short swim workouts
Lunchtime Swim Workouts

It's going to take more than an hour to get to the pool, change, shower, and change again unless your workplace includes a swimming hole. Even then, there is not time for some of the details that are standard in a swim workout: long warm-ups, lots of attention to technique, plenty of drills, and a long swim down. Assuming you have less than an hour for the swim, changing, and just a run through the shower, you might be able to get through these basic swims. If you're sore the next day, though, add a little swim down. Even a hundred yards will help.

Workout # 1 Alternating Free and IM

Free
IM+free
up the lane stroke, return free
Free
swim kick pull
IM
add 25 stroke to end (rotate)
Free
drill up the lane swim back

200
2x175
3x150
4x125
5x100

total about 45 minutes for a pretty good swimmer 2000

 

Workout # 2 IM + technique Free

Free
Fly,
  swim and kick fast
Free
#1pay attention to first third of pull
    #2 think of elbow pushing middle of pull    
   #3 push hard at end of pull
Backstroke, same as for Fly, then repeat 3x50 free
Breaststroke
same as above
again 3x50 free
Free
very fast and again 3x50

500
2x50
3x150


2x50
3x50
2x50
3x50
2x50
3x50

total   45 minutes for a fair swimmer 1500

 

Workout # 3 Free with toys, IM swim

Free
IM,
If you can't swim 100 fly,do what you can
Free
easy pull with pull buoy
IM, again, think fly, maybe one arm only
Free
kick
IM
swim
Free
drill catch-up or other
IM
swim very hard

400
4x100
300
4x75
200
4x50
100
4x25

total 60 minutes average, 40 for good swimmer 2000

 

Workout # 4 Really short lunch break

All Free
 
15 second rest
   kick or pull
  swim hard 5 second rest

600
6x75
6x50
6x25

total 30 minutes, more if the rests are long. 1500

 

Workout #5 Pyramid

Whatever
Fly, free, Back, free, Breast, free

Fly free free Fly, Bk free free Bk, Br free free Br
IM kick
free Fly free Fly, free Bk free Bk, free Br free Br
Drills IM and Free

300
6x50
3x100
300
3x100
6x50

total 50 minutes for a slowish swimmer 1800

 

Workout #6 Favorite and not fav.strokes

Free
Favorite stroke
swim
Choice
kick
Like a lot stroke, swim
Choice pull
Don't like stroke
swim
Choice
drill
Really hate stroke
swim

400
8x50
300
6x50
200
4x50
100
2x50

total 50 minutes for an ok swimmer 2000

 

Workout #7 pyramid  lunch

Choice or all free short rests, maybe 10 seconds.


 

4x50
3x100
  2x150
1x200
2x150
  3x100
4x50

total 50 minutes if the rests are short
1800

 

Workout #8 bare bones basic

One mile (1760 land mile or 1650 swimmer's mile based on 1.5 kilometers)

straight swim. Every 4th lap change stroke for 50 yards

OR every 4th lap speed up for 50 yards

1650

total 30 minutes is a very respectable time 1650

 

Workout # 9 Hard core but short

Free
IM

Fly 
rest = about 50% of swim time for all 25s
Back
Breast
Free
IM
drills
Free kick

400
200
4x25
4x25
4x25
4x25
200
200

total 30 minutes is average 1400

 

Workout # 10 a learning experience

Whatever stroke you can't do at all.
Lemme guess:Fly. The workout will solve that.
Free or whatever
Kick Fly (or other)
no board, arms at sides
One arm Swim
Pull
one length, return any stroke
Swim

If it's a different stroke you want to learn, do the same: kick, drill, pull, swim.
Swim easy choice

 

300

3x100
3x75
3x50
3x25


350

total 40 minutes because learning takes more time 1400

If you're just beginning, this plan will take you to a mile in six weeks.
These 50 workouts are for a bit more than hour, depending on your speed.
Some basics
Flip turns are explained.
A plan for swimming the 2.4 miles in an ironman
glossary
SWIMMING
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(New - A Facebook discussion group has been put up
by a swimmer doing the swim-a-mile program. If you would
like to join or begin a discussion please go to FB 0-1650 talk
)