FEATURES,  View from the Water

Training sessions July 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


Wednesday morning 31 July 19 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Sprint set adapted from an original by Jack Maitland

Warm up

200m FC, 200m drill, 200m alt FC/BA (600m)

Main set

4 x (33.3m sprint, 15s rest, 100m easy, 20s rest) (533.3m)

3 x (66.7m sprint, 20s rest, 133.3m easy, 20s rest) (600m)

2 x (100m sprint, 20s rest, 200m easy, 20s rest) (600m)

1 x 133m sprint

Kick set

4 x 66.7m kick (1-2 easy, 3 moderate, 4 hard) (266.7m)

Cool down

266.7m easy

Total: 3000m


Training sessions July 2019


Tuesday morning 30 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Threshold / CSS-based session

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

4 x 100m FC off 2:00 build (1:30, 1:25, 1:20, 1:15)

Main set

5 x 100m FC off 1:35 (~15s rest)

3 x 200m FC off 3:10 (~30s rest)

4 x 100m FC off 1:35

2 x 200m FC off 3:10

4 x 100m BA off 1:45 (~15s rest)

Cool down

200m alt FC/BA

Total distance: 3400m


Monday Morning 29 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Regular Monday morning set – felt the effects of not enough sleep and starting too fast.

Warm up

600m as 3 lengths FC, 1 length BA

Main set

8 x 400m FC of 6:15 (5:33.15, 5:33.32, 5:25.69, 5:32.51, 5:37.93, 5:42.17, 5:44.52, 5:44.97)

Cool down

200m easy FC

Total distance: 4000m


Wednesday 24 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Sprints + open water race pace

Warm up

400m FC + BA every 4th length

3 x 33.3m build FL, BA, BS + 20s rest

3 x 33.3m build FC + 20s rest

Main set

3 rounds of:

  • 4 x 100mm FC off 1:30 at 3km race pace
  • 1 minute rest
  • 66.7m FC max effort off 2:00
  • 2 x 33.3m FC sprint off 1:00
  • 66.7m easy

3 x 66.7m FC max effort off 2:00

66.7m easy

4 x 33.3m FC or FL sprint off 1:00

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3000m


Tuesday morning 23 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Extended threshold set – this was hard – 3600m in an hour.

Warm up

400m mixed strokes

3 x 66.7m FC build off 1:15

Main set

6 x 100m FC off 1:35

5 x 200m FC off 3:10

4 x 100m FC off 1:35

3 x 200m FC off 3:00 (hold pace)

2 x 100m FC off 1:30 (hold pace)

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3600m


Monday morning 22 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Regular Monday morning set

Warm up

533m (16 lengths) mixed FC / BA

Main set

1 x 10 lengths FC (333.3m) off 6:15

7 x 400m FC off 6:15 (5:28, 5:26, 5:26, 5:28, 5:20, 5:40, 5:31)

Cool down

133m easy

Total distance: 3800m


Saturday morning 20 July 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)

Early morning club session in the rain with Teddington Masters

Warm up

24 lengths as 2L FC, 1L IM order drill (864m)

Main set

4 rounds of (6L FC off 3:30 and 4×1 IM off 2:45) – (1440m)

2 lengths scull (72m)

3 rounds of (6L FC off 3:30 and 4×1 IM off 2:45) – (1080m)

2 lengths scull (72m)

2 lengths easy (72m)

8 x 1L FC alternating 1L sprint, 1L easy (288m)

Cool down

6L FC (216m)

Total distance: 4104m


Friday lunchtime 19 July 19 – Teddington Pool (25m)

Sneaky lunchtime swim with Teddington Masters

Warm up

500m as 75m FC, 25m BA x 5

4 x 25m IM order kick, 3 x 50m FC build, 100m FC steady, 100m IM, 50m FC sprint

4 x 25m IM order drill, 3 x 50m build as 25m FL/25m BA, 2 x 100m FC off 1:45, 50m FC sprint

4 x 25m IM order, 3 x 50m build as 25m BS/25m FC, 100m FC steady, 100m IM, 50m FC sprint

50m easy

4 x 25m FL sprint

Cool down

100m easy

Total distance: 2250m


Thursday evening 18 July 2019 – Hanworth Pool (25m)

Club swim with Teddington Masters

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Set 1

8 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 6 x 50m FC of 40s, 50m easy, 4 x 50m FC off 40s, 50m easy, 2 x 50m FC off 35s, 50m easy, 50m FC max effort, 50m easy. (Total distance: 1300m)

Set 2

400m FC with every 4th length IM order

4 x 25m FL sprint (off last swimmer)

300m FC with every 3rd length IM order

4 x 25m BA sprint (off last swimmer)

200m FC with every 2nd length IM order

4 x 25m BS sprint (off last swimmer)

100m IM

100m easy

4 x 25m FC sprint

Cool down

250m easy

Total distance: 4050m


Wednesday 17 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

FC change of pace set

Warm up

400m mixed FC / BA

6 x 33m build off 45s

6 x 33m as 1 length FL sprint, 1 length easy off 45s

Main set

Four rounds of (4 x 100m FC off 1:30, 1 x 100m FC off 1:15) – straight through

2 minutes rest

6 x 33.3m sprints off 1:00 – choice of stroke

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance 3200m


Tuesday morning 16 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Extended threshold / CSS based set

Warm up

400m mixed FC / BA

3 x 67m as 1 length FL drill, 1 length FL

Main set

6 x 100m FC off 1:35

5 x 200m FC off 3:10

4 x 100m FC off 1:35

3 x 200m FC off 3:00 with sprint finish on last one

67m easy

4 x 100m BA off 1:45

Cool down

200m FC steady, stroke focus, breathe to least comfortable side

133m easy

Total distance: 4000m


Monday morning 15 July – Pools on the Park, Richmond (33.3m)

(Very) slight variation on a theme

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Main set

6 x 400m FC off 6:15. Change lane leader after each one and swim at their pace.

