5 Time-crunched, 45-minute swim workouts for triathletes

Most pools across the country are still limiting access and having a handful of workouts that make good use of a shorter workout time period might helpful.

Now, more than ever, being organized before the swim is paramount. The second that lane is open to you, you need to be diving in.

And one of the best ways to really make the most out that 45 minutes is to add to it before going in. That is, do most of your warm-up on dry land, preferably with a set of stretch cords and paddles. (You can do a search on YouTube for some options.)

If you spend 10 to 15 minutes warming up with swim cords, you can shorten your actual swim warm-up and still execute a main set that barely differs from one you might take on with a full hour at your disposal.

A nice little 12-minute warm-up routine can look as simple as:

• 5 x 30 secs fly/30 SRI (Seconds Rest Interval)
• 6 x 45 secs free style/30 SRI

Now that you’ve warmed up a bit, let’s get in the water!

45-minute swim session #1 Pace Control

• 100 swim
• 100 kick
• 100 pull
• 100 swim

Main Set

2 X

• 200 progress effort each 50 @ 20 SRI
• 3 x 100 progress effort (each one gets faster) @ 15 SRI
• 4 x 50 progress effort @ 10 SRI
• 50 kick easy

100 easy cool down

Total 2,000 m

Note: It’s shocking how many swimmers think they’re really progressing the efforts to find that, at best, they held the same times, or even got slower. Working on proper pace control in these sets will help on race day where you will learn the hard way that going out too fast will cost you.

45-minute swim session #2 Some Speed

• 200 Easy Swim
• 200 Lift effort up for 10 kicks then smooth out for 10 kicks
• 200 as 25 fast/25 easy

6 X (all 50s on 10 seconds rest)

• 50 Easy
• 25 fast/25 easy
• 50 very strong
• 25 easy/25 strong
• 100 kick
• 100 easy swim

Total 2000 m

Related: Swim training post-COVID – getting back in the pool

45 minute swim session # 3 Aerobic Endurance

Trying to get an “endurance” workout within a 45-minute block is difficult, so it’s especially important to get that cord work done before getting in the water. In fact, for this set it’s a good idea to add six minutes to that for a total of 18 minutes of cord work before the swim set.

• 200 easy swim
• 100 kick
• 800 swim – steady and strong @ 30 SRI
• 400 pull/paddle – moderate @ 30 SRI
• 400 fins/paddles – lift effort @ 20 SRI
• 200 kick
• 100 easy swim

Total 2,200 m

45-minute swim session #4 Threshold

• 200 easy Swim
• 200 as 50 shark (kick board between your legs)/50 kick
• 2 x 50 as 25 fast/25 easy @ 10 SRI
• 4 x 100 best average @ 15 SRI
• 100 pull @ 10 SRI
• 4 x 50 hold 100 pace @ 10 SRI
• 100 pull @ 10 SRI
• 2 x 100 best average @ 15 SRI
• 100 pull @ 10 SRI
• 2 x 50 hold 100 pace @ 10 SRI
• 100 pull @ 10 SRI
• 100 kick steady
• 100 easy cool down

Total: 2,000 m

45-minute swim session #5 Tech Aerobic

• 300 Easy swimming – sight every fifth stroke
• 100 Kick
• 100 Pull
• 12 x 50 paddles and fins as 25 single arm (switch arms at 12.5m)/25 Strong @ 5 SRI
• 4 x 200 @ 20 SRI as:
  • 50 Kick build effort
  • 100 swim as 25 relaxed perfect stroke/25 strong
  • 50 pull

• 100 easy cool down

Total: 2,000 m

If you’re a faster, or slower, swimmer there should be no problem in making small adjustments to these sets so you hit that 45-minute target, but the key to getting the most out them is to be organized. Be in the water when the clock strikes go time and out not a minute too soon. Have those swim cords out and get your warm-up begun before the clock starts.

Don’t let the shorter pool time discourage you. A lot of other triathletes around the world are dealing with the same thing, so stay positive and make the most of the time you do have.

Clint Lien is the head coach of Victoria’s Mercury Rising Triathlon www.mercuryrisingtriathlon.com, and asst. swim coach for the Canadian National Triathlon Team

This story originally appeared in the November issue of Triathlon Magazine Canada.