The swim is often the most intimidating part of a triathlon, especially for beginners. If you're worried about surviving the swim or just want to improve, don't worry—you're in the right place. We’ve been lined up on the beach, just like you, staring down our first triathlon swim, and have subsequently helped thousands of triathletes like you confidently complete their races.

When it comes to specific triathlon swim workouts, you might think that a few simple laps will do the trick. But the truth is, one workout a week won’t make you triathlon swim-ready. What you need is a complete shift in how you approach swimming, including a focus on developing proper swim technique. In this post, we'll walk you through the foundational skills, specific drills, and sample swim workouts you need to prepare for every distance of a triathlon.

What You’ll Learn in This Article

• Essential triathlon swim workouts and drills for each race distance.
• Tips for improving swim techniques tailored to triathlons.
• How to balance speed and endurance in swim training.
• Effective Ironman swim training strategies.
• Sample swim workouts and weekly training overviews.
• Frequently asked questions about triathlon swim workouts.
• How to incorporate swim training into your overall triathlon plan.

Triathlon Swimming: A Different Beast

Before we jump into drills and sets, let’s try to get a handle on why triathlon swimming is unique. Unlike traditional swimmers, triathletes need to focus on three key skills:

1. Breathing comfortably: Swimming without panicking or experiencing breathlessness is your first goal. You want to exit the water feeling like you still have energy for the rest of the race.
2. Body positioning: Triathletes need to learn to maintain buoyancy in the water and keep their legs from sinking in order to be more efficient in the water.
3. Swimming straight: In open water, good navigation saves time and energy--you don't want to be adding time to your swim simply because you didn't swim straight.

Unlike pool swimmers, triathletes don’t need perfect form. Instead, we need efficiency and a stroke that works well for long distances, open water, and transitioning to the bike and run.

Swim Training Tips for Beginners

If you’re new to swimming, here’s how to start:

• Focus on comfort in the water before trying to get faster or log longer distances.
• Aim for 2-4 sessions per week to develop consistency and a regular feel for the water. Include short, manageable sets (e.g., 8 x 50 meters with rest).
• Learn proper breathing techniques by exhaling underwater and breathing every two strokes.
• Use fins, snorkels, and a pull buoy to help develop proper body position.
• Don’t compare yourself to elite swimmers—triathlon swimming is different.

Learning to swim as an adult can be one of the biggest challenges for aspiring triathletes. Our book, Triathlon Swimming Foundations, is a great place to start if you want proven instructions on how to become more comfortable in the water. We’ve helped thousands of adults learn to swim!

Key Drills for Triathlon Swimming

Given the differences between triathlon swimming and regular pool swimming, you'll want to incorporate triathlon-specific drills in your training.  Here are some key drills to help take your swimming up a notch:

• Practice bilateral breathing: Alternate breathing to the left and right sides to improve balance.
• Light kick with pointed toes: Kick just enough to keep your legs afloat.
• Practice sighting: Regularly lift your eyes to a marker in the pool to simulate open water sighting.
• Deck-ups: Finish a swim set, pull yourself out of the pool, run in place for 20-30 meters, and jump back in to prepare for horizontal-to-vertical transitions.
• Corkscrew Drill: Rotate from front to back while kicking.
• Sighting Drills: Lift your head slightly to look at a marker, then turn to breathe.
• Pull-Buoy and Band Sets: Focus on your upper body strength and form.
• Sink Downs: Exhale fully to stay calm underwater.

Sample Triathlon Swim Workouts for Each Distance

Below, we've compiled a few of sample swim workouts you might see in a triathlon training plan. These are taken from our app, which creates personalized training plans for your races, customized to your fitness, your goals, and your schedule.

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Swim Workout Length Guidelines

Now that you have a sense of the types of workouts you'll be doing for your chosen race distance, you might want to know how much time you're going to be spending swimming. Here's a quick look at the time we recommend spending on each workout, and how much time to spend swim training per week:

• Sprint Triathlon: 20 - 45 minutes/2-3 sessions. (Approximately 1 hour to 2.25 hours total per week.)
• Olympic Distance Triathlon: 40 - 60 minutes/2-3 sessions.(Approximately 1.5 hour to 3 hours total per week.)
• Half Ironman: 45 - 75 minutes/3-4 sessions. (Approximately 3 to 5 hours total per week.)
• Full Ironman: 50 to 90 minutes/4-5 sessions. (Approximately 4 to 6 hours total per week.)

Remember, the time you spend training the swim depends on your level, your experience, and your goals!

Weekly Swim Training Overview and Tips

Consistency is key to success in swimming. Here’s how you might want to organize your swim workouts within a given week:

• Day 1 (Technique Focus): Drills + short intervals. Example: 8 x 50 meters.
• Day 2 (Endurance Focus): Longer, steady swims. Example: 4 x 400 meters.
• Day 3 (Threshold Focus): Moderate-to-hard efforts. Example: 10 x 100 meters at race pace.
• Day 4 (Open Water Simulation): Continuous swims with sighting practice.

