Training for Ironman Swim Leg (3.8 kms)

Many of us would have seen Grant Hackett, and even Kieran Perkins before him, swim lap after lap of the pool to finish well ahead of the competition. The 1500 meter swim is the longest race in the Olympic and World Championship swimming events, at 35 laps of a standard 50 meter swimming pool. On the other hand, the swim leg of an Ironman Triathlon is the equivalent of 76 laps. That's a long way to swim in just about anyone's book, so this plan is designed around the assumption that you are planning to compete in an Ironman Triathlon, which includes a 3.8 km swim. In an Ironman Triathlon you will be cycling for 180.1 kms and then running a full marathon of 42.2 kms at the end of which you will be thinking "Swim? What swim?"... as the swimming was finished hours and hours ago. So at the end of the 3.8 km swim you have to feel ready to ride and then run for the rest of the day before you pat yourself on the back!

Ironman Triathlons always start early in the morning, so it is recommended you try and fit in a few of the longer swims in this plan for the morning. As you will undoubtedly have riding and running sessions scheduled, this plan only has you swimming 3-4 times a week. Swimming is the most technical of the three sports, so it may be difficult to get real improvements in speed and efficiency with less than 4 swims a week. All the cycling and running you will be doing will certainly give you the fitness and stamina needed to complete the swim, but remember you need to exit the water feeling fresh and ready to ride, so efficiency is very important. A lot of less experienced Triathletes worry a lot about the swim leg, perhaps because the swim is the weakest of the three sports for them or they just think a good start is really important. Let's look at what the race entails. Someone finishing in the middle of the field would have completed a 70 min swim, 330 min cycle and 230 min run. Looking at the overall times we are only spending 11% of total race time swimming. That's not to say a strong swim isn't important - it is, but an efficient swim where you have plenty of energy left for the remaining 89% of the race is more important.

Depending on your geographic location you may be training in the open water, but as most people will be confined to the local swimming pool we will base the training plan on that assumption. There are a few things to take into account when swimming in the open water, and you can read our Open water swimming article for more tips in that area. This plan is designed to get you through the swim comfortably, not necessarily in record time. When it comes to race time you should be confident that you will get to your bike in T1 and notice there a still a lot of bikes racked, and that you feel fresh and ready to hit the road. There are regular sessions that should include drills, as they are very important to maintain in order improve technique. There are some descriptions of drills below, but if they don't feel right it might be worth speaking to a qualified Swim coach to get a few pointers. For most intermediate and novice swimmers it is simply time in the water that will help your swimming. Becoming comfortable with breathing hard when there is water right next to your mouth, and changing your rhythm or stroke without stopping or breaking into a breast stroke are skills that will develop with time. Sometimes it will only take one or two longer than normal swimming sessions to get you past the threshold and become comfortable in the water. Most triathletes who are training for an Ironman distance have the fitness to swim the 3.8 kms - all they need is the confidence in the water.

Efficiency in swimming is important.There is a reason why you don't see square boats and torpedoes - they don't travel fast through the water. Hydrodynamics also apply to people. The most speed and efficiency gains to be made by beginner to intermediate swimmers are usually changes to body position. Having a more streamlined position in the water, such as keeping your head down while breathing and your legs in line with your body, will greatly reduce your resistance in the water. Using your core strength to drive your hip down while you pull with the opposite arm helps to keep your body pivoting on an axis, as though there is a skewer running from your head to your toes. This is what you should try to visualise while swimming. Concentrating on one or two parts of your stroke at a time, and then using all the improvements in your main set, may also help. Not only will a better body position provide greater efficiency, it will improve your times, so it's worth the effort to get it right.

This is a 20 week plan that you should be able to fit around your cycling and running preparation. While you can spread your swim sessions out through the week in any order, a swim is a great rest for your leg muscles and joints which take a pounding while you're training on the bike and run. If you are in anyway prone to shoulder injuries it is recommended that you include some of the Upper body exercises in the Weight Training for Triathletes plan. The Core workouts would also be of benefit to your swimming if you don't already have some Abs/Core work in your schedule. There are also the occasional interval swims included. If you are already confident in swimming the distance then you may wish to include more interval training. The interval sessions will help get your body used to swimming faster and should improve your overall speed. Just don't forget it is important to finish all sessions with at least 400 meters of solid, efficient, good technique freestyle. Exiting the water 2 mins later on race day but a lot fresher can mean 8 min less on the ride. The plan follows the philosophy that you will be building three weeks and recovering one week so every fourth week in the plan has the overall training reduced.

