General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile Rss Feed  
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2011-01-03 9:15 AM

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Subject: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
I'm new to swimming.  Currently, my workouts are about 1500-1900 yds of drills/intervals.  I am going to maintain these sets, but would like to work on increasing my ability to swim longer intervals.  Does anyone have a program that would progress from 1800 yds of shorter intervals, to longer intervals to a mile swim.  Maybe a ladder or pyramid that could be increased as my endurance increases?  Thanks.


2011-01-03 9:19 AM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
I would suspect that if your typical swim workout is 1500-1900 yds total, that you can currently swim a mile non-stop.  Unless you are normally finishing 100yds (or 50 or 25) and holding on to the wall gasping for breath, you likely have all the fitness you require.

If you want to try, just start swimming at what feels like a pretty relaxed pace and aim to maintain it through the mile.

Shane
2011-01-03 9:46 AM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
2011-01-03 11:04 AM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
Since we are talking fitness levels needed for the mile swim, I have been wondering about a similar question.  When you are lifting weights there are many charts showing how to determine your 1 rep max based on using lighter weights.  Is there something similar to determine your likely top end distance?  Say, for instance, that at a moderate pace I swim 400 meters without stopping in a typical workout, can this be used to determine how far I could probably go if I tried?  Obviously it might just be easier to go until you can't go any more and see how far that is...
2011-01-03 12:56 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
Google "0 to 1650", it is designed to get you to 1 mile in 6 weeks.
2011-01-03 1:03 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
Thanks for the suggestions.  I'm not overly optimistic about my chances at a mile without breaks at this point.  I'm still struggling with my breathing efficiency, but I'm going to start working on AdventureBear's breathing drills.  I messed around with the numbers and came up with this:

2x50
3x100
2x150
2x200
2x150
3x100
2x50
Total 1800 yds

I might give this a go a couple times and adjust as needed.  Thanks. 


2011-01-03 1:51 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
I've yet to use a plan.

I just kept trying to so a little harder or a little further on MOST of my swims. (Note, not on ALL of them.)

Somedays I feel like going longer, and sometimes I try for short sprints. Just a mood kinda thing, and it is important to pay attention to how you feel.  One of your 'on' days is when to go for it.

On a typical swim for me I do sets from about 100-400m, but sometimes I'll start with 800m.  I tend to do lazy breaststroke laps in between freestyle sets.  Really, I'm all over the board but it works for me.  Every now and then I just get it and go doing one long set.

I typically swim 1 to 1.5 miles a session.  I like marking the 100 mile club chart on the wall, and I hate marking quarters or less than a mile.

Does this help you?  Perhaps not, but my point is you don't HAVE to follow a plan.  If you listen to your body and at least set some occasional loose goals, you can go by feel.  I haven't ran a race longer than an Oly, but I knew before I signed up for my first tri that I could finish an IM swim within the cutoff.  Most days I could swim 2.5 miles or more if I wanted to, but there is a LOT more to swim workouts than rote distance.

So after all this babbling, don't sweat some long distance benchmark, just strive to (mostly) go a little further or faster over time.

-eric
2011-01-03 2:33 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
A plan isn't necessary, but I like plans and maybe you do too.

Let me tell you what I liked about Ruth's plan. 1) In each workout, the longest swims where at the beginning. I could think to myself, "If I can just make this, the rest will be easier." 2) The rests between the swims were clearly defined.

You could consider starting with a modified week 3. Here is what I was doing for week 3:
Warmup:
2 x 50 work on bilateral breathing
Ruth Kazez Week 3 (1200 yards):
1 x 400 w/ 12 breath rest
1 x 200 w/ 10 breath rest
4 x 100 w/ 8 breath rest
4 x 50 w/ 4 breath rest
Bonus/Swim Down:
1 x 50 easy kick
1 x 100
4 x 25 backstroke
1 x 50
Total: 1600 yards, 40 minutes.
2011-01-03 4:46 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
I did the whole high school swimming thing....


you really dont have any long distance sets in your workout.   At minimum, you should have 200s and 500s for triathlon training. Doing a lot of 50s and 100s will help with the speed factor, but it sounded like you were more concerned with distance.

Typically, for a high school swim program, it takes 7-8 days of full swim workouts (3500-4500 yards) to get up to 200s nonstop comfortably (this is for a swimmer who wasn't swimming during the off season).  You will have to push yourself and it will be tough but its doable.   Just go slow.  I also advocate flip turns at walls...

Great swim workouts go something like: 

Nice long warm up (usually 400 minimum)
Throw some 100s and 200s on a higher tempo
Now its time for the core workout..I like doing 5-10 sets of 200 usually focused on some type of swimming drill and mix things up with alternative strokes.
Now its time for the core distance set.  Something along the lines of 8 200s or 4 500s etc. 
Now 20 25's fast.
Warm Down - 300 

That was around a 4500 yard workout.  Timing is a big deal. You do all these sets on set intervals...If you become a good swimmer, you lower the intervals.  For example, slower swimmers would be in one lane and do 200s on usually say 3:30, faster swims would be in a different lane and do the 200s on 2:45 etc.  You want to push yourself. 

disclaimers: you obviously alter the distances depending on where you are in your swimming cycle (just starting from off season vs. almost race day). These type of workouts help with speed almost as much as distance.

In general though...remember:
Warm up --> Small set Leading to Main set --> Main set -> Distance set  -> Speed set  -> Warm Down.
Typically this would take 2 -2.5 hours (which is tough to fit in your daily schedule if you are a non-swim team person).  Cut it down accordingly to fit your schedule.

have fun with it though...do some breast stroke, back stroke, etc.

Edited by iOrlando 2011-01-03 4:50 PM
2011-01-03 8:02 PM
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Subject: RE: Beginner Swim Program: Wall-to-One Mile
iOrlando - 2011-01-03 5:46 PM

At minimum, you should have 200s and 500s for triathlon training.


Thanks for the detailed response.  When I say I'm new to swimming, I really am new to swimming.  I would like to work up to the 200s and 500s in my workout, but I'm not there yet.  I do understand the importance of drills, but I would like to have a workout that is a mile in distance.  Over time, I increase the distance of each set to work up to a continuous mile.
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