Swimming Routine

If I was in your shoes I would probably be doing some version of 500 WU with some drills in there.  1200 broken up into 50's, 100's, 200's, kicking, IM's, not all in the same day.  My guess is that's along the lines of what you are doing.  If you want to mix it up add in ladders.  For a 2k workout, 500 WU, 1K ladder (25,50,75,100,150,200 and back down) then kick and whatever warm down you do.

Echoing what others have said, you can usually maintain your current level of fitness swimming 2-3 times per week, but if you want to see any significant improvement, then you need to be in the pool 4-5 times per week.  It really comes down to where you are now and what your goals are.

That being said, my best triathlon results have come in years when I focused primarily on the bike.  Even though running has always been my weakest event, I found I was better off overall coming strong off the bike, rather than trying to just work on improving my run.

As far as swimming, these days I'm more of a "swimmer who does triathlons" as opposed to just being a triathlete.  I swim with my masters group at 6:00 AM 5-6 times per week, averaging about 10K yards per week.  

Mark

I have been toying with starting a challenge based around swim workouts.  Either posting a WO a day or 4 for the week.  If enough people contributed it would break up the boredom.  Just thinking out loud.

That would be really great.  There was a swim-based challenge group a couple of years ago that was reviewing Sheila T.'s Swim Speed Secrets book, which led to a lot of good discussion (about her coaching techniques and just general swim discussion).

Sheila T's Swim Speed Workouts card set is nice because the cards are waterproof for use on the pool deck.  It also includes explanations of the stroke drills from her book and dryland stretch band exercises.

Sheila's been coaching my masters team here in Sarasota since last June.  She's taken a massive amount of time off my 100, and I'm a believer in what she teaches. 

Mark      

I think the challenge part of that group was to add one or two swim workouts a week to your normal routine.

heres a killer workout for ya, adjust send offs as necessary.

2x (6x250) broken 250's on 4:00.  you are trying to hit the same times as you go.  I swam 35's and 2:40's.  The rest varies as the set progresses.  You take 5 seconds rest from the 200 and give it to the 50

so the send offs look like this:

50's           200's
:40             3:20
:45             3:15
:50             3:10
:55             3:05
1:00           3:00
1:05           2:55

take 5 minutes to swim easy/rest a bit, then reverse it

50's           200's
1:05           2:55
1:00           3:00
:55             3:05
:50             3:10
:45             3:15
:40             3:20

you'll hate me by the end but its a great set.  On the second half use your pull buoy or paddles if you need them to hit the times.

it was scy, don't underestimate how much fatigue you'll put on by the end.  the first set is really doable, the second set is agony.

maybe bump it out to 4:30.  still makes the clock FAIRLY easy.  and if its too easy you can always swim the 50's faster to make the 200's harder.