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.

Training sessions from 1 to 15 January

Training sessions from 16 to 31 January

Training sessions from 1 to 14 February

Training sessions from 15 to 28 February

Training sessions from 1 to 15 March

Training sessions from 16 to 31 March

Training sessions for April 2019

Relaxed lunchtime medley set with Teddington Masters

Warm up

400m FC, every 4^th length IM order drill

100m IM kick

Main set

4 rounds of:

• 25m build, 3 x 25m sprint off 45s
• 3 x 50m 80 to 90% perceived effort, focus on turns off 1:20
• 25m fast, 25m all out sprint, 2 x 25m stroke focus off 45s

Round 1: all FC

Round 2: FL on first 25s, FL/BA on 50s and BA on second set of 25s

Round 3: BA on first 25s, BA/BS on 50s and BS on second set of 25s

Round 4: BS on first 25s, BA/FC on 50s and FC on second set of 25s.

Then, 100m IM stroke focus followed by 100m IM sprint

Cool down

100m FC

Total distance: 2200m

Focus on open water race pace, plus some sprints, with the hardest work loaded at the end to simulate a race finish.

Warm up

400m alt FC/BA

6 x 33.3m FC build

Main set

4 x 100m FC off 1:30 at 3km race pace

66.7m easy

4 x 33.3m FC sprint off 1:00

66.7m easy

4 x 100m FC off 1:30 at 3km race pace

66.7m easy

4 x 66.7m FC sprint off 2:00

66.7m easy

4 x 100m FC off 1:30 at 3km race pace

66.7m easy

4 x 100m FC max effort off 3:00

66.7m easy

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3200m

Struggled with this one – maybe because of running last night

Warm up

400m as 1 length kick, 2 lengths swim, reverse IM order

3 x 66.7m as 1 length easy, 1 length sprint

Main set

Repeat 3 times:

• 4 x 100m FC off 1:35
• 1 x 66.7m FC off 1:00
• 1 x 200m FC off 3:10

• 1 x 200m easy

Total distance: 3200m

Fast set of 400s this morning, all at 5:25 or quicker, thanks to some dedicated drafting

Warm up

600m mix FC and BA

Main set

8 x 400m FC off 6:15 (50s to 1 minute rest after each)

Cool down

400m easy

Total distance: 4200m

Teddington Masters Club Session

Warm up

12 lengths FC, 8 lengths BA (720m)

Main set

2 x 1 length FL kick + 10s rest, 4 x 1L FL + 10s rest, 4×1 IM + 20s rest

Repeat pattern three more times, once on each stroke

4 lengths easy

12 lengths FC breathe every 3, 5 and 7 strokes, changing each length

2 x 6 lengths FC + 30s res

2 x 3 lengths FC easy, stroke focus

4 x 3 lengths FC hard off 1:45

4 x 1 length FC sprints

Cool down

4 lengths easy

Total distance: 4104m

Regular TSCM club session

Warm up

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

Main set

4 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 3 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 2 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy, 50m FC Max Effort

4 x 25m FL + 30s after each, 200m IM, 4 x 25m FL +30s after each

50m FC Max Effort, 50m easy, 2 x 50m FC off 35s, 50m easy, 3 x 50m FC off 40s, 50m easy, 4 x 50m FC off 45s

200m FC drill

4 x 100m FC off 90s, 50m easy, 3 x 100m FC off 85s, 50m easy, 2 x 100m off 80s, 50m easy, 100m FC Max Effort

Cool down

150m easy

Total distance: 4250m

Medley club session with Teddington Masters.

Warm up

200m FC, 150m BA, 100m BS, 50 FL drill

200m IM as 25m kick, 25m drill on each stroke

Main set

25m FL, 50m as FL/BA, 75m as FL/BA/BS, 100m IM (20s rest between each)

3 x 100m IM (+ 20s rest after each)

200m FC steady

25m FC, 50m as FC/BS, 75m as FC/BS/BA, 100m reverse IM (20s rest between each)

3 x 100m reverse IM (+ 20s rest after each)

200m IM as 25m kick, 25m drill on each stroke

150m FC steady

3 x 25m – IM order turns practice

2 x 100m IM

Cool down

300m FC

Total distance: 2925m

Reduced set as feeling tired

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Main set

6 x 400m FC off 6:15 (4 @ 5:30 and 2 @ 5:50)

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3200m

Erith Masters Gala

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m IM (with Fly drill), 1 x 25m FL sprint

Races

200m IM

100m FL

200m FC

50m FL (in relay)

Total distance: 1175m

Regular Teddington Masters club session – slightly shorter than usual in advance of competition tomorrow

Warm up

12 lengths as 1 length FC, 1 length medley order drill

10 lengths FC build

Main set

6 x 4×1 IM off 2:45 + 2L easy

2 x 12 lengths FC as 4L steady, 4L medium, 4L fast, off 7:00 + 2L easy

8 x 3L as odds FC, evens BA (plus 15 to 45s rest after each) + 2L easy

4 x 1L sprints

Cool down

4L easy

Total distance: 3888m

Club session with Teddington Masters

Warm up (1000m)

