Updated March 25, 2026 09:11AM
Weekend Swim Workout: Tarzan Drill
Build your open-water sighting skills (and neck muscles) with the Tarzan Drill for swimmers using this weekend swim workout from coach Sara McLarty.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Odds are there’s a race in your future where you’ll need to lift your head out of the water and sight, and wish you’d practiced this skill more in training. One way to practice sighting is to incorporate the Tarzan Drill into your swim sets. Pick the set that fits your fitness and ability, and dive in!
Tarzan drill: Swim the length of the pool with your head above water to build strength in your neck to prepare for sighting. Look forward as if you were sighting a buoy or landmark in open water.
RELATED: How to Choose the Best Swim Drills For You
Weekend Swim Workout: Tarzan Drill
A:
Warm-up:
500 easy (no walls)
Main set:
8×75 at 1:10 (25 Tarzan Drill/25 easy/25 FAST!)
3×900 with 60 sec rest (200 FAST!/700 Olympic or 70.3 mid-race pace)
Cool-down:
300 easy (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
*4,100*
RELATED: Now is the Time to Correct Your Biggest Swim Mistakes
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B:
Warm-up:
400 easy (no walls)
Main set:
4×75 at 1:30 (25 Tarzan Drill/25 easy/25 FAST!)
3×800 with 2 min rest (150 FAST!/650 Olympic or 70.3 mid-race pace)
Cool-down:
300 easy (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
*3,400*
RELATED: It’s Time to Become an Open-Water Sighting Expert
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C:
Warm-up:
400 easy (no walls)
Main set:
4×75 with 20 sec rest (25 Tarzan Drill/25 easy/25 FAST!)
3×500 with 2 min rest (100 FAST!/400 Olympic or 70.3 mid-race pace)
Cool-down:
300 easy (50 kick/100 swim, repeat)
*2,500*
Looking for more swim-spiration? Check out our complete archive of Weekend Swim Workouts from coach Sara McLarty.