Weekend Swim Workout: Short Sprints And Pulls

Don’t let the short sets in this workout fool you – collectively, these sprints pack a punch! The trick to executing this swim workout from Coach Sara McLarty is to set a sustainable pace for the non-sprint portions, so that you have ample time to recover and work on technique. Then, when it’s time to sprint, let ‘er rip! Do this workout once a month to build your endurance in harder efforts, such as swim starts and surges, as well as your overall swim speed. Pick a set that fits your fitness level and schedule, then dive in!

RELATED: A Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming

A:
400 (swim/kick by 100)
400 pull (3/5 breathing pattern by 100)
16×25 @ :30 (1 fast/1 easy, IM order)
8×125 @ 1:50 (25 sprint/100 smooth)
8×75 pull @ :55 (all strong)
8×25 @ :45 (dive in, sprint for half of the pool, swim easy to the wall)
600 swim (100 IM/100 free, repeat)
8×25 @:45 underwater kick
4×150 pull (7/5/3 breathing pattern by 50)
200 choice cool-down
*4600 total*

RELATED: How to (Finally) Become a Faster Swimmer

B:
400 (swim/kick by 100)
400 pull (3/5 breathing pattern by 100)
16×25 @ :40 (1 fast/1 easy)
8×125 @ 2:30 (25 sprint/100 smooth)
8×75 pull @ 1:15 (all strong)
8×25 @ :60 (dive in, sprint for half of the pool, swim easy to the wall)
400 swim with smooth, perfect technique
200 choice cool-down
*3600 total*

RELATED: The Best Hand Position For Swimming

C:
400 (swim/kick by 100)
400 pull (3/5 breathing pattern by 100)
16×25 w/ :10 rest (1 fast/1 easy)
4×125 w/ :30 rest (25 sprint/100 smooth)
4×75 pull w/15 rest (all strong)
300 swim with smooth, perfect technique
100 choice cool-down
*2400 total*

Looking for more swim-spiration? Check out our complete archive of Weekend Swim Workouts from Coach Sara McLarty.