The 20 Week Plan

Session I Session II Session III Session IV
WEEK1 1500 meters 2000 meters 1400 meters N/A
200m 1 Arm drill, 200m Catch-up drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK 2 1500 meters 2000 meters 1400 meters N/A
200m 1 Arm drill, 200m Catch-up drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK 3 2000 meters 2400 meters 1900 meters N/A
200m 1 Arm drill, 200m Catch-up drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK4 2000 meters 1500 meters 1000 meters N/A
200m 1 Arm drill, 200m Finger Tip Drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK5 2400 meters 2400 meters 2200 meters 1200 meters
400m 1 Arm drill with flippers 200m with Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 100m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK6 2400 meters 2400 meters 2200 meters 1200 meters
400m 1 Arm drill with flippers 200m with Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 100m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK7 2600 meters 2600 meters 2200 meters 1200 meters
400m 1 Arm drill with flippers 200m with Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 100m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK8 2000 meters 1500 meters 1000 meters N/A
200m Catch-up drill, 200m Finger Tip Drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK9 2800 meters 2800 meters 2200 meters 1500 meters
400m 1 Arm drill with flippers 400m with Buoy, 200m kick board 400m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 100m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK10 3000 meters 3000 meters 2200 meters 1500 meters
400m Finger Tip Drill 400m with Paddles 200m kick board 300m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK11 3200 meters 3200 meters 2200 meters 1500 meters
400m Finger Tip Drill 400m with Paddles 200m kick board 300m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK12 2000 meters 1500 meters 1000 meters N/A
200m Catch-up drill, 200m Finger Tip Drill 200m with Paddles and Buoy, 200m kick board 300m Intervals 100m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK13 3400 meters 3400 meters 2200 meters 2000 meters
400m Finger Tip Drill 400m with Paddles 200m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK14 3600 meters 3600 meters 2200 meters N/A
400m kick board 400m kick board 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK15 3800 meters 3800 meters 2200 meters 2000 meters
400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK16 2000 meters 1500 meters 1000 meters N/A
200m Catch-up drill, 200m Catch-up drill 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy N/A
WEEK17 4000 meters 4000 meters 1400 meters 2200 meters
400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK18 4000 meters 4000 meters 1400 meters 2200 meters
400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy 400m Intervals 50m flat out followed by 50m easy Your choice of workout
WEEK19 1400 meters 2000 meters 1400 meters N/A
N/A
WEEK20 Easy Swim Easy Swim Easy Swim Easy Swim

Drills and Equipment
Below are descriptions of the drills recommended in the 20 week swim plan. If you are finding the drills too tedious you can talk to a swim coach at your local pool and possible get some different drills or some variation on these. As your stroke improves and you gain fitness and confidence in the water, you may be tempted to drop the drills altogether, although this is not recommended. Not only will the drills will help to break up the longer training sessions and provide a break from endless freestyle laps but they will constantly improve your stroke and efficiency.

You will also notice the use of paddles, flippers, buoys and kickboards in the plan above. Again these will help to break up the training. Each one has its pros and cons. As long as you use them as "training aids" and not cheats you can get great benefit from them. Paddles, for instance, can help you feel the catch and improve the muscle memory for a strong catch and pull action. The kick board will help you train the legs without needing to concentrate on your forward half and allow you to concentrate on keeping your legs in line with your body with your toes pointed. A buoy likewise will negate the need to kick and allow you to concentrate on the forward half of your stroke (the waist up).

Drill Description
Single Arm Drill There are two different ways to do the 1 arm swimming drill. You can keep your non working arm at your side while using the other arm to stroke. Concentrate on a strong catch and pull, being sure to drive your opposing hip down with each stroke. As with any drill, technique is the key, not speed. Using this method you should be breathing on the same side as your non working arm. Alternately you can have your non working arm extended in front of you concentrating on the same techniques but breathing on the side of your stroking arm.
Catch-up Drill Keeping one arm straight out in front at all times, about 20 - 25 centimeters below the surface, think about keeping your body long and streamlined. Keep your stroke slow and neat then begin your pull as your recovering arm passes your ear and complete the switch to the other arm. As with all drills, keep your kick gentle and concentrate on the front part of your body (waist up) moving through the water as efficiently as possible and your legs should follow.
Finger Tip Drill In this drill the fingertips of your recovery arm are skimmed across the surface of the water. Concentrate on a high elbow position and then drive your arm into the water about 30 centimeters out in front of your head. Extending and reaching forward like you are putting your arm into the sleeve of a jumper. In between strokes, focus on good body position and rolling on your center axis.



By Chris Allen


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