# Swimming training plan



## xxmimixx (20 Feb 2012)

Hi
can anyone help with a swimming training plan for my London Triathlon? I want to do the 750m in a decent time without panicking or drowning 

Thanks


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## fimm (21 Feb 2012)

I don't know of any free ones, though there's a website called "Beginner triathlete" which I believe might have something. I have no experience of it myself. If you can buy something, here's a couple of options:
http://www.swimsmooth.com/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swim-Workou...=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329817209&sr=1-2

One other thing you could do is have a hunt on the TriTalk forums for some of the long swim threads as there are often really good tips for drills and sessions to do on them - but you will have to read your way through some longish threads to find them.


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## xxmimixx (22 Feb 2012)

thanks Fimm


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## Flying_Monkey (22 Feb 2012)

Get a coach, go to a class or join a swim club. Seriously. You can train yourself all you like, but if you want to get better, especially technically, you need to have help. There is really no way around this.


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## 007fair (22 Feb 2012)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Get a coach, go to a class or join a swim club. Seriously. You can train yourself all you like, but if you want to get better, especially technically, you need to have help. There is really no way around this.


+1


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## heliphil (24 Feb 2012)

xxmimixx - how much swimming do you do at the moment ???


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## Steve H (25 Feb 2012)

I've recently tried the swimfit website. Has free training plans from beginners up to competitive racers.


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## Arsen Gere (27 Feb 2012)

If I were you I'd make sure you get a chance to do an open water swim, in a wetsuit, with a bunch of other people as part of your training.
It is so different to being in a pool.
The first time I swam in a wetsuit it felt awful having my chest constrained in water I could not see the bottom in. It felt like I could not breath.

Then there are all those arms and legs and trying to sight where you are going. Best to get used to it so you don't panic on the day. You'll be fine though as you can just turn on your back in a wet suit, float a bit and then start again if you get a bit concerned.

One other tip, don't bother looking for a toilet just pee in your wet suit.

http://www.thelondontriathlon.co.uk/LTSwimZone.html


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## xxmimixx (28 Feb 2012)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Get a coach, go to a class or join a swim club. Seriously. You can train yourself all you like, but if you want to get better, especially technically, you need to have help. There is really no way around this.


 
You are absolutely right but money has been tight  every time I plan for it something comes up. This month car disk + pads + birthday, next month car insurance, then by May I need to get a Wetsuit!  I WILL get coaching!



heliphil said:


> xxmimixx - how much swimming do you do at the moment ???


At the moment I am doing just once a week, as I am running twice a week and cycling once a week. I do several types of drills for an hour. Training for four days a week when you work full time and have two kids is not so straight forward 



Steve H said:


> I've recently tried the swimfit website. Has free training plans from beginners up to competitive racers.


I'll have a look, thanks for the link and for replying 



Arsen Gere said:


> If I were you I'd make sure you get a chance to do an open water swim, in a wetsuit, with a bunch of other people as part of your training.


 
I have this planned, in May the local lake is open for the local Tri Clubs. I am not foreign to swimming in open water, albeit different in many ways I used to dive. But I do appreciate that swimming in open water is completely different from pool and since I have two open water tri's this year then this is a must.


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## jay clock (28 Feb 2012)

I have been doing tri for 5 years and am stil not a great swimmer. I am also unusual in being confident and better at OW swimming

Top tip is join a tri club (not a swim club) and get coached.


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## Arsen Gere (28 Feb 2012)

[quote=" But I do appreciate that swimming in open water is completely different from pool and since I have two open water tri's this year then this is a must.[/quote]

I'm no diver but one of my friends is an instructor who does triathlons. He says racing in a wet suit is completely different to anything he has done. So you are right to give it a go and not assume it will be ok.


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## Doseone (28 Feb 2012)

Open water and pool swimming are chalk and cheese.

Practice sighting, it's really important.
You may be pleasantly surprised how much buoyancy you have from your wetsuit.
Unless you are confident try and keep out of the main scrum by staying a bit wide, especially round the turning buoy where it can turn in to a bit of a bunfight.
Be prepared to get a bit jostled, possibly get your goggles knocked off, maybe kicked a little. Don't let it bother you and know how to deal with it.
Did I mention sighting?
Learn to breath on both sides - various factors in an open water swim can dictate which side you breath on and it may not be your favoured side.
Practice getting out of your wetsuit in a hurry. No point busting a gut on the swim to blow it in T1.
Learn to draft in the swim. pick a pair of feet and stick on them. Just check they are going in the right direction every now and again (sighting!!).
Make sure you know where your bike is.