400m FC, 200m BA, 400m FC

Set 1 (700m)

50m kick, 4 x 50m FC off 45s, 100m IM, 4 x 50m FC off45s, 50m kick, 100m easy

Set 2 (2450m)

4 x 100m FC off 1:30, 4 x 50m FC off 45s, 4 x 25m FL, 50m easy

400m FC

3 x 100m FC off 1:30, 1 minute rest, 1 x 100m FC max effort, 100m easy

6 x 50m FC off 45s, 4 x 25m BA, 200m FC drill

100m FC max effort

50m easy

50m FL sprint

Cool down

100m easy

Total distance: 4250m

First training session for a week! (But did Oceanman Turkey 10km in between). Short speed set.

Warm up

100m FC, 33m kick, 67m BA

6 x 33m Build/Sprint @ 0:45

Main set

Four rounds of:

• 100m FC Max effort off 1:30, 100m easy off 3:00
• 2 x (67m FC Max effort off 1:00, 67m easy off 2:00)

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 2200m

Warm up

2 rounds of 4L FC, 3L BA, 2L BS, 1L FL

4 x 33.3m FL sprints + 30s

Main set

3 x 100m FC Max effort off 1:30, 1 x 100m easy off 2:00, +30s rest

2 x 100m FC Max effort off 1:30, 2 x 100m easy off 2:00, +30s rest

1 x 100m FC Max effort off 1:30, 3 x 100m easy off 2:00, +30s rest

3 x 66.7m FC Max effort off 1:00, 1 x 66.7m easy off 1:30, +30s rest

2 x 66.7m FC Max effort off 1:00, 2 x 66.7m easy off 1:30, +30s rest

1 x 66.7m FC Max effort off 1:00, 3 x 66.7m easy off 1:30, +30s rest

3 x 33.3m FC Max effort off 30s, 1 x 33.3m easy off 45s, +30s rest

2 x 33.3m FC Max effort off 30s, 2 x 33.3m easy off 45s, +30s rest

1 x 33.3m FC Max effort off 30s, 3 x 33.3m easy off 45, +30s rest

Cool down

200m easy

Total: 3400m

Threshold set on tired shoulders

Warm up

400m alternating 100m FC, 100m BA

200m FC pull

100m as 1 length kick, 1 length drill, 1 length swim

3 x 33.3m FL sprint

Main set (all FC at threshold pace, continuous)

3 x 66.7m off 1:00

6 x 100m off 1:35

2 x 200m off 3:10

3 x 66.7m off 1:00

4 x 100m off 1:35

2 x 200m off 3:10

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3200m

Regular 400 club but with some fast wet-suited triathletes leading the way

Warm up

600m FC (but include a few lengths of BS)

Main set

8 x 400m FC off 6:15

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 4000m

Teddington Masters sunrise club session

Warm up

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

Main set

3 x 8L as 1L IM order, 1L FC (864m)

12L FC off 7:00, 2x6L FC off 3:30, 3x4L FC off 2:30, 6x2L FC off 1:15, 12x1L FC off 1:15 (2160m)

6 x 2L as 1L sprint (FL, BA, BS x2) 1L FC easy (432m)

Cool down

4L easy (144m)

Total distance: 4464m

Quick lunchtime dip with Teddington Masters

Warm up

100m FC, 50m BA

Main set

4 x 100m as 75m FC, 25m IM order off 1:45

4 x 50m FC off 45s, 50m easy

100m IM, 100m reverse IM

4 x 25m FL

3 x 100m FC off 1:30, 50m easy

3 x 50m FC off 45s, 100m easy, 3 x 50m FC off 45s

100m IM, 100m easy

Cool down

5 x 25m drills

75m easy

Total distance: 2250

TSCM Club session

Warm up

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

Main set

8 x 50m FC off 45s + 50m easy

4 x 25m FL sprints

25m FL, 50m BA, 75m BS, 100m FC

50m easy, 200m FC max effort, 50m easy, 4 x 50m FC off 40s, 50m easy

25m FL, 50m BA, 75m BS, 100m FC

4 x 50m FC, 50m easy

200m FC max effort, 15s rest, 200m FC steady (60% effort), 50m easy

4 rounds of (2 x 50m FC off 35s, 50m easy)

Cool down

100m easy

Total distance: 4000m

Sprint session

Warm up

2 rounds of (100m FC, 33.3m kick, 66.7m BA)

6 x 33.3m FC build

Main set

2 rounds of:

• 133.3m FC max effort off 2:00 followed by 133.3m easy off 3:30
• 2 x (66.7m FC max effort off 1:00 followed by 66.7m easy off 1:45)
• 4 x (33.3m FC max effort off 30s followed by 33.3m easy off 45s)

Take 1 minute extra rest between each round, then do:

133.3m FC max effort off 2:00 followed by 133.3m easy off 3:30

66.7m FC max effort off 1:00 followed by 66.7m easy off 1:45

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 2800m