Swim Workouts - Updated Weekly

Triathlete swimming in open water during a race
September 23, 2018

Mike Ricci

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Swim Workouts to use in case you need one or want to try something different!Death by 100s (2800 total)WU: 400, every 4th length backstrokeWU set - with paddles: 5x 25 fast, 10” RI 25 fast, 10” RI 50 easy, 5” RI100 easy, back/freeMS #1: 4x 100 @ LT + 2-3”, 10” RI 100 @ LT + 4-5”, 10” RI100 easy, back/freeMS #2 (same as #1): 4x 100 @ LT + 2-3”, 10” RI 100 @ LT + 4-5”, 10” RICD: 100 easy, back/free
IM Swim: Broken 3300 (4600 total)WU: 400, every 4th length backstrokeWU set - with paddles: 4x 75 hard, 10” RI 75 moderate, 10” RI100 easy, back/freeMS: Broken 3300 550 @ IM pace, 10” RI 500 @ HIM pace, 10” RI 450 @ IM pace, 10” RI 400 @ HIM pace, 10” RI 350 @ IM pace, 10” RI 300 @ HIM pace, 10” RI 250 @ IM pace, 10” RI 200 @ HIM pace, 10” RI 150 @ IM pace, 10” RI 100 @ HIM pace, 10” RI 50 @ Oly pace, 10” RICD: 200 easy, mixed strokes
Anaerobic 25s & 200s at Threshold (2800 total)WU: 400, every 4th length double-arm backstrokeDrill set: 6x 50 with paddles, swum as 25 catch-up, 25 3/4 catch-upWU set: 4x 50 build, 10” RI50 easy, back/freeMS: 6x 25 sprint, 10” RI 200 easy back/free 2x200 at Threshold pace, 20” RI 200 easy back/free 6x 25 sprint, 10” RI 200 easy back/free 2x200 at Threshold pace, 20” RICD: 150 easy, mixed strokes
Broken 200s (2400 total)WU: 400, every 4th length double-arm backstrokeDrill set: 6x 50 1st half of set: wear right paddle & left fin 2nd half of set: wear left paddle & right fin Focus on reach upon entry & syncing your hip rotation with your pull.WU set: 200 @ LT + 4-5", 10” RI 150 @ LT + 2-3", 10” RI 100 @ LT, 10” RI 50 @ LT - 2-3”, 10” RI100 easy, back/freeMS: 200 @ LT, 20” RI 50 easy, 30” RI 2x 100 @ LT - 2-3”, 15” RI 50 easy, 30” RI 4x 50 @ LT - 4-5”, 10” RI 50 easy, 30” RI 8x25 @ LT - 7-8", 5” RICD: 150 easy, mixed strokes

Descending Pyramid

400 swim, warm up. 
6x75 on 10" rest. First 3 are with the R paddle and 2nd 3 are with the L paddle. Focus on the catch when wearing the paddle. 
6x50 on 30" rest, very fast. No equipment. 
8x25 on 20" rest, very fast.
1350 warm up. 

Main Set:
400 with pull buoy, steady pace - think IM pace. 
1x100 very fast with Pull Buoy and Paddles. 
300 with pull buoy, Moderate-Hard, think 70.3 pace. 
2x100, very fast, same as above - on 20" rest. 
200, with pull buoy, very fast - think OLY distance pace. 
3x100, very fast, same as above, on 20" rest. 
6x25 on 40", 35" and 30". If you are faster, take another 5" off and if you're really fast, take another 5" off. 
100 easy backstroke to cool down. 
3100 total. Variable Pace 200's 
WU: 100 swim- ez, 100 drill, 100 swim- moderate, 100 stroke, 100 swim- build
MS: Each numbered set is done non-stop as a 200.#1—100 easy, 50 mod, 50 fast (10”).#2—50 easy, 100 mod, 50 fast (20”).#3—50 easy, 50 mod, 100 fast (30”).#4—100 fast, 50 easy, 50 mod (20”).#5—50 fast, 100 easy, 50 mod (10”).#6—50 fast, 50 easy, 100 mod. (60”)Repeat the entire set (#1-#6).CD: 200 easy with drills.Total: 3100

