4 Olympian-approved Distance Swim Workouts
4 Olympian-approved Distance Swim Workouts
One of the beauties of swimming is the endless varieties of how you choose to train in the water. A particularly interesting type is distance swimming. Olympian swimmers and their coaches often implement distance swimming in their training, as it helps build endurance, improves technique, and teaches focus. It also builds aerobic capacity, automate positive habits, and improves your relationship with the water.
Swimming long, unbroken sets is not for the faint-hearted. Apart from the drill-like nature of it, distance swimming can get extremely tiring and boring. However, when you think of the benefits that it provides, you’ll want to push yourself to the distance. Distance swim workouts can be done by any swimmer at any level. Just remember to adjust the length, intervals, and intensity to a doable and safe level for you.
Here are 4 distance swim workouts from some of the best athletes and coaches to get your distance on.
1. Katie Ledecky
One of the greatest female distance freestylers in history, Katie Ledecky, has done plenty of impressive training. You don’t become a five-time Olympic gold medalist with easy workouts. Her hard work has gone on to break world records in the 400, 800 and 1500m freestyles.
Her main sets, listed below, are workouts the she completed in short course yards. Ledecky’s coach, Bruce Gemmell utilizes a color system as part of his coaching methodology, which are used in Ledecky’s main sets. Below is a quick summary of what kind of intensity the sets are done at, followed by her actual sets:
Low intensity, aerobic work (white/pink)
- Short rest around 10-20 seconds in between reps
- Heart rate between 130-150
- Used often during the early season, for recovery, and for technique work
Aerobic, threshold swimming (red)
- Ideal intensity for threshold improvement
- Sets are between 30-40 minutes
- Heart rate between 150-170
Optimal threshold (blue)
- Taxing and uncomfortable
- Slightly above threshold pace
- Heart rate between 160-180
- Short rest around 20-30 seconds in between reps
- Sets are between 20-30 minutes
The main sets
Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Threshold | Active rest/Race pace | Threshold (a 6,000-yard set of 9,700 yard practice) | The Lactate Set (a 2,000-yard set of a 7,100 yard practice) | 5,000 for time |
3 rounds (0:60 rest between rounds) | 1 round | 5 rounds | 4 rounds (6:00 rest between each round) | 1 round |
1 x 300 @ 3:15 neg split | 4 x [200 pink + 50 easy @ 3:00] | 3 x 100 @ 1:10 cruise | 1 x 200 @ 2:20 target: mile pace | 5,000 yards freestyle for time = 50:10 |
3 x 150 @ 1:45 target: 1:27 | 6 x [150 desc 1-3 pink to red, 4-6 + 50 easy @ 2:30] | 1 x 300 @ 3:10 pink | 2 x 100 @ 1:20 target: 500 pace | |
3 x 100 @ 1:15 target: 0:56 | 4 x [2 x 100 red @ 1:20 + 100 easy @ 1:40] | 3 x 100 @ 1:05 cruise | 2 x 50 @ 0:40 target: 200 pace | |
6 x 25 @ 0:20 | 6 x [50 race + 50 easy @ 1:30] | 1 x 300 @ 3:10 desc 1-5 start at pink |
2. Grant Hackett
It’s no secret that Australians have forged a certain path in distance freestyle events. Exactly six Australians have broken the world record for the 1500m freestyle 13 times. One Australian in particular, Grant Hackett, would come to demolish the world record with a 14:34:56 at the 2001 FINA World Championships in Japan.
His mid-season set workout was developed by his long-time coach, Denis Cotterell. There’s no glossing over the fact that this workout is a pretty long one, totaling at around two hours and a sum of 7,400m. Best of luck for those trying this one out!
Warm up
- 800 swim as 4 times through (150 freestyle, 50 stroke)
Pre-sets
8 x 150 swim @ 2:15 as:
- 2 – freestyle breathing 3/5/7 by 50
- 2 – freestyle/head-up/freestyle
- 2 – freestyle/fly/freestyle
- 2 – freestyle/back/freestyle
8 x 50 @ 1:00
- 2 – drill
- 2 – stroke count
- 2 – drill
- 2 – build to fast
The main set
30 x 100 freestyle swim @ 1:40
- 10 – heart rate: 30
- 10 – heart rate: 20
- 10 – heart rate: 10
Recovery
2 rounds through:
- 3 x 100 freestyle swim @ 1:30
- 4 x 50 freestyle sim @ 0.45
Drill work (with fins)
- 3 x 200 kick/scull/drill/swim by 50
- 4 x 50 swim with fins (25m blast, 25m easy) @ 1:00
Warm down
- 200m loose
3. Ryan Lochte
If you ever feel like doing one of the most challenging workouts in your life, look no further than Ryan Lochte’s set. The 12-time Olympic medalist himself labels it as ‘one of the hardest sets’ he’s ever done, which means this one is not for the weak. Lochte is known for his relentless work ethic in the pool and it pays off with the results he’s getting. He’s a swimmer with a great range, built from his thousands and thousands of miles in training. Below is the breakdown of his ‘brutal’ workout.
4 rounds through:
- 2 x 100 butterfly from a dive all-out @ 1:30
- 2 x 50 backstroke, 1 all-out, 1 cruise @ 0:50
- 100 freestyle @ 1:20
- 400 IM all-out @ 5
4. Janet Evans
Before Katie Ledecky made a name for herself in 2012 and 2013, there was Janet Evans. Evans made waves when she decimated her competitors at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the 400m individual medley and the 400m and 800m freestyles. The petite athlete didn’t overcome her doubters overnight: she underwent rigorous training and followed a strict work ethic. Her coach, Bud McAllister, praised her positive attitude toward training, insinuating that her mindset was what got her to smash records.
Evans followed a distance workout provided by McAllister. The set has a pyramid scheme, with the interval quickening half way through, as well as a tough start. Here is Evans’ distance set.
1 round through:
- 200 IM @ 2:45
- 400 IM @ 5:30
- 800 IM @ 11:00
- 600 IM @ 7:45
- 400 IM @ 5:10
- 200 IM @ 2:35