Top Tips,  Training Sessions

Training session – long distance


For longer distances, try this training set from Fiona Ford


Have you already signed up for a race or event this summer? We’ve come up with three pool-based training sessions for short, medium and long distance swimmers to help you achieve your swimming goals. Short distance we’ve taken as 750m to 1600m (1 mile). Medium distance is up to around 5km, a popular race distance. Long distance swimmers are often in the water for in excess of two hours where aerobic efficiency (the ‘diesel engine’ as Swim Smooth calls it) becomes critical. Include one of these sessions in your weekely training to help build speed and endurance.

The core block of each session is designed around your Critical Swim Speed or CSS pace and can therefore be used whatever your speed (to learn more about CSS and how to calculate it see swimsmooth.com/training.html).

Long distance (10km+)

Warm up: 3x400m FS (+10 sec rest)

Focus on exhalation and BB every 3

strokes, incorporate at least 100m (on

each 400) breathing 5 and 7 strokes

to extend your exhalation capabilities

and check relaxation to begin the

session

Build set: 8x50m (+10 sec) swimming

with an ankle band or wearing shorts,

overcome the resistance or drag issues

by focusing on optimising your catch

and pull and streamlining your body and

leg positioning. Stay ‘in the moment’ on each length and focus on improving efficiency a bit further each time

Main set: (repeat four to five times)

400m FS swim as a negative split,

starting below CSS pace and then

improving pace to swim at CSS on

the second 100m +15 sec

4x100m PULL @ CSS pace +10 sec.

Deep water starts, no wall push offs,

work on accelerating stroke rhythm

400m FS swim as positive split,

starting out faster than CSS pace on

the first 100m and then settling into

CSS pace on the second 100m +15 sec

4x100m as IM in order of – FLY,

BS, BRS, FS +15 sec. Fins optional,

substitute FLY drill or kick for FLY

stroke if

necessary +15 sec

400m FS drafting with a partner or

small group of four swimmers, swap

the lead every 100m. Lead swimmer

to swim slightly faster than CSS

pace, drafting swimmer(s) to practise

effective drafting on hips or feet of lead swimmer +30 sec. Practise breathing towards each other (UB 2 or 4 strokes), increasing adversity factors by ‘squeezing’ each other into the lane ropes or turning fast or unpredictably off line seeking a better drafting position from the wall turns.

Cool down: 400m easy, incorporate
at least 200m BS

Total: 10000-12000m


Why different swim strokes?

The benefits of utilising other strokes are numerous. Physiologically it allows the swimmer to utilise and develop a range of muscle groups and functional strength. This is useful particularly for distance open water freestyle swimming to avoid overuse injuries. Psychologically swimmers of all abilities and distances gain a competitive advantage, gaining confidence mastering or further developing new skills and becoming adaptive with the demands of switching between strokes and experiencing high levels of muscular fatigue. Ultimately a good way to simulate the ever changing demands of open water swimming, in a pool training environment and being able to progressively improve the process of ‘mind over matter’ to apply as required when adverse situations demand!


Guidance notes

CSS – Critical Swim Speed. Effectively training at your threshold pace provides you with significant speed efficiency gains
Pacing – using the pool clock, your own stopwatch or a timing device such as a Finis Tempo Trainer or Metronome
BB = Bilateral Breathing
UB = Unilateral Breathing
BS = Backstroke FS = Freestyle or front crawl
BRS = Breaststroke
FLY = Butterfly
PULL = Swimming with a pullbuoy or float between your legs. No kicking.


Swim Smooth squad training and video analysis sessions

Triathlon Europe provides weekly Swim Smooth squad training in South West London. The squad enjoy training all year round in fabulous indoor and outdoor 33m pools. Fiona offers swim training plans, 1-2-1 video analysis sessions and stroke correction sessions on weekday mornings and weekend Swim Smooth workshops.
Find out more: triathloneurope.com

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