Tips for Pre and Post Season Swim Training
Most of us are wrapping up our racing season now or in the weeks ahead and will be entering the post-season, and eventually pre-season, otherwise known as SWIM SEASON! That’s right! The fall and winter months are not the time to back off on your swim training; it’s the time to double down on that swim technique and swim frequency and consistency, spending more time in the water than your racing season may allow because of higher training demands.
Basics of Swim Season
So, what does this “swim season” entail? After a few chill weeks after your last race of the season, I like having athletes focus on technique and aerobic development for a block of swim training. This may look like one swim per week that is mostly technique and drill focused, with other workouts that include drills during the warm-up and opening sets before focusing on steady, aerobic sets, with holding form as the focus. Don’t be afraid to try new drills or new strokes to mix it up and challenge your body to balance differently in the water, and use different muscles than you normally do with all freestyle.
Lessons or Video Analysis
If athletes are able to do a one-on-one lesson with me, that’s preferred so I can give them specific drills for their stroke issues we’re working on, but video is the next best thing. So if it’s been a while since you’ve sent your coach a video of your swimming, now’s the time to do it so you can address those swim form issues now, and have many months to correct technique.
Test Sets
I also like test sets during the post and pre-season time to keep athletes focused while no races are happening, and as an easy way to track swim progress over the winter months. So, I’ll pick a set to do monthly for ~3 months in a row, and see if the athlete can make progress each month. I have a variety of test sets I use. One example is:
Warm up:
300 swim/200 pull/100 kick
6×50 on 1:05 (25 easy/25 fast)
4×100 on 2:10 (descend 1-4)
100 choice/easy
Test set:
200 (as fast as possible) rest:60
8×100 on an interval that allows:20 rest (best average time)
Cool down:
300 (50 kick/50 choice/50 swim)
6×75 on 1:30 (smooth)
200 easy
Masters Swimming & Group Swimming
Another fun thing to try during the fall and winter months is a masters swim meet (https://www.usms.org/events). You typically need to be a US Masters member to participate in these meets, but that cost may be worth it. They can be a fun way to spice up your swim training and racing in the months off from triathlon, and help keep you motivated in the pool. Want to see how fast you can race a 50 or 100-yard free? Try a meet!
Additionally, if you always swim by yourself, try a masters practice at least once per week, while your swim workouts don’t need to be as race specific during this time of year. Or if you don’t have a master’s team in the area, see if you can find a friend who’s similar pace as you to join you for workouts every now and then. Swimming with others can make workouts fly by and be so much more fun. Swimming with someone slightly faster can be a great push that’s hard to get on your own.
Consistency
Finally, remember that consistency is the #1 way you can improve your swimming. So, if you’ve been swimming 2x a week, increase it to 3x a week during these fall and winter months, while biking and running training may be lower. Or if you’ve been swimming 3x a week, try 4x a week.
That extra swim will make a big difference with the feel of the water and maintaining technique from swim session to swim session, and improving swim fitness.
Whatever you do, do not take weeks off swim training because your racing season is over.
It will take just as much (or more) time to work your way back to where you’re currently at with your swim fitness and technique. Remember, swimming is a skill and requires regular practice to maintain technique and that feel and balance of the water.
As Dory says, “just keep swimming” and make it fun. Happy swimming!
The off-season is the ideal time to focus on swim technique. With video analysis and individualized coaching, our team helps athletes make meaningful improvements that carry into race season.