Critical Swim Speed (CSS) is an approximation of your lactate threshold speed and you can find it by doing a couple of swimming tests. It's not precisely the same as lactate threshold but it will be within a second or so per 100m, which is plenty accurate enough to guide your training. The CSS test involves two time trial swims - a 400m and a 200m. Before attempting these swims perform a thorough warm up and a small build set to get you used to swimming fast. We add a third test to get your complete swimming profile. Do the 400m time trial first, it's less likely to effect the 200m than the other way around. Recover completely between each time trial with some easy swimming. Perform both time trials from a push off from the wall, not a dive. Try and pace the trials as evenly as possible, don't start too fast and slow down. If you're not sure get someone to take your 100m splits - they can be very revealing. To calculate your CSS go to: http://tritrainingharderllpblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/swim-testing-critical-swim-speed.html Session: --------------- Warm up: Optional 500m Steady swim (Every 5th length do as Medley) 200m Mixed stroke 200m Drills (Own Choice) 100m Build every 25m Optional second 100m Build every 25m --------------- Main Set: 400m Time Trial - record the time Recovery swim until ready to do it again (mixed stroke) 200m Time Trial - record the time Recovery swim until ready to go again (mixed stroke) 50m Time Trial, record time --------------- Cool Down: 250m Mixed stroke

The purpose of this session is to improve the ability to work at lactate threshold. This is supposed to be easy to begin with, but as it carries on, it gets harder. Really focus on hitting those times. Note the times are taken according to your CSS/100m time and explained as so: If your CSS/100m = 1:40, then: CSS/25m = 25s CSS/50m = 50s CSS/75m = 1:15. Use this to help calculate rest and recovery time. This session works best when using a Finis Temp Trainer Pro (available in our online store). You can set this on setting 1 to beep at CSS/25m intervals. Therefore every time you push off the wall you should be in time with the beep. If you are training in a 50m pool, then the same should also be true, but you can use the 25m beep as a reference when you make it half way. You should not be aiming to swim faster than the beep and then easing off, you should hit the beep each time through the whole set. If you need any assistance with any drills, then please visit our swimming drill playlist (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6z5VWjBAAEjY-gdl4EktRwwMQiAD_M0O). For mixed strokes, do both breast stroke and back stroke to open up your chest and arm muscles in either the warm up or the cool down. Enjoy...! --------------- Warm Up: 300m F/C 300m Mixed stroke, alternating Back stroke and Breast stroke 2x200m (20seconds recovery) as 50m Fast and fluid, 100m cruising, 50m finishing fast. --------------- Main Set: 700m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 16x50m @CSS/100m, Every 4th 50m fast (turning around at the next nearest 5 seconds. I.e. if you swim 50m at CSS/100m, which takes you 42 seconds, then start your next 50m interval at 45 seconds, then the third one at 1:30 etc.) 12x50m @CSS/100m, Every 3rd 50m fast (Turning around at 5 seconds more than the last interval, i.e. 50s.) 8x50m @CSS/100m, Every 2nd one fast (Turning around at 5 seconds more than the last interval, i.e. 55 seconds) 4x50m Fast (turning around at 5 seconds more than the last interval, i.e. 60 seconds) --------------- Cool Down: 300m Mixed Stroke Cool Down

The purpose of this set is to build aerobic endurance and promote good technique while swimming. Throughout this session aim to hold good technique and focus on the rhythm of the stroke, especially on the longer intervals. For any drills, you may need fins (available from our online store), and you may also need the Tempo Trainer Pro (available from our online store). If you are unsure of what drills to do, then have a look at our you tube playlist of all the different drills we recommend (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqTuVNRW9vo&list=PL6z5VWjBAAEjY-gdl4EktRwwMQiAD_M0O). For mixed stroke, do both back and breast stroke to help open your muscles and use them in different way to front crawl. --------------- Warm Up: 300m F/C – Easy 100m Back Stroke 100m Breast Stroke 100m Kick with fins 200m UNCO with fins 4x50m as 10 strokes hard, 10 strokes easy. --------------- Main Set: Race simulation: pick up the paces at approximately CSS/100m-3 seconds. Otherwise, aim to hold CSS/100m+5 seconds with a CSS/25m as recovery unless specified otherwise. - 700m with paddles, focussing on stroke technique and finishing off the back end of the stroke. 2x400m with every 4th length as CSS/100 -3 seconds before easing back into CSS/100m+5 seconds 2x300m 2x200m as the first 50m at CSS/100 -3 seconds before easing back into CSS/100m+5 seconds 2x100m every 2nd 25m as CSS/100 -3 seconds before easing back into CSS/100m+5 seconds --------------- Cool Down: 300m Mixed Stroke Upper body stretching

