This is not only for the triathletes but lots of riders also use swimming to aide their training (see Richie Porte).
The swimming advice out there for triathletes is so complicated, however am not really sure why it needs to be. In my eyes if you want to learn to swim or become faster you need to swim, you need to swim and train like a swimmer. Triathletes shouldn’t swim any differently than a pool/open water swimmer. Ok you have multi disciplines to train for, but really the principles of training are
the same for all sports. The techniques for triathletes are the same as for pool swimmers. You need to develop a smooth effective technique. When I teach beginners the first things I teach them is the breathing, once the swimmer knows they can get a breath than we can start to manipulating the stroke. I tend to only use drills with more advance swimmers. My main key advice for triathletes is
- Swim all year around
- Get professional advice
- Watch professional swimmers swim – use YouTube, watch the underwater shots of the Olympics not just technique videos they can be confusing. Watch the shapes, rotation and positions of the
underwater work, this is easier to remember than angles and technical terms, try to form an image of what you are aiming for onthe pull phase of the stroke. - Wear well fitted swimwear it’s amazing how much better you feel in proper kit.
- An expensive wetsuit is worth the mo
ney it does make a difference. I highly recommend the Blueseventy Helix. - If you are an adult non swimmer it is not too late at all, adults understand the principles of swimming better than children. If you want to learn to swim you will. Fear is the biggest obstacle. I haven’t failed to get anyone to swim well enough to save themselves (with the exception of my Mum who hates swimming).
- You should be doing mixed stroke work, and kicking is important.
- Work to turn around times specific to you. Second rest intervals (SRI) has its limitations, it is used as any ability can adapt the set. A turnaround time is a set time you have to swim a distance in. For example 8 x 100m on 2.00 means you have 2.00 minutes to do 100m if you did it in 1mins 30sec you would get 30sec rest.
Below I have included 2 classic swim sets I use. They are suitable for any triathlete from sprint to Ironman. One session is using Second rest interval and one is on turn around times I would use. Adapt the sessions to suit you
r ability. I would suggest the below plans are for strong swimmers not beginners.
Session 1
Warm up
400m fc as 75m swim / 25m catch up / 200m choice kick 30sri
Sub Set
12 x 25m fc stroke work 10sri
Main
4 x 200m fc pull with paddles 30sri build pace on the second 100m 30sri
4 x 200m fc as 50m hard 95% / 100m 85% / 95% 30sri
Sub Set
8 x 50m IM Orders (fly/bk/br/fc x 2) 20sri
Cool down
200m choice stroke swim down
Total 3100m
Sessions 2
Warm up
10 x 25m fc/bk on 45
Main set
20 x 100 fc
As – 5 x 100m on 1.45 / 5 on 1.40 / 5 on 1.35 / 5 on 1.30
Sub Set
6 x 100m kick with fins fc or fly on 2.15
8 x 25m fc sprints on 45
Swim down
200m steady stroke work fc
Total 3250m
For swimming one to one swim tuition visit www.resultsfitnessandswimming.co.uk
I also offer a group triathlete swim sessions for all abilities at Denstone near Uttoxeter for more information contact coachdi@outlook.com
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