The Best Triathlon Pool Toys

There are numerous pool toys and tools available to help you improve at  swimming. Consider adding the following items to your swim gear arsenal, each with a specific purpose:

• Snorkel: Use a snorkel to help keep your head still while swimming, which can help you focus more on your stroke form. A snorkel can also teach you to feel what it's like to breathe more effortlessly.
• Ankle band: By tying your ankles together, you are forced to use more of your upper-body, thus developing strength. A band can also help you improve your position in the water, as you have to compensate for the legs sinking.
• Pullbuoy: This tool will lift your legs closer to the surface of the water, improving hydrodynamics, body position, and helping develop upper body strength and power.
• Tempo Trainer: Using one of these to help increase your stroke rate can be very helpful.
• Neoprene swim shorts: These can help stimulate wearing a full wetsuit in the pool to help get the hips up close to the surface of the water.
• Kickboard: These can be found at most pools and help you isolate your lower body to work on kicking strength and efficiency.
• Paddles: We don't recommend hand paddles for most triathlon swimmers because adding them to an already inefficient stroke, they can add a lot of stress onto the shoulder.

How to Prepare for Open Water Swimming in the Pool

Transitioning from the pool to the open water is one of the toughest things to master in triathlon swimming. But we're here to help! Here are the main race-day techniques you can start to learn, practice, and perfect in the comfort of the pool.

1. Sighting: In your training sessions, learn to lift your head out of the water and look at a stationary object, such as your water bottle, on the pool deck. You do this by bringing your eyes up only, not your full head, slightly out of the water, then turning your head quickly to catch your breath at the very end of the motion.
2. Gearing up and down: Another thing that will help you prepare for a triathlon in the pool is by doing swim sets where you change the effort level without stopping. For example, swim 200 meters, but for the first 100, swim at almost maximum effort. Then, swim the final 100 at a slow or steady effort. This will train you to get comfortable changing your pace, as you'll have to do to navigate the course on race day.
3. Deckups: This drill is taken from swim coach Gerry Rodriguez at Tower 26 in California. Finish the end of a swim interval and pull yourself up on the deck, jog in place for about 30 seconds, then jump or dive back into the pool to complete another interval. This will teach your body to be able to go horizontal to vertical and back again.

Triathlon-Specific Techniques to Master

In addition to the basic drills above, you're going to want to master a few more triathlon-specific swimming skills if you want to really dial in your swim. Here are some more advanced skills to work on:

• Use a tempo trainer to push your arm turnover. This will help you punch through waves, current, and the splashing of other triathletes around you.
• Bilateral breathing (both side breathing): You want to develop the ability to breathe on both sides every two strokes so that you can turn your face away from waves or the glare of the sun. You can do this by swimming one length breathing on your left and the next length breathing on your right.
• Keep your heels at the surface of the water and kick lightly: Mastering this will keep your heart rate low and your legs fresh for the bike. Practice this by keeping a slightly tight core, pointing your toes very gently, and visualize kicking inside of a 12-inch-wide bucket so that your legs aren't splaying out to the side. This will help minimalize drag.

Preparing for Race Day

To show up ready to race your best, follow our advice below on tapering, rest, and specific race-day preparation.

The Importance of Tapering and Rest Periods

Tapering allows your body to recover while maintaining fitness. Here’s how to do it right when it comes to swim training.

• Reduce swim volume 1-2 weeks before race day.
• Maintain intensity but shorten the distance of intervals.
• Get extra rest and prioritize hydration.

Preview Your Course and Set Goals

Once you've become a fit and efficient swimmer, here are a few additional tips for dialing it all in for race day:

• Preview the swim course and practice sighting key markers. Know the water conditions (waves, currents, temperature).
• Warm up on race morning with a 5-10 minute swim. Visualize the swim start, middle, and exit to mentally prepare.
• Relax and focus on long, smooth strokes.
• Breathe consistently and stay calm if you feel panicked.
• Set realistic time goals based on your training.

Frequently Asked Questions about Triathlon Swim Workouts

Q: How are swim workouts different for triathlon?

Triathlon swim workouts focus on building comfort, efficiency, and endurance in open water, not just in the pool. They generally include more triathlon specific drills and sets focused on building endurance and efficiency.

Q: How can I improve my technique for the 2.4 mile swim in an Ironman?

A: Focus on drills like the ones outlined above to enhance your technique. Watching instructional videos can also provide guidance on proper form and efficiency in the water.

Q: How fast do the best amateur triathletes swim?

A: Many triathletes aim for a pace of around 1:30 to 2:00 per 100 meters, depending on their skill level and the race distance. It's important to find a pace that feels comfortable while still pushing your limits.

Q: What type of swim workouts should I do in the final weeks leading up to a race?

A: In the final weeks, incorporate swims of shorter distances with increased intensity, such as 400 meters at race pace with 2 minutes rest to simulate race conditions.

Q: Can I use videos to help improve my swim performance for triathlons?

A: Yes, watching swim technique videos can be extremely beneficial. These videos often demonstrate drills and proper form that can help you become a stronger athlete in the water. You can also get a coach or friend to video you swimming. This will help you or a coach determine what you need to work on.

Q: How can I test my swim endurance before a triathlon?

A: A great way to test your endurance is to swim a continuous distance, such as 1,500 meters, and track your time. This will give you an idea of your pacing and endurance level leading up to the triathlon.

Q: What should I do if I feel exhausted during my swim workouts?

A: If you're feeling exhausted, consider adjusting your workout intensity or duration. It’s also important to listen to your body and ensure you’re getting proper rest and recovery between sessions.

Conclusion

Swim training is an essential component of triathlon preparation. Whether you're a beginner just learning the ropes or an advanced triathlete aiming to fine-tune your swim, creating a well-rounded swim training plan will set you up for success.

Remember, consistency is key, and with the right balance of technique, endurance, and mental preparation, you'll find yourself not just surviving the swim leg but excelling at it. Don't forget to download the MOTTIV app, to get a personalized training plan created for you, customized to fit your fitness level, your goals, and your schedule. With MOTTIV you're ready for race day!