TRAIN LIKE A NORWEGIAN (IN THE POOL)
This Level 3 Norwegian Swim Plan uses a measured, methodical approach to swim fitness: controlled moderate-intensity intervals supported by plenty of low-intensity swimming. It’s designed to help everyday athletes make consistent gains without needing lactate testing—just solid execution and repeatable training.
TARGET ATHLETE
Ideal for committed swimmers or triathletes who can handle consistent frequency and longer sessions. Before starting, you should be comfortable swimming 5 times per week and completing swim sessions of at least 2500 yards or meters (with midweek sessions up to ~4500 and key swims up to ~4000).
PLAN STRUCTURE
- 5 swims per week (Mon through Fri)
- Minimum swim distance is ~2500
- Two key swims per week (Tue / Fri): Tue ~2500, Fri ~4000
- Wednesdays are always a ~4500 moderate aerobic swim
- In the first half of the plan, Mon & Thu emphasize aerobic endurance and foundational swim focus
- In the second half of the plan, Mon & Thu shift toward more turnover-focused work
- Progressive structure with built-in recovery
INTENSITY TYPE : SWIM PACE / RPE
Workouts use clear swim pace guidance and effort cues (RPE). All sessions are fully structured and export to supported devices with distance, rest, and intensity prompts. See our
Structured Workout page for details.
THE NORWEGIAN TRAINING APPROACH
Norwegian-style training emphasizes doing the right work at the right effort: lots of easy volume paired with carefully controlled moderate interval sessions. The goal is to build fitness steadily, recover well, and show up ready to perform—week after week.
PLAN BENEFITS
LIFETIME PLAN
Your plan becomes a permanent part of your TrainingPeaks library. Start, stop, and reuse it as often as you like.
LEVEL GUARANTEE
Not sure which level is right? Our Level Guarantee lets you switch levels or intensity types if needed. Review our
Level Comparison Charts.
WHAT 80/20 ATHLETES SAY
LOOKING FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS?
80/20 Endurance is the creation of Matt Fitzgerald and David Warden. Based on the breakthrough books 80/20 Running and 80/20 Triathlon, runners, triathletes, and other endurance athletes improve the most when they consistently do 80 percent of their training at low intensity and the other 20 percent high intensity. The typical endurance athlete spends only 50-70 percent their total training time at low intensity. The solution? An 80/20 training plan that ensures the optimal intensity balance.