I’m doing about 2300 right now in preparation for 1/2IM in March and am thinking I’ll increase that to 3300 by June in prep for IM in August. How about others? Do you suggest more?
That includes warmup, drills, main set, warm down.
I usually swim once a week and swam between 4000 and 4500 per workout to prep for my first and only half IM. Most of those workouts contained a main set that ran between 2500 and 3500 yards. I think that you should be doing a long set at least once per week of at least your race distance if you want to be able to do the swim fairly easily.
I think it depends what your goal is. I think you can get by on 2,300 yds, especially if you’re an experienced swimmer. If you new, realatively slow and uncomfortable in the water, then you may want to swim a little more - just to become stronger in the water - It can be a long race if it takes 50 minutes to complete the swim. Assuming you have the use of a wet suit, that will also make your race swim much easier. I’ve known people who can get through an Ironman on 3,000 yds, 4 days a week, but they’re also pretty experienced swimmers and their only goal on the swim is to finish.
5500 yds
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I probably average 4,000-5,000 meters a week when I’m training (usually two swims/week of around 2,000-2500 meters) (FWIW I swim around a 1:01 for an IM swim). Its not so much about how many yards you swim but how efficiently you swim. IMO Your time is best spent learning proper technique instead of cranking you yards.
that’s a sweet pace, I can’t do a single 100 repeat at that 
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lol thats an HOUR, not a minute … whole swim time! I WISH I could hold 1:01/100!!!
Really depends on your swimming background.
I’ve been swimming for 3 years and train for HIMs mostly. I’m about a 30 min HIM swimmer.
Last winter I was 12 to 16K a week while in the season I dropped to about 8K a week. I feel four 2300yd swims are better than three 3300yd swims
When I did IMFL I was swimming a lot of open water (2 to 3 times a week) and did mostly 1 hour swims.
jaretj
to get fit for swimming and i mean properly, prob minimum 20 kms a week.
20K is about minimum for me if I’m really going to feel fit in the water and really develop swim-specific muscle strength. Anything below that, and I’m bluffing my way through tri season on some rather indifferent technique (my freestyle is not pretty, but it’s relatively effective) rather than actual swim fitness.
Swimming is my major limiter which I am attacking this offseason.
The Last four weeks averaged 2500 per workout, at least one 3K+ workout per week, and a minimum of 10K per week, lots of drills and stroke improvement work. The shoulders are barking, but it’s getting better. Still can’t flip turn worth a crap…open turns are probably contributing to my shoulder soreness as much as the swimming.
I joined a local master’s group which has helped with the motivation to get those last few thousand yards in at the end of the week when I don’t feel like going.
I suspect that the average will go up once swimming becomes easier, at least more comfortable. It is really work right now for every yard.
20K is about minimum for me if I’m really going to feel fit in the water and really develop swim-specific muscle strength. Anything below that, and I’m bluffing my way through tri season on some rather indifferent technique (my freestyle is not pretty, but it’s relatively effective) rather than actual swim fitness.
most triathletes do bluff their way with swim fitness.
I’m happy with about 1,000 yards 2-3 times a week this time of year 
… But I figure its good to build up to one 3,000-yard and a couple 2,000 yard days every week in the two months before ‘A’ races (olys & halfs). Don’t see the need for much more unless you are trying to make major improvements.
I WOULD NEVER ask on Slowtwitch for an average: an average 5k, an average 50 mile bike split, an average marathon. I just wouldn’t do it. You are asking for the most UN AVERAGE data possible.
Instead, I think you would come to Slowtwitch with something like: “Hey, Do Any of You Swim 5,000 meters a day, like me, with lungbusters at the end?”
Most of the replies you are going to read are the Dolan ites swimming 3-6,000 yards a day. And the kicker is, is that they do, like in 1:15 per 100 meters, all day. Fast, too. With drills.
Your 2300 is probably way more than the average.
Reality for me these days is about 4K a week, and muddle through the swim on skills from far in the past. Just enough to keep a little bit of a feel for the water, but nowhere close to decent swim fitness.
2500-3000 yards a workout is my avg.
In season 4000m 2xweek and about 2000m 1xweek. Now 3000m 2xweek (kick focus and since I suck at kicking my sessions take much longer) and 2000m 1xweek.
Most of the replies you are going to read are the Dolan ites swimming 3-6,000 yards a day. And the kicker is, is that they do, like in 1:15 per 100 meters, all day. Fast, too. With drills.
Your 2300 is probably way more than the average.
Well said…I wonder how many total weekly hours somebody is training if they swim 20K a week?Pro’s maybe?
I bumped my swimming by an additional day, 4 days a week now with average about 3500 per workout. Being a slow avg swimmer I really hope that this extra yardage will help. Last IM swim 1.10. Just can’t figure out what the swimmers are talking about when they say to grab the still water, relax your shoulders(how do you do that when swimming?). Maybe one day it’ll click.
Paul
Get in the pool at least 3 times per week. You will see significant improvement in your swim times. I average 8000 yards per week.