Take your training outside (part 2) – week 2
Build endurance and improve your open water skills with the second of four sessions from Fiona Ford
WARM UP
1 to 2 x 400m FC
Practise integrated
sighting and breathing.
Maintain symmetry in
your stroke and breathe
to both sides.
MAIN SET (ALL FC)
3 x 750-800m as:
1) Practise head-up
swimming or polo
sighting for 5-10 strokes
at the start and at
each turn then settle
into endurance pace
maintaining a very still
head position.
Include sighting
technique every 6 or 12
strokes to ensure you
swim accurately around
the marked course.
2) Breathing pattern
practice: Breathe
every 3/2/3/2 strokes.
Incorporate sighting on
the breathing strokes.
Note which side (L or R)
needs more practice!
3) Sighting practice. Mix
head-up/polo sighting
and standard sighting.
Work on strong and
powerful exhalation
to gain control of your
breathing after the
demands of the polo
sighting.
COOL DOWN
200m to 400m easy
swim. Sight with both
techniques for skill
consolidation.
TOTALS
2850m – 3200m
DEFINITIONS
FC = Front crawl
BS = Backstroke
Drafting on feet: Maintain a gap
of around 15cm to 30cm behind the
swimmer in front. Modify your catch
position around their feet and swim
at an easy effort level. You save
an estimated 20% effort through
effective drafting.
Drafting on hip: Aim to swim with
your shoulders level with the hips of
the swimmer you’re drafting. Modify
your arm recovery and stroke rate
around theirs. Breathe towards them
to monitor their direction and stroke
rate, and adjust yours to maintain
this more challenging drafting
position.
Endurance pace is your threshold
pace or critical swim speed (CSS)
plus about 3 to 5 seconds per 100m.
So, if your CCS is 1:45 per 100m, your
endurance pace will be around 1:48
to 1:50. Aerobic endurance training
is a fully maintainable pace that
allows you to maintain excellent
technique and rhythm over longer
distances. Train in a wetsuit if you
will be racing in one. Remember
your CSS pace in a wetsuit in open
water will be different to your CSS
without a wetsuit from the pool.
Use your wetsuit assisted CSS
from timed swims as described in previous sessions. Endurance training is some
of the most important we can do
as distance freestyle swimmers
to maintain pace over time, by
developing the eficiency in the fat
utilisation energy system.
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