Training for the swim leg of a triathlon takes purposeful practice; too many triathletes simply swim mindless meters and then can’t understand why they’re not getting faster.

Understanding the nuances of how the swim leg typically develops — and being able to anticipate the tactics of your competitors — are valuable skills that result from deliberate training.

Experienced triathletes know when to expect the segments of elevated pace during the race: They’re ready for the surge at the start, another sprint to pass or draft off of a competitor’s feet, and possibly a final surge to keep up with other racers as you close in on the finish.

From sprint distance to full IRONMAN, the abrupt changes in speed and intensity can catch you off guard, raise your anxiety or even cause moments of panic.

I’ve heard all the stories: “IF I could have gone with them, I probably wouldn’t have lost the 90 sec on the swim.”

You can train for the high-end surges and their increases in muscle acidity.  You can also train to optimize your recovery time — while maintaining your pace — from these mid-race sprints.

Of course, everyone wants to ratchet up the output, recover quickly, and do it again and again! This workout will help you stay strong for the duration of the swim leg.

Implement these sessions on the swim once or twice per week with at least two days in between the workouts. You’ll see your speed improve in just a few weeks.

If you give this workout a try, let me know how it went. Get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter.

Dave

 

Warm Up

10 min, including 4 lengths of backstroke

1st Set

3 x 25 m

Build each 25 m to your fast race pace

Rest Interval (RI) 10 sec and after the third 25 m, swim an easy 25 .

Repeat 4 times

Main Set

200 m at Olympic distance race pace

RI 30 sec

5 x 35 m hard + 15 m stretch.
(This is a 50 m total so you want to go hard for a full length and then hard off the wall and stretch back easy.)

RI 15 sec

Repeat the entire set 3 to 5 times

When you finish the final 50 m interval, do another 200 m at Olympic Distance pace. Don’t dawdle! Get right into the next set!

 

Cool Down

Stretch out for 8 min and include 4 lengths of back or breast stroke.

Total time 50 to 70 min.

#WorkoutWednesday is powered by BioAstin, one of my top 5 recommended supplements.  BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that supports cardiovascular health and muscle recovery… perfect for athletes who are training hard.