Safety Check: Open water swimming brings a series of challenges and dangers. If you are not confident, please invite a coach or strong swimming friend to be there with you. - Always swim in twos or more. Never swim alone - Always swim somewhere that is guaranteed to be safe with lifeguards or is a designated swim zone. ––––––––––––––– Top Tips: Feel free to adapt the timings slightly to suit your particular swimming venue or loop. If you would like to work on your stroke rate, look to buying a Finis Tempo Trainer Pro (http://www.tritrainingharder.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=69). You can set this to a desired stroke rate and aim to hold it throughout the session ensuring you keep it consistent. Alternatively, you can set your Tempo Trainer to beep every minute so you know how many minutes you have swum for. If you want to know the distance you have swum, put a waterproof GPS under your swimming hat as this will give you distance and speed. Enjoy the open water! ––––––––––––––– Efforts: These efforts or intensities have to be perceived by you and we’d rather you went by feel than tried to work out your pace or speed using a watch! – Easy (L1) – This is an Easy Intensity – you should still be looking to hold good form and technique – RPE: 0-2 Endurance (L2) – This is equivalent to your CSS+5seconds Intensity – RPE: 2-4 CSS (L3) – This is equivalent to your CSS Intensity – RPE: 4-5 Fast (L4) – This is faster than CSS Intensity equivalent approximately to CSS-3 seconds – RPE: 6-7 Max Effort (L5) – Max Effort – RPE 7-10 ––––––––––––––– The purpose of this session is to build confidence of swimming various paces while in open water, improving your pace awareness and open water swimming skills. In this session, we will be using both number of strokes (each hand counts as a stroke) and the Finis Tempo Trainer set to beep every minute to dictate how long you are working at those paces. ––––––––––––––– Warm up: Use the warm up as you would for a race. For the first 8 minutes, complete the following: - Get the blood flow working to your arms with big arm circles in both directions, rotate your shoulders and hips. Complete press ups and tricep dips. If you have dryland cords (http://www.tritrainingharder.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62_81&product_id=122) Use them to also get the swimming muscles working. - For the first three minutes or so of swimming, break into it gently getting used to the water temperature and doing some mixed stroke. ––––––––––––––– Main Set: 10 minutes as: 50 strokes at L2, 25 strokes at L3 – 2 minutes L1 – 10 minutes as: 50 strokes at L3 25 strokes at L4 – 3 minutes at L1 – 10x Deep water starts and 20 strokes at L5 Swim easy or stop to restart every minute. – 10 minutes at L3 ––––––––––––––– Cool Down: 5 minutes of easy swimming. Once you are back on dry land in dry clothes, stretch out any muscles you have used.

