For those of you that swim 4 days a week - 12k + yards:
At some point during each workout are you swimming hard? Or are there days where you do a lazy 2k - 3k?
For the last several years I was swimming 12K+ each week, I would be strong for the first 2 or 3 weeks and kill my interval times but after that I was slugging my way through the workouts and making the interval by 10 sec or so.
Recently I’ve moved to 3 times a week 2500 to 3000 per workout, kill my intervals and look forward to pool time again. Since doing that I’m able to bring in 100’s in the low 1:20’s (SCY) instead of just breaking 1:30.
My last swim meet put me ahead of my previous best year, I have another meet this weekend to further gauge how I’m doing. With any luck I’ll be better again 
jaretj
On average, probably a lazy sesh (zero high intensity…kick sets aside) once every two weeks or so.
It’s swimming. Do 90+ % at threshold.
80+% of the swimming I do (4 days/week, 16-17k yards) is “fast” swimming.
I think the issue for lots of triathletes is that they aren’t aware of what 80% is and end up doing too much at 100%, waste themselves and miss the next workout. Ending up getting neither the interval or distance in on a weekly basis.
I think the issue for lots of triathletes is that they aren’t aware of what 80% is and end up doing too much at 100%, waste themselves and miss the next workout. Ending up getting neither the interval or distance in on a weekly basis.
Not in swimming. Most triathletes end up doing too much at 50%.
MAKE. IT. COUNT.
I get in 17-22k per week. Warmup/cd usually easy. The rest I try to make something of… even if I’m tired. If I start a mainset and feel completely wrecked I will just revert to trying to maintain ironman race pace for all of it or something. Or throw on the paddles and make it a strength session.
You are there to work. Sometimes I wonder why I see some of the other masters swimmers standing and talking at the end of the lane for 10-15 minutes… I would never wake up at 4:30am to drive somewhere and PAY to take a social bath…
For those of you that swim 4 days a week - 12k + yards:
At some point during each workout are you swimming hard? Or are there days where you do a lazy 2k - 3k?
I think if you’re going to do a day of “lazy swimming” I would make it a drill/swim day (as long as they are meaningful drills). I think you will get more benefit out of form work than just slugging along slow for a couple thousand yards.
Personally, I swim 3 days a week at 5,000 yds per session. Gives me more time to focus on run and bike, while still getting some quality work in (15,000 yds week). I’d say 70% is at a hard or tempo effort. I still get in 1,500 or so of easy swimming and some drill work.
Could you expand upon this idea? Lately I’ve been wondering if my usual approach to swim training (Masters with plenty of intervals) is the best approach to preparing for an IM swim. Specifically, I’ve been wonder if I shouldn’t be doing almost everything at just a bit faster than my sustainable 1 hour pace.
Any thoughts?
It’s swimming. Do 90+ % at threshold.
Seifarth,
How do you get in 17-22k of swimming a week and still have time for bike/run? Or is that a swimming focused volume? If not, whatdo your bike and run training numbers look like?
Thanks!
That’s pretty much my exact weekly average for number of swim s and total yardage. My coach gives my workouts from The Bernhardt book “Workout in a Binder” and will almost always have stes which are swum at various intensities.
Seifarth,
How do you get in 17-22k of swimming a week and still have time for bike/run? Or is that a swimming focused volume? If not, whatdo your bike and run training numbers look like?
Thanks!
Really early mornings… the group around where I live swims 530am-7am M,T,Th,Sat and when its warm I swim 1h open water on fridays at 6am, or I add in another pool swim in the afternoon on weekdays or sunday. Its not a large time commitment if you don’t dink around. You can easily get in 5000m in 1h30… so thats what 6-7h of swimming per week?
My bike and run numbers do vary (as with anyone), but I like to keep it around 100-115km running almost year-round. The bike is still a bit lower as I’m 100% on the trainer (northern climate) so its around 300-350km per week. Summer can get to 500-600km per week.
It helps that I’m a student with a part time job, so my time is a bit more flexible than a normal 9-5 job.
I look at it two ways (and neither may actually be right)
If I were a marathon runner and could train however I wanted to with no consequences…
- I would run 26+ miles everyday. My muscles, heart and mind would know how the challenge feels.
- I would do tons of speed work and sprints. Get myself really used to pushing the throttle.
The problem is the next day I would not want to walk, let alone repeat a 20 miler plus some speed work. I would be too beat up and injured.
I think the ideal training for a marathon would be 100 x 400 sprints, 50 x 800 sprints, miles, 5K and 10K at race pace. We just can’t do that.
In swimming you can. I do tons of sprints, threshold and intervals. On some 100s my back, shoulders, and arms literally stop moving from lactic build up.
