Training sessions 16 to 31 March 2019
In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as Sweden’s toughest open water race. At Outdoor Swimmer we frequently get asked for ideas for training sessions, so I started sharing the training sessions I’m doing for that on Twitter @SimonDGriffiths for anyone else that wants to try them. I’ve now decided to move them here as I kept running out of characters on Twitter. These are mostly sessions I’ve done with Teddington Masters Swimming Club and created by the club coaches (thank you Ian, Lorraine and Veronica). Others I do with friends (AKA “The 400 Club”). Tuesday morning sessions are often adapted from sets originally created by Fiona Ford from Triathlon Europe, who is a Swim Smooth coach and contributor to Outdoor Swimmer.
Training sessions often appear to be written in code so please ask via Twitter if anything is not clear. Abbreviations I use include:
FC = Front crawl, BA = Backstroke, BS = Breaststroke, Fly = Butterfly, IM = Individual Medley, +10s = take about 10 seconds rest before starting the next swim.
The main pools I use are Hampton Pool (36m long), Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m long), Teddington Pool (25m) and Hanworth Pool (25m)
Adapt the distances for the length of pool you’re training in and adjust the times to suit your own swimming speed. Let me know via Twitter how you get on.
Previous training sessions
Training sessions 16 to 31 March 2019
Sunday 31 March 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)
Lovely sunset swim with Teddington Masters
Warm up
12 lengths FC, 4 lengths BA
Main set
4 rounds of 3 lengths FC steady, 15s rest, 1 length sprint IM order, 15s rest
2 lengths easy
6 lengths FC steady, sprint lengths 3 and 6
4 x 1 length sprint IM order
3 rounds of 3 lengths FC steady, 15s rest, 2 lengths sprint (FL/BA, BA/BS & BS/FC), 15s rest, 1 length easy
4 lengths FC easy
2 x 1 length sprint (FL/BA)
3 lengths FC easy, 3 lengths sprint (FL/BA/BS)
1 length FC easy, 3 lengths sprint (FL/BA/BS)
Cool down
6 lengths easy
Total distance: 2952m
Saturday morning 30 March 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)
Beautiful sunrise Teddington Masters Club session
Warm up
22 lengths mixed strokes (792m)
Main set
Part 1 – all FC, steady pace
1 x 12 lengths off 7:00
2 x 6 lengths off 3:30
4 x 3 lengths off 1:45
12 x 1 length of 40s
6 x 2 lengths off 1:20
2 x 6 lengths off 3:30
12 lengths
4 lengths easy
Part 2
6 x 4 x 1 IM, approx. 10s rest after each
Cool down
4 lengths easy
Total distance: 4,968m
Friday morning 29 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Steady endurance set – Grant’s easy way to 4k
Warm up
600m mixed FC and BA
Main set
All FC – steady aerobic pace (about CSS + 5 to 7s per 100m)
6 x 100m off 1:35, 5 x 200m off 3:10, 4 x 100m off 1:35, 3 x 200m off 3:10, 2 x 100m off 1:35, 200m
6 x 33m FC sprints
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance: 4000m
Thursday evening 28 March 2019 – Hanworth (25m)
After 36 hours with no exercise, feeling strong for this regular Teddington Masters club session.
Warm up
200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC
Main Set
All FC, except recovery swims on choice
Part 1 (700m)
4 x 50m off 50s, 50m easy, 3 x 50m off 45s, 50m easy, 2 x 50m off 40s, 50m easy, 50m sprint, 50m easy
Part 2 (1200m)
4 x 100m off 1:30, 50m easy, 3 x 100m off 1:30, 50m easy, 2 x 100m off 1:20, 50m easy, 100m sprint, 50m easy
Part 3 (850m)
4 x 200m off 3:00 descending (2:40 down to 2:30), 50m easy
Part 4 (650m)
4 x 50m off 45s, 50m easy, 3 x 50m off 40s, 50m easy, 2 x 50m off 35s, 50m easy, 50m sprint
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance: 4600m
Tuesday morning 26 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Regular Tuesday morning CSS set but swam slightly slower than usual – possibly because of 8.5km run last night.
Warm up
100m FC, 100m BA, 100m FC, 100m BA, 100m FC
9 x 33.3m FC build to sprint off 45s
Main set
4 x 100m FC off 1:35
2 x 133m FC off 2:05
3 x 200m FC off 3:10
6 x 100m FC off 1:35
5 x 66.7m FC off 1:00
2 x 100m FC off 1:35
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance 3400m
Monday 25 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Regular Monday morning ‘400 Club’ swim with a flying finish
Warm up
600m mixed FC/BA
Main set
8 x 400m off 6:15 – just tried to keep up! Hitting between 5:25 and 5:40 per 400m
6 x 33.3m FL
Cool down
200m alternating FC/BA
Sunday 24 March 2019 – London Aquatics Centre (50m)
Swim England London Region event.
