Recommended 1-2 times per week with technique coach or organized swim training group; 1-3 times per week by yourself to concentrate on technique and/or easy recovery.
Beginners: Minimum 1-2 swims per week.
Intermediate: 2-4 swims per week, of which 1-2 are intensity.
Advanced: 3-6 swims per week, 2-3 intensity.
1) Hire a coach. If you are new to fitness swimming and triathlon, seek coaching for swim technique. This is one of my biggest regrets from my own triathlon career. Like many people, I read books and magazine articles, looked at on-line clips, and asked other swimmers for tips. Though helpful, none of these will compare to having an experienced coach instruct you.
Receive technique coaching at least once every two weeks, and no more than two times per week. Any more than that will be information overload, and less than that is not enough to instigate change in your stroke.
Video: Frank and Richard doing windshield wiper sculling drill.
2) Swim by yourself. Between coaching session, go to the pool on your own and practice what you have been taught. It can be much easier to concentrate when you are not receiving feedback every lap. This gives you a chance to focus internally and implement the necessary changes.
Video: Mindy demonstrating excellent kick w/kickboard.
3) Structured group workouts 1-2 times per week. This kind of training is traditionally called "Masters Swim," but you don't have to have swimming mastered to do it. Fortunately there are group training options for triathletes who are new to the sport. These sessions tend to be fairly intense, with structured drills and sets.
I specifically recommend 1-2 times per week because structured group workouts tend to push you to a high intensity level. As a triathlete you need to balance intensity ("speedwork") sessions with endurance ("long") and recovery ("short-easy") sessions. If you go to 3-5 masters swims per week you are spending too much energy on swimming. Do 1-2 group swims, and then 1-2 swims on your own each week.
Photo: Robert and Eugene before a triathlon.
4) Open water. If you are training for open water triathlon races (and most are in open water) then you need to practice open water swimming skills in the pool. Then go out outdoors and practice actual open water swimming. It is nice to get outdoors and swim in nature; you will be much better prepared for your next race if you do.
5) Off-season. If swimming is a component that frustrates and holds you back, then plan to emphasize pool workin the off-season. October-Feb is a perfect time to swim 4-6 times per week, when you are not also trying to balance your cycling and running to prepare for impending races.
Good stuff, Steve. I can't emphasize enough the importance of ongoing training. When you think you've got it all together and just swim by yourself, things creep into your stroke that you aren't even aware of until an experienced coach points it out. When it stops being fun, you are probably doing something wrong. It feels good when you do it right. I frequently get a runners high. I never got a swimmers high until today when an instructor quickly made some changes to my stroke that made it all come together.
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