Check out Tim Don’s favourite swim sets. See fast improvements in the pool or open water with tailor-made training sets for both beginner and intermediate swimmers, OR train like a pro with his expert level session.
Your safety is the biggest priority when in the water, so always ensure you are taking the right safety precautions and not attempting anything too dangerous.
Take a look at our Winter Training Essentials to kick start your swim training this Winter!
Beginner:
4x50m freestyle nice and easy @15sec rest
4x50m 25m backstroke 25m freestyle @15sec easy
4x25m 6 strokes fast the rest east @15sec easy
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500m @
25m fast 25m easy
50m fast 50m easy
75m fast 75m easy
100m fast 100m easy
Straight through (remember pace this set)
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5x100m paddles and buoy steady 20sec rest
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4x25m kick @12.5m fast 12.5m easy (with a kick-board @10sec rest
6x50m nice and easy try and add 1 more stroke per length (dps distance per stroke)
Intermediate:
200m swim
200m @25m backstroke 75m free
2x50m @kick
2x50m head up freestyle work on sighting
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12x25m @3fast 1 easy 15sec rest
100m easy
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50m very fast 30sec rest
2x100m race pace @15sec rest
300m paddles easy 30sec rest
X2
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400m paddles buoy steady
300m @25m kick 75m steady
200m paddles only easy
100m easy
All 20sec rest
Expert:
“One of my favourite swim sessions is a classic I first did back in the winter of 1999 on the Gold Coast with the legendary coach Denis Cotterell and his crazy talented squad at Miami Pool.”
Warm up
400m swim
300m buoy
200m drill/swim
100m build warm up with about 15 sec rest
Prep set
16x25m @3hard 1 easy @30sec
200m easy
Main set
16x50m @45sec 3easy 1 hard
12x50m @50sec 2easy 1 hard
8x50m @55sec 1hard 1 easy
4x50m 4 hard @60sec
100m easy
Strength/pull set
5x200m @2.50 band paddles buoy
Warm down
300m easy swim
200m @25m kick 25m swim”
Check also one of ouy older articles: A Day with Tim Don and 220 Triathlon – What We Learnt