Benchmark a Better You: Swim Month, Week 3 Workouts

Welcome to Week 3 of our Benchmark a Better You swim month with another three workouts for the week ahead from pro triathlete and Ironman champion Lauren Brandon. By now you should have completed the benchmark test from Week 1 as well as the workouts from Week 1 and 2, but if you haven’t, fear not—you can dive in at any point! Full details are available here for the benchmark test and Week 1, and Week 2 is available here. Brandon has also given us her top tips on how to structure your swim week as well as her top five drills for fixing stroke mechanics. 

This week follows a similar pattern to the previous two weeks with an easy aerobic/strength workout, a sprint/speed workout, and a threshold workout. As you’ll see below, Brandon has included two options for every workout with option one for those athletes who typically swim an average of 2,000 yards/meters per session and option two for those who usually cover 3,000 to 4,000 yards/meters per session. All of the workouts are designed to help deliver you to the final benchmark test in Week 4 feeling fitter, faster, and stronger. 

Workout 1: Aerobic Strength Swim

Option 1: 2,000 yards

For today’s workout, simply take 10-20 seconds rest in between everything. Today is not meant to be hard, just getting in the yardage and some strength work. 

300 choice swim
8 x 25 kick

2 x 150 pull with paddles
8 x 25 drill

3 x 100 relaxed free swim working on technique
8 x 25 (odds fast/evens easy)

4 x 100 (#1 buoy only; #2 buoy and paddles; #3 paddles only; #4 swim with no equipment)

100 easy choice

Option 2: 3,800 yards 

For today’s workout, simply take 10-20 seconds rest in between everything. Today is not meant to be hard, just getting in the yardage and some strength work. 

300 choice swim
12 x 25 kick (2 with a board/2 without a board)

2 x 150 pull with paddles
12 x 25 (2 drill/1 swim)

3 x 100 relaxed free working on technique
12 x 25 (odds: ½ fast, ½ easy; evens: easy swim)

4 x 200 (#1 buoy only; #2 buoy and paddles; #3 paddles only; #4 swim with no equipment)

4 x 200 (#1 150 free/50 no free; #2 100 free/50 no free/50 free; #3 50 free/50 no free/100 free; #4 50 no free/ 150 free) – all smooth aerobic swimming

4 x 100 ascending pace (#1 Fast >> #4 Easy) 

Workout 2: Sprint/Speed Swim

Option 1: 2,000 yards 

100 swim, 100 kick, 100 drill, 100 pull, 100 swim

8 x 25 (#1 ½ fast, ½ easy; #2 ½ easy, ½ fast; #3 all easy; #4 all fast) on 15 sec. rest

100 choice

4 x (4 x 25 ALL OUT as fast as you can go!) on 20 sec. rest
150 easy in between each round

200 easy choice 

Option 2: 3,800 yards

400 swim (every 4th 25 no free)
200 kick (every 4th 25 fast)
200 (every 4th 25 drill)
4 x 100 pull with paddles descend 1-4 (easy >> fast)  on 15 sec. rest

100 choice

8 x 25 (#1 ½ fast, ½ easy; #2 ½ easy, ½ fast; #3 all easy; #4 all fast) on 15 sec. rest

100 choice

4 x (4 x 25 ALL OUT as fast as you can go!) on 20 sec. rest
150 easy in between each round

100 choice

4 x (2 x 25 ALL OUT as fast as you can go with paddles; buoy optional) on 20 sec. rest
100 easy in between each round

100 choice

8 x 25 kick (odds fast, evens easy), board or no board on 10 sec. rest

200 choice

Workout 3: Threshold Swim

Option 1: 2,000 yards

200 swim
200 (50 kick/50 swim)
4 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy) on 10 sec. rest 

* steady should be the fastest pace you can maintain throughout the entire set

100 steady on 10 sec. rest
200 steady on 10 sec. rest
300 steady on 10 sec. rest
200 steady on 10 sec. rest
100 steady on 10 sec. rest

100 choice

2 x 150 pull with paddles on 20 sec. rest

100 choice 

Option 2: 3,700 yards

400 swim
4x 100 (50 kick/50 swim) on 10 sec. rest
8 x 50 (25 fast/25 easy) on 10 sec. rest

*steady should be the fastest pace you can maintain throughout the entire set 

100 steady on 10 sec. rest
200 steady on 10 sec. rest
300 steady on 10 sec. rest
400 steady on 10 sec. rest
200 steady on 10 sec. rest
100 steady on 10 sec. rest

100 choice

4 x 150 pull with paddles on 20 sec. rest

200 easy