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## xxmimixx (29 Feb 2012)

Doseone said:


> Open water and pool swimming are chalk and cheese.
> 
> Practice sighting, it's really important.
> You may be pleasantly surprised how much buoyancy you have from your wetsuit.
> ...


 

very grateful you replied, many helpful tips there


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## gambatte (12 Mar 2012)

Seeing as we've been talking open water....
First open water swim of the year :-)
I was signed up for the latest of a local aquathon series. 400m pool swim and a 4ish mile run. However an open water group I know was in the area and swimming a small lake near me. I spent a while deciding which to do. I spent a while trying to get the wife to suggest I do both....
'nuff said... I had to chose. I dropped the aquathon. Justification being I had a wetsuit and some other kit I hadn't tried out yet and I've still got another (the last) of the aquathons , next month
I'd read about cold water acclimatisation and I had some experience of being in cold water from a few years ago, when I kayaked. I got to the bank with mental images of the experience being 15 minutes shivering along with 'ice cream headaches' .
As it turned out, it was a very different experience.
The lakes an old floodplain, generally 5-6' deep, the bottoms quite muddy so the waters not exactly clear. Initially there wasn't that much actual swimming. A bit of floating (it's great how much extra buoyancy a wetsuit gives!) and then a few of us agreed on something to 'sight' and headed off, which was repeated. Probably only a few 100m in all and about 30 mins in the water after taking the initial plunge. I wasn't uncomfortable, hands felt OK, without gloves.
At this point, I decided to call it a day. Better to get out feeling OK than 10 mins later shivering?


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## 007fair (12 Mar 2012)

Open water swimming at this time of year sounds really cold !


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## gambatte (12 Mar 2012)

Ten degrees apparantly and sunny. The local tri club likes the water to have been a steady 11 for a few days. These weren't tri club, they were mainly 'Dove Dippers' (you can find them on FB) and there were a few without wetsuits. I wasn't sure what to take for when I got out. Figured plenty of layers.... didn't need them, but they were welcome.


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## gambatte (13 Mar 2012)

As a target/challenge I entered the sport relief swimathon, which is at the end of April. To push myself I entered for 2.5k. Entered back in Jan.
Thanks to a twinge in the hip I ditched tonights run, infavour of a pool swim
I've just done a minimum of 110 lengths, 2.75km, 1.7 miles
I'm now considering the 'Big Swim' at Nottingham 3 or 5km options
I've got to credit a lot of it to getting coaching via the group sessions at the local tri club


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## gambatte (3 Apr 2012)

Strange how sessions change, one to the next. I've neglected the running in favour of getting my swimming off the ground over the last few months. The last couple of weeks though I've had to switch focus as I'd a few races crop up. 5 milers, 10ks road and XC
I had to get back into the pool though, I've an aquathon on sunday...
Pool tonight was difficult, the coordination just didn't feel right. My breathing wasn't right (I think I kept losing focus and getting out of breath?) and my calf kept threatening to cramp up when I kicked off the wall. Add in the case that the seal on my goggles failed 3 or 4 times and a busy pool....it wasn't a great session.
So far from repeating 110 lengths I've probably done a warm up of 2sets x 10 lengths (500m total) and 6x100m
Called it a day
Positives, Its reinforced that you have to swim regularly.
I got a feel of the water before Sunday
I've got short term targets to work on - breathing
I've probably got time to fit in another swim before Sunday


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## xxmimixx (4 Apr 2012)

Gambette, I feel what you are saying, completely! The same thing happens to me, if Im out of the water too long it looks like I loose my sync completely. It's so easy to get back to running / cycling but the swimming needs consistency and although I absolutely love water, I m starting to find it less peasing out of the 3 activities as Im improving much slower and giving me less satisfaction. Well done on signing up to the Swimathon that sounds as a real challeange but at least it will give you focus. Let us know how you get on. 
I still intend to get 121 lessons but have so many other priorities at the moment! I need a wetsuit, clun tri suit, BTF membership etc the list is endless


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## gambatte (4 Apr 2012)

How many Tri's are you on about doing? I looked at BTF membership, realised I wouldn't be doing enough races to make it worthwhile for myself.


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## xxmimixx (4 Apr 2012)

I count 5-6 this year, all sprints. May do an Olympic as my last one of the season in Sep. I'll cover as with the club discount membership it's £41 and want to benefit from the insurance cover.


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## gambatte (4 Apr 2012)

Aah, for me its going to be 2-4 tris, starting with a sprint, an oly about september. So it wouldn't benefit me.
I'm going to intersperse these with running and swimming events. I've got to work out some cycling events too.....


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## Arsen Gere (5 Apr 2012)

gambatte,
You might want to consider the insurance you get with the membership too. Buying insurance separately can work out expensive.


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