Band Sets

WU: 300 choiceMS: 4x(200 band and buoy, 4×50 band only)- rest 20"- 8×75 - rest 15"
(50 free/25 back)- focus on body position and core engagement without the band- 12×25 - rest 15"(4 band only, 2 swim fast, repeat)- 200 c/d
Total: 3100
7x 100 Descending, 3x 100 hold speed 
WU: 500 swim easy.8 x 50 done as 25 drill and 25 swim.MS:7 x 100 (20” rest) #1 is easy. Descending time for each interval.Rest 1-2 minutes.3 x 100 (20”) each same pace as #7 of first set.300 kick steady effort.CD: 200 easy swim.Total: 2400

Equipment Drop 
WU: 3006x 50 with fins (25 kick on back/25 swim)MS: 3x: (300 swim with snorkel (if you have it), buoy, ankle band/ 3x100 snorkel and ankle band/ 4x50 swim at 80% effort with good form and body position)12x 25 at 80% effort with higher than typical stroke cadence200 c/dTotal: 3500
Descending 100's
WU: 2x: (100 swim/100 w/band)MS:500 constant pace, moderate effort. Rest 1 minute.5 x 100 (20”) Descend each 100.400 constant, moderate pace. Rest 1 minute.4 x 100 (20”) Descend each 100.300 constant, moderate pace. Rest 1 minute.3 x 100 (20”) Descend each 100.200 constant, moderate pace. Rest 1 minute.2 x 100 fast.CD: 400 easy swim.Total: 3600


Short Swim - 1800 yards
400 Warmup12 * 50 on 1:30 - alternate  EZ/FAST300 pull12 * 25 1:00200 easy.

Mixed Set: 2700 yard400 Warm-up
3 * 200 0:45 rest
8 * 25 kick :10 rest
4 * 100 0:25 rest.
8 * 25 kick :10 rest.
5 * 50 :10 rest.
100 loosen easy swim.
6 * 75 pull with paddles 0:20 rest.
200 cool-down.

8x100 on 3:00 Test SetWU: 600 wu and then 6x50 - ez down/back fast on 20" rest
MS: 8x100 on 3:00 trying to hold best possible average (BPA)
200 very easy
8x25 kick
3x300 on 15" rest
CD: 200(Take your average of the 8x100 and add 5-7" per 100 and this is your T-Pace)

8x200 @ T-Pace400 wu. 12x25 on 25" rest. 25s are ez, med, fast in groups of 3.
8x200 on 20" rest. Goal is to swim the 200s AT T-Pace. If T-pace is 1:30 per 100, then these 200s should be 1:30 pace.
100 ez.
200 kick.
200 pull cool down

Speed Pyramid: 10x 25, 50, 100, 50, 25
300 swim
200 kick w fins
300 pull with paddles
200 (25 drill down swim back)Main set (15-20 seconds rest, and 1 minute rest between sets)10x25 (visualize on getting out fast)10x50 10x100 (visualize mid pack surge on main swim speed)10x5010x25 (visualize fast finish speed)Cool down

Mixed Workout: 2x (300 swim, 200 pull, 200 swim, 300 pull)
300 swim, 200kick fins, 300paddles, 200 drill down swim backMain set10x25 build(300 swim 200 pull) 200 swim 300 pull) repeat once again.100 choice easy10x25 fast
Mixed Set: 4x 200, 3x200, 5x100
300 swim, 200kick fins, 300paddles, 200 drill down swim back10x25 build200 swim, 200 swim with paddles, 200 swim with fins 200 swim with paddles and fins.3x200 swim without aids fast.5x100 descending each by 2 seconds.Cool down
Mixed Swim of 200s and 25s
300 swim 200 kick and drill, 300 pull
4x50 with dolphin dive shallow end.Main set 2x through
1x (fast 200 :20, cruise 4x25)
50 easy
1x(fast pull 200:20 sec rest 4x25 10 sec rest)
50 easy
4x100 (1/3 fast 2/4 cruise
50 easy200 cool down

4K swim: mixed 100’s and 150’s alternating base and hard effort

400 swim

200 kick

200 pull

8x 50 1-4 2x on 15” rest

Main Set

3x 150 on 20” rest middle 50 all out

5x 100 on base + 5”

2x 150 on 20” rest middle 50 all out

4x 100 on base

1x 150 on 20” rest middle 50 all out

3x 100 on base -5”

100 easy recovery

When ready:

100 for time

500 cool down

3K with mixed effort 200’s and 100’s

400m swim, 200m kick, 200m swim

2 times through with 10 seconds between swims.