The purpose of this session is to work above lactate threshold and build speed and power. This should be a hard session. Note the times of recovery are taken according to your CSS/100m time and explained as so: If your CSS/100m = 1:40, then: CSS/25m = 25s CSS/50m = 50s CSS/75m = 1:15. Use this to help calculate rest and recovery time. Feel free to use the pace clock and round the times up or down to the nearest 5 seconds to make the session run more easily. Occaisionally you may need a Finis Tempo Trainer for Stroke Rate (setting no. 3). These are available from our online store. "Fast" implies an intensity that is harder than your CSS intensity. If the session is particularly hard, it may actually be slower than your CSS pace! Hold form and enjoy the burn! Try and hold good technique throughout, but if it says best effort, it means best effort! Give everything! Without further ado, let the fun begin! --------------- Warm Up: 500m Mixed stroke, 10 seconds recovery 3x100m Individual Medley, 15 seconds recovery 4x50m fast for the first 10 stroke, 10 seconds recovery --------------- Main Set: 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery - 100m at 3SPM above normal, CSS/50m recovery 100m at 3SPM below normal, with paddles, CSS/50m recovery - 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery - 100m at 6SPM above normal, CSS/50m recovery 100m at 6SPM below normal, with paddles, CSS/50m recovery - 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery - 100m at 9SPM above normal, CSS/50m recovery 100m at 9SPM below normal, with paddles, CSS/50m recovery - 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery - 100m at 12SPM above normal, CSS/50m recovery 100m at 12SPM below normal, with paddles, CSS/50m recovery - 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery - 100m at 15SPM above normal, CSS/50m recovery 100m at 15SPM below normal, with paddles, CSS/50m recovery - 200m CSS, CSS/50m recovery --------------- Cool Down: 300m Mixed stroke recovery

The purpose of this session is to improve the ability to work at lactate threshold. This is supposed to be easy to begin with, but as it carries on, it gets harder. Really focus on hitting those times. Note the times are taken according to your CSS/100m time and explained as so: If your CSS/100m = 1:40, then: CSS/25m = 25s CSS/50m = 50s CSS/75m = 1:15. Use this to help calculate rest and recovery time. This session works best when using a Finis Temp Trainer Pro (available in our online store). You can set this on setting 1 to beep at CSS/25m intervals. Therefore every time you push off the wall you should be in time with the beep. If you are training in a 50m pool, then the same should also be true, but you can use the 25m beep as a reference when you make it half way. You should not be aiming to swim faster than the beep and then easing off, you should hit the beep each time through the whole set. If you need any assistance with any drills, then please visit our swimming drill playlist (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6z5VWjBAAEjY-gdl4EktRwwMQiAD_M0O). For mixed strokes, do both breast stroke and back stroke to open up your chest and arm muscles in either the warm up or the cool down. Enjoy...! --------------- Warm Up: 300m F/C 300m Mixed stroke, alternating Back stroke and Breast stroke 2x200m (20seconds recovery) as 50m Fast and fluid, 100m cruising, 50m finishing fast. --------------- Main Set: 200m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 400m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 800m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 400m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 200m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 100m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 200m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 400m @CSS/100m --------------- Cool Down: 300m Mixed Stroke Cool Down

The purpose of this session is to improve the ability to work at lactate threshold. This is supposed to be easy to begin with, but as it carries on, it gets harder. Really focus on hitting those times. Note the times are taken according to your CSS/100m time and explained as so: If your CSS/100m = 1:40, then: CSS/25m = 25s CSS/50m = 50s CSS/75m = 1:15. Use this to help calculate rest and recovery time. This session works best when using a Finis Temp Trainer Pro (available in our online store). You can set this on setting 1 to beep at CSS/25m intervals. Therefore every time you push off the wall you should be in time with the beep. If you are training in a 50m pool, then the same should also be true, but you can use the 25m beep as a reference when you make it half way. You should not be aiming to swim faster than the beep and then easing off, you should hit the beep each time through the whole set. If you need any assistance with any drills, then please visit our swimming drill playlist (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6z5VWjBAAEjY-gdl4EktRwwMQiAD_M0O). For mixed strokes, do both breast stroke and back stroke to open up your chest and arm muscles in either the warm up or the cool down. Enjoy...! --------------- Warm Up: 300m F/C 300m Mixed stroke, alternating Back stroke and Breast stroke 2x200m (20seconds recovery) as 50m Fast and fluid, 100m cruising, 50m finishing fast. --------------- Main Set: 4x300m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 3x200m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) 9x100m @CSS/100m (CSS/25m recovery) --------------- Cool Down: 300m Mixed Stroke Cool Down