Top Tips,  Training Sessions

6km Swim Training Session (1.5-2 hours)

To complete this as written, you should be capable of swimming repeatedly 100m off 90secs. Times and distances should be altered to match your current ability and fitness levels.

You will need a Pullbuoy

WARM UP

  • 300 F/S
  • 50 Breaststroke
  • 200 F/S
  • 50 Back
  • 100 F/S

DRILL WORK
Drills – 10 x 100 off 1.50

  • Nos 1-5 First 50m, high elbows, finger drag. You should drag your fingers tips along the surface of the water as close to your bodyline as you can, so as to ensure high elbows and streamline.
  • Second 50m, long slow catch up, with reduced stroke count
  • Nos 6-10 First 50m punching/fists. Clench your fists to ensure you are feeling the pull against the lower part, underarm.
  • Second 50m normal

MORE DRILLS

  • 4 x 100m pulling, swim & rest off 1.40
  • 4 x 50m kicking on back with your hands pointing towards ceiling 20 secs rest. Ouch – Great for the core body strength.
  • 4 x 50m Fly kicking. Take 20 seconds rest between each, kick on your front, left, back, right side, all using the fly kick method.

HARD ENDURANCE
Main Set. Fast 3k, You should ensure that you accelerate your speed as the distances get shorter

  • 8 x 200 off 3.20
  • 6 x 150 off 2.30
  • 4 x 100 off 1.40
  • 2 x 50 off 50

TESTER
Only attempt this swimming in one direction and probably best not to do it during a public lane swim.
We all know how sighting can be a problem for open water swimmers. Do you know how many strokes you can do before you go off course? The less frequently you lift your head up to see where you’re going, the faster you will swim, but only if you’re going in the right direction.
Try this exercise.
Swim single lengths. Close your eyes and swim until you bash into the wall or the lane rope.
If you manage 6 arm pulls before you hit the lane rope, I would strongly recommend that you ‘head up look forward’ every 6 arm pulls in your open water race.
Try 8 x 25m, and be sure to wait for your last swimmer to come in before you head back down the length.
COOL DOWN

  • 300m easy.

To see more of Lorraine’s training sets click here

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