4 x 125, breathe every 3 strokes. Rest=10 seconds
4 x 50 Free Golf**

Cool Down
200 Distance Per Stroke*** and breathe on your weaker side on odd lengths

*Cruise: An interval you can make consecutive 100-yard or -meter swims on with about 5-10 seconds rest.

**Free Golf: Count your strokes and get your time on each 50. Add these numbers together to get your "score". Attempt to lower your score each round by either lowering stroke count, going faster, or doing both.

***Distance Per Stroke: Extend and glide as much as you can with each stroke.