Triathlon
Sprint-Distance Triathlon Swim, 3 x 250 m at Race Pace
3 × (250 m at CSS pace, 45 s rest), 4 × (50 m at tempo, 20 s rest)
Triathlon Swim Workouts from Sprint to Full Distance
Triathlon swim sessions for sprint, standard, half and full distances, with race-pace sets, pull buoy work and open water skills.
Workouts
16 workouts
Triathlon
Pool Sighting Drills for Triathlon
4 × (50 m head-up freestyle, 20 s rest), 4 × (50 m crocodile eyes every 6 strokes, 20 s rest), 4 × (100 m at tempo, 20 s rest), 200 m sight every 9 strokes
Triathlon
Standard-Distance Triathlon Swim, 5 x 300 m at Race Pace
5 × (300 m at CSS pace, 30 s rest), 200 m pull buoy
Triathlon
Half-Distance Triathlon Swim, 4 x 400 m Pull at Race Pace
4 × (400 m at sweet spot, 30 s rest), 4 × (100 m at CSS pace, 15 s rest)
Triathlon
Deep-Water Starts and Settle, 8 x 100 m
8 × (50 m very hard, 50 m at CSS pace, 30 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle, 400 m at tempo
Triathlon
Standard-Distance Triathlon Open Water Rehearsal, 1500 m
200 m at VO2max, 1100 m at CSS pace, 200 m at CSS pace
Triathlon
Half-Distance Triathlon Swim Simulation, 1900 m Continuous
200 m at VO2max, 1500 m at sweet spot, 200 m at CSS pace, 200 m easy freestyle
Triathlon
Full-Distance Triathlon Swim, 4 x 800 m Swim and Pull
2 × (800 m at tempo, 45 s rest, 800 m at tempo, 45 s rest)
Triathlon
Sprint-Distance Race Pace, 15 x 50 m
15 × (50 m at CSS pace, 15 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle
Triathlon
Standard-Distance Builder, 2 x 750 m
750 m first 750, 90 s rest, 750 m pull buoy 750
Triathlon
Half-Distance Builder, 800, 600 and 500 m
800 m 800, 1 min rest, 600 m 600 with pull buoy, 1 min rest, 500 m 500
Triathlon
Pace Line Drafting in the Pool, 3 x 600 m
3 × (200 m at sweet spot, 200 m at tempo, 200 m at tempo, 45 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle
Triathlon
Standard-Distance Race Pace Without Push-Offs, 6 x 250 m
6 × (250 m at CSS pace, 20 s rest), 200 m pull buoy
Triathlon
Full-Distance Steady Swim, 3 x 1000 m
2 × (1000 m at tempo, 1 min rest), 1000 m at tempo
Triathlon
Standard-Distance Race Pace with Fast Finish, 3 x 500 m
3 × (400 m at CSS pace, 100 m at VO2max, 45 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle, 4 × (100 m pull buoy, 15 s rest)
Triathlon
Full-Distance Open Water Endurance, 4 x 15 min
4 × (15 min at tempo, 1 min rest)
Triathlon Swim Workouts
Triathlon swim workouts are built around the swim legs of the common race distances, 750 m for a sprint-distance race, 1500 m for a standard-distance race, 1.9 km for a half-distance race and 3.8 km for a full-distance race. The aim is to swim the distance at an even, economical pace and leave the water with energy for the bike and the run. That calls for steady race-pace work, aerobic endurance and open water skills such as sighting, fast starts and drafting.
Race pace depends on the distance. For a sprint distance it is close to your CSS. For a standard distance it is CSS to about two seconds per 100 m slower, for a half distance two to five seconds slower and for a full distance five to nine seconds slower. The workouts set these targets relative to your CSS. Pull buoy sets appear often, because the buoy lifts the legs in a similar way to a wetsuit and saves them for the bike and run.
Choose by race distance and level. Beginners find race-pace 50s and 250s for the sprint distance, builder sessions for the standard and half distance and a pool session that teaches sighting step by step. Intermediate triathletes find race-pace sets, deep-water starts, race pace without push-offs, a pace line for drafting, steady 1000s for the full distance and an open water rehearsal of the standard-distance swim. Advanced sessions include a continuous 1900 m race simulation, race pace with a fast finish, full-distance 800s and long open water blocks with feeding breaks. Two to three swims a week is common in triathlon training. Use the race-specific sets in the last six to ten weeks before your race.
Questions about Triathlon Swim Workouts
What pace should I swim in a triathlon?
Aim for an even pace you can hold without fading. As a guide, the sprint distance is close to CSS, the standard distance CSS to two seconds per 100 m slower, the half distance two to five seconds slower and the full distance five to nine seconds slower. A wetsuit usually makes you faster at the same effort. Practice the pace in training so that it feels automatic on race day.
Should I use a pull buoy in triathlon training?
Yes, in moderation. A pull buoy lifts the legs in a similar way to a wetsuit, so pull sets at race pace feel close to a wetsuit swim and leave the legs fresh for bike and run training. Keep some swimming without the buoy every week, especially if your race may be non-wetsuit, so that your kick and body position do not suffer.
How many swim sessions per week do I need for a triathlon?
Two sessions a week are enough for many athletes to finish a sprint-distance or standard-distance swim comfortably. Three sessions help for a half-distance or full-distance race, or when swimming is your weak discipline. Make one of them a race-pace set and one an endurance or technique session, and in the season add an open water swim when you can.