Warm up
400m FC
200m BA
4 x 50m FC build + 20s rest
200m FC easy
Races
50m FC (in relay) – 28.18s
100m BA – 1:17.27
50m FC (individual) – 28.76s
200m FC – 2:20.85
100m FC (in relay) – 1:03.91
Total distance: 1500m
Saturday morning 23 March 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)
Regular Teddington Masters club session followed by coffee and cake
Warm up
24 lengths as 1 length FC, 1 length IM order drill
Main set
24 x 1 length as 1 kick, 1 drill, 1 swim IM order (5s rest after each)
2 lengths easy
8 x 3 lengths as odds FC, evens 1 length each of FL, BA, BS (about 20s rest after each)
2 lengths easy
4 x 6 lengths as FL, FC, BA, FC, BS, FC + 20s rest after each
2 lengths easy
4 x 1 length FC sprints + 45s rest
Swim down
6 lengths easy
Total distance: 4032m
Friday lunchtime 22 March 2019 – Teddington Pool (25m)
Popular Teddington Masters club session
Warm up
450m mixed strokes
Main set
2 x 50m kick, alt 25 easy, 25m fast, focus on underwater dolphin into FC +10s rest
2 x 75m FC steady, stroke focus, breathe every 5 strokes +10s rest
4 x 50m FC off 50s
4 x 25m FL alt drill / sprint + 30s rest
4 x 50m kick, alt 25 easy, 25m fast, focus on underwater dolphin into FC +10s rest
4 x 75m FC steady, stroke focus, breathe every 5 strokes +10s rest
8 x 50m FC off 45s
4 x 25m BS as 25m drill, 25m sprint
Cool down
150m easy
Total distance: 2150m
Thursday evening 21 March 2019 – Hanworth (25m)
Start of spring club session with Teddington Masters
Warm up
200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC (on FC, stroke focus and breath on least comfortable side)
Prep set
4 x 100m FC off 1:30 (approx. 10s rest after each) plus 50m easy
4 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 7s rest after each)
4 x 25m FL sprints (approx. 30s rest after each)
Main set
2 x 400m FC off 6:30 (target pace: 5:25 / 5:15)
50m easy
4 x 100m FC off 1:30 (approx. 10s rest)
50m easy
6 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 7s)
50m easy
4 x 25m IM order sprints (approx. 30s rest after each)
100m easy
3 x 200m FC off 3:00 descending (2:45, 2:40, 2:35)
50m easy
4 x 50m FC off 40s (approx. 2-3s rest after each)
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance: 4650m
Wednesday 20 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Another sprint set from 2011 created by Jack Maitland and adapted for 33.3m pool
Warm up
200m alternating 1 length FC, 1 length BA
200m alternating 1 length drill, 1 length swim
200m alternating 1 length FC, 1 length BA
Prep Set
3 x 66.7m as 1 length FL sprint, 1 length FC easy
Main Set
Max effort unless stated
1 round of:
- 100m FC plus 45s rest
- 2 x 66.7m FC plus 25s rest
- 1 x 33.3m FC plus 15s rest
- 2 x 66.7m FC plus 25s rest
- 100m FC + 45s rest
- 300m easy, choice of stroke
2 rounds of:
- 100m FC plus 45s rest
- 66.7m FC plus 25s rest
- 3 x 33.3m FC plus 15s rest
- 300m easy, choice of stroke
1 x 66.7m FC sprint with dive start
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance: 3000m
Tuesday morning 19 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Threshold session from Chris Freeman
Warm up
2 x 200m alt 100m FC, 100m BA + 15s rest
200m FC breathe on least comfortable side
Prep
4 x 66.7m FC as 33.3m easy, 33.3m sprint
Main set
(All at threshold pace, no breaks)
4 x 100m FC off 1:35 (~15s rest)
2 x 133.3m FC off 2:05 (~20s rest)
3 x 200m off 3:10 (~30s rest)
2 x 133m FC off 2:05
6 x 100m off 1:35
Cool down
200m easy
Total distance: 3200m
Monday morning 18 March 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)
Regular Monday set!
Warm up
600m mixed FC and BA
Main set
8 x 400m FC off 6:15 as:
1 to 6: hold pace, draft off lane leaders (about 5:30 to 5:35 per 400m)
7: lead lane and try to hold same pace as 1 to 6
8: start steady (to recover from 7!) and build
Cool down
200m easy mixed FC / BA
Saturday morning 16 March 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)
Club session with Teddington Masters
Warm up
24 lengths as 1 length FC, 1 length IM order (864m)
Main set
12 lengths FC off 7:00 (approx. 1 minute rest)
2 x 6 lengths FC off 3:30 (approx. 30s rest)
4 x 3 lengths FC off 1:45 (approx. 15s rest)
6 x 2 lengths FC off 1:15 (approx. 15s rest)
12 x 1 length FC off 40s (approx. 10s rest)
4 lengths easy
4 x 6 lengths as FL, FC, BA, FC, BS, FC + 45s rest
6 x 1 length sprint as FL, FC, BA, FC, BS, FC + 30s rest after each
Cool down
6 lengths easy
Total distance: 4,464m