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3200m


Saturday morning 13 July 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)

Relaxed Teddington Masters Club swim followed by coffee

Warm up

24 lengths alternating 1 length FC, 1 length medley order drill (864m)

Main set

2 x 12 lengths FC build off 7:00 plus 2 lengths easy (936m)

4 x 6 lengths as 1 length FC, 1 length IM order off 3:30 plus 2 lengths easy (936m)

8 x 3 lengths as 3 lengths FC, 3 lengths FL, BA, BS plus 2 lengths easy (936m)

8 x 1 lengths sprint mixed strokes (288m)

Cool down

2 lengths easy (72m)

Total distance: 4032m


Thursday evening 11 July 2019 – Hanworth Pool (25m)

Water too hot for this Teddington Masters club session but ploughed through it anyway.

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Main set

4 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 4 x 25m FL (+20s), 4 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 4 x 25m FL

4 x 100m off 2:00 as FC, BA, FC, IM

50m easy

8 x 50m FC with 1 to 4 off 45s, 5 & 6 off 40s and 7 & 8 off 35s.

50m easy

400m FC steady

3 x 100m FC off 1:40 as 75m steady 25m sprint

4 x 25m FL

400m FC steady

Cool down

150m easy

Total distance: 3950m


Wednesday 10 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park

FC change of pace set

Warm up

400m mixed FC / BA

6 x 33m as half length easy, half length sprint off 45s

12 x 33m as 1 length easy, 1 length sprint off 45s

Main set

4 x 100m FC off 1:35

1 x 100m FC off 1:15

4 x 100m FC off 1:30

1 x 100m FC off 1:15

4 x 100m FC off 1:25

1 x 100m FC off 1:15

1 x 100m FC off 1:20

2 minutes rest

6 x 67m FC off 1:30 as 1 easy, 1 sprint

Cool down

200m easy


Monday evening 8 July 2019 – Hampton Pool (36m)

Second swim of the day!

Warm up

12 lengths easy FC (432m)

Main set

2 x (4 x 2 lengths FC off 1:00 followed by 2 lengths easy) (720m)

1 x (4 x 2 lengths FC off 55s followed by 2 lengths easy) (360m)

4 x 1 length sprints IM order / 4 x 1 IM / 4 x 1 length sprints IM order (432m)

3 x (3 x 2 lengths FC off 1:00 followed by 2 lengths easy) (864m)

1 x (3 x 2 lengths FC off 55s) (216m)

Cool down

2 lengths easy (72m)

Total distance: 3096m


Monday morning 8 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Wasn’t sure how this one would go after 7.8k in Brighton at the weekend, but swimming felt good.

Warm up

600m mix FC / BA

Main set

8 x 400m FC off 6:15 descending 5:40 to 5:20

Cool down

200m easy FC / BA

Total distance: 4000m


Thursday evening 4 July 2019 – Hanworth Pool (25m)

Teddington masters club session (part only, as racing on Saturday)

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 100m BA, 50m FC (total 750m)

Main set

4 x (4 x 50m FC off 45s) with 50m easy after each set of 4

4 x 25m FL drill

4 x 100m FC off 1:30

100m easy

100m FC max effort

50m easy

3 x 50m FC, easy with paddles and stroke focus

100m FC max effort

Cool down

250m easy

Total distance: 3000m


Wednesday 3 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Sprints + open water race pace

Warm up

2 x (133m FC / 100m BA / 67m BS / 33m FL + 15s rest)

4 x 33m FC as ½ length easy, ½ length sprint

Main set

  • 3 x 200m FC off 3:00 at 3km race pace
  • Sprints (see below)
  • 3 x 133m FC off 2:00 at 3km race pace
  • Sprints
  • 3 x 67m FC off 1:00 at 3km race pace
  • Sprints

Sprints (repeat this block for each set of sprints listed above)

  • 1 minute rest
  • 100m max effort off 3:00
  • 66m max effort off 2:00
  • 33m max effort off 1:00
  • 66.7m easy

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3000m


Tuesday morning 2 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Took this one easy too – at about CSS + 5s per 100 for this straightforward threshold set

Warm up

200m FC / 33.3m kick / 133m BA / 33m kick / 67m FC / 33m kick (500m)

3 x 67m FC build off 1:15

3 x 33m FL sprints off 45s

Main set

6 x 100m FC off 1:35

5 x 200m FC off 3:10

4 x 100m FC off 1:35

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3000m


Monday morning 1 July 2019 – Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m)

Slightly shortened version of regular Monday set, swam slowly due to amount of races

Warm up

600m mixed FC / BA

Main

6 x 400m off 6:15 – swim times between 5:35 and 5:55

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3200m

Stay up to date with The Dip, our free weekly outdoor swimming newsletter.

I created Outdoor Swimmer in 2011 (initially as H2Open Magazine) as an outlet for my passion for swimming outdoors. I've been a swimmer and outdoor swimmer for as long as I remember. Swimming has made a huge difference to my life and I want to share its joys and benefits with as many people as possible. I am also the author of Swim Wild & Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 a Year and I provide one-to-one support to swimmers through Swim Mentoring.