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Today’s Weekend Swim Workout involves a good mix of drills, pull, and full swim at a range of intensities, helping you cover some technical work while also boosting your fitness. Select your workout from the three choices below based on time available, current fitness, goals, and experience. Be sure to really differentiate between easier efforts and fast swimming—make the fast work fast, and the easy swimming smooth and relaxed.
Weekend Swim Workout: Smooth and Strong
Key:
Fingertip drag drill: During the recovery phase of the stroke, keep the elbow high while dragging the fingertip along the surface of the water.
Single arm drill: For one length of the pool, keep your left arm extended while taking complete strokes with your right arm. Switch arms for the next length.
Catch-up/stick drill: Hold a 12-inch wooden dowel or PVC pipe in front of you during your swim. Keep one hand on the stick at all times in front of you as the other hand performs the stroke holding it at the edges to prevent crossover. After one complete stroke, switch hands and begin another stroke. (For a non-stick version, simply keep one hand in front.)
A:
500 choice warm-up
12×50 (3: kick @ :60, 3: drill @ :50, repeat)
6×25 @ :30 drill (fingertip drag drill)
6×75 @ 1:10 swim (descend 1-3, 4-6)
6×25 @ :40 drill (single arm drill)
6×75 @ 1:20 swim (all strong)
6×25 @ :30 drill (catch up/stick drill)
6×75 @ 2:00 swim (ALL FAST)
6×25 @ :30 pull (smooth)
6×75 @ 1:05 pull (strong)
6×25 @ :30 pull (breathing every 5)
6×75 @ 1:00 pull (strong)
200 cool down
*4,300 Total*
B:
500 choice warm up
6×50 (3: kick @ 1:15, 3: drill @ 1:05)
6×25 @ :40 drill (fingertip drag drill)
6×75 @ 1:20 swim (descend 1-3, 4-6)
6×25 @ :45 drill (single arm drill)
6×75 @ 1:30 swim (all strong)
6×25 @ :40 drill (catch up/stick drill)
6×75 @ 2:00 swim (ALL FAST)
6×25 @ :40 pull (smooth)
6×75 @ 1:20 pull (strong)
200 cool down
*3,400 Total*
C:
400 choice warm up
6×50 (3: kick, 3: drill w/:20 sec rest)
6×25 @ :50 drill (fingertip drag drill)
6×75 w/:30 sec rest (swim descend 1-3, 4-6)
6×25 @ :50 drill (single arm drill)
6×75 w/:45 rest (swim all FAST)
6×25 @ :45 pull (smooth)
6×75 w/:30 rest (pull)
100 cool down
*2,600 Total*
Looking for more swim-spiration? Check out our complete archive of Weekend Swim Workouts from Coach Sara McLarty.