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Off Season Swim Workouts: Month 3

author : Tri Swim Coach

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The focus of this months workouts are to get you used to zone training. The final workout will work on racing speed and finishing strong.

The focus of this months workouts are to get you used to zone training.

*These workouts are NOT for the new swimmer. You should have a season of sprint or olympic distance races to easily transition into this. If you are a beginner, see our Learn How to Swim program.

Get familiar with zone training terminology.

Workout #1

The purpose of this workout is to get you used to different paces from zone two to sprint racing.

WARM UP: 400 easy

Drill Set: 600 alternating 25 swim/25 drills (rotate between catch up drill, finger tip drag, and switch drill)

*The premise of the 'switch' drill is to keep your arms underwater and pull yourself though with a good high elbow catch and him rotation. Arm recovery occurs underwater.

MAIN: (all on 20 sec. rest)

5x500 as:

1st: easy
2nd: zone two
3rd: zone 3/tempo
4th: zone 4 race pace
5th: sprint

WARM DOWN: 200 Choice

TOTAL: 3700

Workout #2

Purpose: The purpose of this workout is to focus on good form when tired, which is why the drills come at the end followed by a speed set.

WARM UP: 500 swim (100 swim, 100 backstroke, 100 swim, 100 breast, 100 swim)

MAIN: (15 seconds recovery)

500 zone 2
400 zone 3/tempo
300 zone 2
200 zone 4/race pace
100 sprint

DRILL: 8x50s

Odds: Catch up
Evens: High elbow catch

SPEED:

8x100s at just above race pace with 10s recovery

WARM DOWN: 300 Choice

TOTAL: 3500

Workout #3

Purpose: Strength. By including different strokes you work different muscles as well as increase your feel for the water. This set is long but demanding if done correctly.

WARM UP: 200 Choice, 100 kick, 200 swim, 100 kick

DRILL: Repeat this set 4x (25 catch up/25 swim, 25 fingertip drag/25swim, 25 shark fin/25 swim, 25 fist/25 drill), finish with 4x200 build

Main set: 3x

100 butterfly HARD
200 backstroke easy
100 breastroke hard
200 freestyle easy

WARM DOWN: 100 Easy swim

TOTAL: 4100

Workout #4

Purpose: Work on racing speeds and finishing strong. You do not get a chance to really warm up during races so the warm up is very short. you also do not get a chance to do drills before a race, so this one is drill free. You have to be able to get into your groove quickly a hold it.

WARM UP: 200 easy

MAIN : 2-3x with 30 seconds rest

100 sprint
150 (race pace minus 5 seconds)
500 race pace
150 (build each 50)
100 sprint

WARM DOWN: 100 choice

TOTAL: 2300-3300

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date: December 23, 2013

Author

Tri Swim Coach

I'm at http://www.TriSwimCoach.com- a resource for beginning through intermediate level triathletes looking for help with swimming. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. I have also written an electronic book titled “The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming” and created "The Essential Triathlon Swimming DVD", both available on www.triswimcoach.com.

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