Back to the Pool: What to Pack and How to Structure Off-Season Swims

Packing the right tools for pool sessions will help you train with purpose. There are a few training aids that can be incorporated into your off-season swims, which allow you to practice swim drills correctly.

Adding swim drills to your set will help you perfect your swim technique and make you more efficient in the water.

• Session Plan – Go to the pool with purpose. Having your swim set programmed into your watch or written out on a piece of paper you can keep poolside helps you stay focused, track progress, and avoid wasting time between sets. A clear plan turns a casual swim into a structured training session.
  
  

• Front Facing Training Snorkel – Perfect for drill work and improving body alignment. A must-have for working on head position and stroke efficiency.
  
  

• Hand Paddles - Hand paddles are a powerful training aid, adding resistance to each stroke to build upper body strength while encouraging better technique. By making the pull phase more demanding, they highlight the importance of proper hand placement and a strong, efficient catch, helping swimmers refine their stroke mechanics as well as their endurance.
  
  

• Fins – Increase propulsion, and improve ankle flexibility, which is key for an efficient kick. Better ankle mobility allows you to point your toes and maintain a streamlined leg position, reducing drag and helping you move through the water more smoothly. Over time, this can lead to improved technique and more powerful, effective kicks.
  
  

• Buoyancy Shorts – Mimic the lift of a wetsuit and help you maintain better body position in the water. A favourite among triathletes, they can also be used instead of a pull buoy for a more natural kick feel during technical sets.
  
  

• Goggles – Look for anti-fog lenses, a clear or tinted lens and a secure but soft fit. A good pair of goggles does more than just keep water out. Clear, uninterrupted vision helps you stay focused on technique, pacing, and turn timing. Consistent visibility means fewer adjustments mid-set, allowing you to stay in the zone.
  
  

• Swimwear – Comfortable, chlorine-resistant suits will see you through high-volume sessions. Comfort is everything in the pool. Ill-fitting suits can distract you mid-set, cause chafing, or restrict movement – all of which interrupt your rhythm and focus. Good swimwear should feel like a second skin: secure, streamlined, and designed to move with you, not against you.

The off-season is more than a break from racing, it’s your chance to lay the groundwork for next season's goals. Training blocks, targeted drill work, and technique focus can set you up for huge gains later.

Should a complete break from swimming be taken during the off-season?

While a couple of weeks off from training is beneficial for physical and mental recovery after racing, the off-season is the best time to make significant progress with swimming.

A short, focused break prevents burnout. However, consistent, quality time in the pool is key for improving technique, which is harder to do during the intense race season.

How often should swimming occur in the off-season?

Consistency is more important than volume. Swimming two to three times a week is enough for most triathletes to maintain fitness.

However, if you are intent on making big improvments to your swim, increase the frequency per week. Prioritising good technique in these sessions will help develop a better feel for the water, even if the sessions are shorter in duration.

What should the training focus be in the off-season?

The main focus should be on technique and efficiency, not just building endurance. With less race pressure, you have the freedom to dedicate time to mastering drills that address stroke weaknesses and correct bad habits. We also recommend incorporating strength training, especially for core and upper body muscles, to improve power in the water.

1. Recovery Reset (Weeks 1–2)
   Take a full step back. Prioritise physical recovery and give yourself a mental breather from the discipline of training. Use this time for active rest: hiking, yoga, paddleboarding, or just catching up on time with friends and family. Skip the pool. Let your body reset fully.
   
   
2. Reflection & Goal Setting (Weeks 3–4)
   Look back to move forward. Take stock of what worked and what didn’t during your season. Use that insight to set goals – not just general ambitions, but clear, actionable objectives. This is your chance to give upcoming training blocks real purpose.
   
   
3. Base Building & Technical Focus (Weeks 5–8)
   Now is the time to rebuild the foundation. Focus on lower-intensity, technique-led swim sets that target weaknesses. This phase is ideal for working on form – like correcting your catch or improving body position with tools like a snorkel or buoyancy shorts. Pair swim sessions with strength training or mobility work to build balance and injury resistance.
   
   
4. Specific Training Blocks (Weeks 9–12)
   Start to reintroduce structured intensity with drills and sets aligned to your goals. Alternate endurance and speed work. Incorporate open water simulation in the pool using sighting drills, continuous swimming, and tri-suits for race-day feel.

An off-season swim workout should start with a clear warm-up to loosen the body, followed by targeted drill work to refine technique, then move into a main set focused on either endurance or speed depending on the training block.

Strength tools like hand paddles, fins, or buoyancy shorts can be added to isolate specific muscle groups and improve form.

The session should finish with a short cool down to aid recovery. Keeping workouts balanced between technique, aerobic fitness, and skill simulation makes them effective without overloading the body.

Try structuring your session like this:

1. Warm-up (10-15 mins): Easy swimming to get the muscles ready.
   
   
2. Drill Set (10-15 mins): Focused drills addressing specific technique weaknesses.
   
   
3. Main Set (20-30 mins):
   
   To improve swim speed: A quality interval session using short, sharp reps at or above race pace. Try a descending pyramid set with controlled rest. Focus on explosiveness, power, and maintaining good form under fatigue.
   
   To improve swim endurance: Longer intervals at a consistent, sustainable pace to build aerobic strength. For example, 4–6 x 400m with 30–45 seconds rest, or a pyramid of 200m, 400m, 600m, 400m, 200m swum at steady effort. Concentrate on efficiency, breathing rhythm, and holding form over distance.
   
   
4. Cool-down (5-10 mins): Easy swimming to relax and recover.

Simulating race conditions in the pool is a smart way to prepare for open water swims and triathlon season. Practicing specific techniques during off-season, will make you ahead of the game when it's time to get back in the open water.

Sighting Practice

In open water, swimming in a straight line is everything. Practise lifting your eyes just above the surface every 6–8 strokes, spotting a fixed target like the pool clock, your drinks bottle or a marker on the wall. Keep it quick - just a glance forward before settling back into your rhythm. This builds the habit of sighting without breaking body position or wasting energy.

Deep Water Starts

Most open water races don’t have the benefit of pushing off the wall to get you started... Instead, you’ll either be running into the water or treading water until the horn sounds. To simulate a deep water start, start your set in the middle of the pool, scull or tread water for 10–15 seconds, then kick hard into your first strokes at race effort. It trains you to accelerate smoothly and settle into pace quickly.

No-Wall Swimming

Pool walls make life pretty easy but in open water, there are no push-offs. To mimic that, turn before you hit the wall and practise continuous laps. This builds endurance and helps you get used to maintaining momentum entirely through your stroke, rather than relying on walls for speed.

Straight-Line Challenge

Close your eyes for 6–8 strokes while swimming, then open them to check your line. Be careful to only do this when there are not others in your lane so that you don't bump into them. You’ll quickly notice if one side of your stroke is pulling stronger than the other. This is a simple way to expose imbalances and refine your technique so you can swim straighter in open water.

Breathing Variations

Breathing only to one side can be realistic for choppy water or crowded races, but bilateral breathing (every three strokes) improves balance and symmetry. Mix both into your training. Practising one-side breathing builds resilience, while bilateral breathing keeps your stroke even and helps you adapt if conditions change mid-race.

Drafting Practice

Drafting behind or alongside another swimmer can save up to 25% of your energy output. Practise swimming close to a friend - either directly behind their feet or off their hip - while keeping relaxed and controlled. The pool is a safe space to get comfortable with the closeness before you face the real chaos of a race start.