After a bottle of chocolate milk, a hot shower and good sleep - I can repeat the entire thing day in and day out. I swim every morning and usually only take off 1-2 days a month.
The last two months, I almost exclusively swim 50s, 100s and 200s. I lowered my 1650 time by well over a minute.
I usually do 1 technique with alot of 25’s 50’s 100’s drills pull etc, 1 speed, 1 long of various longer intervals, and 1 Satruday “lazyish” swim before my brick which is anywhere from 2000-4000 depending on how feel and whether or not its open water. I sort of have this same basic plan around bike and run too.
I have been swimming at least 15K per week for the last 6 months. My swim has never been better. I get in the pool at least 4x per week. All sessions are hard. Some may be hard and short(25-400s); others may be hard long swims(400s+). Get a band, use it and swim hard whenever you get the chance.
Todd
ex college swimmer - often one of the harder workers - turned triathlete aka swimming slacker here.
The last two seasons I’ve been a complete slacker…swimming 3 days per week getting in around 2k per session. My excuse was that my bike/run could improve much more. While true, and still true to a point…the honest truth is that being an ex-swimmer I could get away with that. lately I’ve moved to swimming 4-5x per week with a minimum closer to 2800 yards.
Swimming is simple…and people are complicating this whole thing.
BarryP posted in his running threads a simple truth…look at how coaches are getting the younger kids faster. In running it is frequency and volume.
The same is true for swimming.
In HS I swam a minimum of 6 days per week and at least 5k per day. Many days were much higher. There were days when my first main set was 5x1000.
Every day has a focus. Some days it is distance and endurance sets. Some days are about speed. Some are about technique. Yesterday I did a main set of 100’s with the last 5 being sprints on the 2 minutes. Today was 4x400 at a moderate pace.
Here is the kicker with swimming (pun intended)…stroke matters. In school I had a coach watching me and correcting me until I had my bad habits ironed out. As adults we don’t get that as often…but it is critical. Swimming more with crap technique isn’t going to do the trick.
If you want to get fast in the water you need to make sure your stroke technique is good and then you need to swim…a lot.
Assuming you’re a 4 day, 12k+ swimmer:
If you’re swimming most of your sets at 80-90% intensity, maintaining proper form… it’s okay to have a lazy day once every 2 weeks or so. I find it’s a great full-body recovery tool to piddle around in a lap lane for an hour or so when my body needs it.If you’re swimming at 80-90% intensity with 50% efficiency, you need to invest in some proper time with a seasoned swim coach. Someone who can (and will) chew you out after every set you complete with sloppy form. Efficiency is paramount.
If you’re swimming at 50% intensity with proper form, you should have another look at your goals for the swim.
Seifarth,
How do you get in 17-22k of swimming a week and still have time for bike/run? Or is that a swimming focused volume? If not, whatdo your bike and run training numbers look like?
Thanks!
Really early mornings… the group around where I live swims 530am-7am M,T,Th,Sat and when its warm I swim 1h open water on fridays at 6am, or I add in another pool swim in the afternoon on weekdays or sunday. Its not a large time commitment if you don’t dink around. You can easily get in 5000m in 1h30… so thats what 6-7h of swimming per week?
My bike and run numbers do vary (as with anyone), but I like to keep it around 100-115km running almost year-round. The bike is still a bit lower as I’m 100% on the trainer (northern climate) so its around 300-350km per week. Summer can get to 500-600km per week.
It helps that I’m a student with a part time job, so my time is a bit more flexible than a normal 9-5 job.
wow. your workout schedule is impressive. how many hours a week do you train on average?
Seifarth,
How do you get in 17-22k of swimming a week and still have time for bike/run? Or is that a swimming focused volume? If not, whatdo your bike and run training numbers look like?
Thanks!
Really early mornings… the group around where I live swims 530am-7am M,T,Th,Sat and when its warm I swim 1h open water on fridays at 6am, or I add in another pool swim in the afternoon on weekdays or sunday. Its not a large time commitment if you don’t dink around. You can easily get in 5000m in 1h30… so thats what 6-7h of swimming per week?
My bike and run numbers do vary (as with anyone), but I like to keep it around 100-115km running almost year-round. The bike is still a bit lower as I’m 100% on the trainer (northern climate) so its around 300-350km per week. Summer can get to 500-600km per week.
It helps that I’m a student with a part time job, so my time is a bit more flexible than a normal 9-5 job.
wow. your workout schedule is impressive. how many hours a week do you train on average?
ranges… maybe 15h in post race season layoff. 20-32 hr in race season? Probably average around 22-24h.