4 x 25m

#1 – 12.5m easy, 12.5m fast

#2 – 12.5m fast, 12.5m easy

#3 – 25m easy

#4 – 25m fast

7 x 200 - 15 sec rest

#1 – Swim 50m fast, 150m easy  

#2 – Swim 100m fast, 50m easy

#3 – Swim 150m fast, 50m easy

#4 – Swim 200m fast

#5 – Swim 150m fast, 50m easy

#6 – Swim 100m fast, 50m easy

#7 – Swim 50m fast, 150m easy 1:00 rest

Take 1 full minute of rest and go right into 100s.: 15 sec rest

7 x 100m

#1 – Swim 25m fast, 75m easy

#2 – Swim 50m fast, 50m easy

#3 – Swim 75m fast, 25m easy

#4 – Swim 100m fast

#5 – Swim 75m fast, 25m easy

#6 – Swim 50m fast, 50m easy

#7 – Swim 25m fast, 75m easy

200 ez

Endurance 3500 6x400  

300m Free

2x 50m Free - 25m drill/ 25m swim - on 10s rest

4x 50m Free - 25m head up, 25m free - on 10s rest

 100m Free

4x 50m Free - building - on 10s rest

  900m

Main Set 6x400

400m Free - steady - on 40s rest

 400m Free - steady; last 100 hard - on 40s rest

 400m Free - steady; every 4th length hard - on 40s rest

 400m Free - steady; last 100 hard - on 40s rest

 400m Free - steady; every 2nd length hard - on 40s rest

 400m Free - steady - on 40s rest

  3,300m

Cool Down

200m Choice

  3,500m

3600 mixed effort 200’s

WU: Build effort on each rep.

2x through: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 swim.

MS: Each numbered set is done non-stop as a 200.

#1—100 easy, 50 mod, 50 fast (10”).

#2—50 easy, 100 mod, 50 fast (20”).

#3—50 easy, 50 mod, 100 fast (30”).

#4—100 fast, 50 easy, 50 mod (20”).

#5—50 fast, 100 easy, 50 mod (10”).

#6—50 fast, 50 easy, 100 mod. (60”)

Repeat the entire set (#1-#6).

CD: 200 easy.

Total: 3600

3000 pacing workout IM through Oly efforts

3k Workout

300 easy w/fins

4x 50 as 25 build / 25 easy (RI:10)

4x 25 as 1 fast, 1 easy, 1 fast, 1 easy (RI:15)

 Main Set: (2000)

*Look to pick up pace slightly with each distance cut, 1-2 seconds per 100.

2x 400 (RI:25) bit easier than IM effort

2x 300 (RI:20) about IM effort

2x 200 (RI:15) about HIM effort

2x 100 (RI:10) about Olympic effort

12x 25 kick (RI:10)

100 easy

5k  IM workout with mixed paces and distances 

300 easy w/fins

4x 50 as 25 build / 25 easy (RI:10)

4x 25 as 1 fast, 1 easy, 1 fast, 1 easy (RI:15)

Main Set: (4000)

*Look to pick up pace slightly with each distance cut, 1-2 seconds per 100.

4x 400 (RI:25) bit easier than IM effort

4x 300 (RI:20) about IM effort

4x 200 (RI:15) about HIM effort

4x 100 (RI:10) about Olympic effort

 3x 100 kick (RI:10)

100 easy

3K combination with paddle, buoy and band –

Warm-up:

(600 total)

300 (100 freestyle, 50 drill)

300 (100 free, 25 kick on side/25 drill x2)

Pre-Set:

(600 total)

100 pull with paddles, buoy and band, rest 20 sec

4×25 swim with band, rest 15 sec

100 pull with buoy and band, rest 20 sec

4×25 swim with band, rest 15 sec

100 pull with buoy only, rest 20 sec

4×25 swim with band, rest 15 sec

Focus on a high tempo throughout to keep hips high in water.

Main Set:

(1600 total)

4×50 descend tempo 1-4 with 15 sec rest

2×600 hold goal race pace with 20 sec rest

4×50 FAST with 15 sec rest

Cool-down:

(200 total)

50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 100 choice

= 3000 total

Coach Mike Ricci is the Founder and Head Coach for D3 Multisport.  His coaching style is ‘process-focused’ vs. ‘results-focused.’ When working with an athlete, their understanding of how and why they are improving is always going to take precedence over any race result. Yes, there is an end goal, but in over 2 decades of coaching, experience has shown him that if you do the right work, and for the right reasons, the results will follow.

Coach Mike is a USAT Level III Elite Certified Coach, Ironman University Certified Coach, and Training Peaks Level II Certified Coach. He was honored as the USAT Coach of the Year.

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