Upping the speed open water swimming workout

Here’s a workout that was very well received by the open water swimming gang at the Wind-n-Sea Masters Swim team. With the open water racing season nearing in Southern California we are spending time training up our aerobic threshold. We use a short 10 x 100 set to establish a reference point for the aerobic threshold before working to push the adaptation. Several of our top amateur and pro triathletes are seeing improved times on their swim legs as a result of sets like this.

Warm up

4 x 150 (middle 50 alligator eyes every 4th stroke)

Main Set

10 x 100 hold consistent pace @1:15/1:30/1:45 (your average time is rough estimate of your aerobic threshold)

400 build aerobic by 50
8 x 50 fastest possible interval (fpi) hold threshold
300 build aerobic by 50
6 x 50 fpi threshold -1
200 build aerobic by 50
4 x 50 fpi threshold -2
100 build aerobic by 50
2 x 50 fpi max effort

200 active recovery

600 pull dps front loaded hip driven freestyle

200 wam down

4600

Wind-n-Sea Masters  team is based in one of the mecca’s for open water swimming and a large number of it’s members are actively engaged in open water swimming all year round. The team features many top open water swimmers who have completed Catalina and English channel crossings as well as amateur and professional triathletes. Additionally, many members are new to open water swimming and the program encourages fun and camaraderie in the open water.

The team trains at the Coggan Family Aquatic Center – a beautiful 50m complex that is less than a mile away from the La Jolla Cove – site of the La Jolla Rough Water Swim; the largest open water swim in the United States.   Wind-n-Sea Masters archives all their works for the open water swimming and triathlon communities.

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colin
11 years ago

Thanks very much Mike!

I am doing a few Open Water swims this summer, and I’ve been looking for some tips on different sets I can do

This is very helpful

Thanks again

colin
11 years ago

I was just wondering if you could explain some of the terminology in the sets please

I’m just wondering what this references for the times – @1:15/1:30/1:45 for the set 10x100m?

Also for the sets of 50s what do you mean by fastest possible interval threshold and then fpi -1, -2 etc?

Thanks

Reply to  colin
11 years ago

Hi Colin, I typically list 3 intervals for the varying abilities on our team; these are yards times. The idea on the first set is to set an interval that gives you about 10 to 15 seconds rest while you attempt to hold the fastest possible repeat throughout.

The your average time is a rough estimate of your threshold pace. So the -1, -2 is that pace minus – so if your threshold was 1:00 for the 100’s then your 50 threshold is :30 and :30 – 2 = :28

I hope you’re enjoying your swimming!

About Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis is a freelance commercial, sport and lifestyle photographer based in San Diego.  Mike began making photos in the early 80’s and immersed himself in all aspects of the photographic arts.  Mike’s professional career in in photography began after 12 years working within the United States Olympic movement; he …

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