Beginner Triathlete 12 Week Swim Program
Author: Bob Seebohar
Length: 12 Weeks
Tags: triathlon, beginner
Typical Week: 3 Swim
Longest Workout:
3200 m swim
Author: Bob Seebohar
Length: 12 Weeks
Tags: triathlon, beginner
Typical Week: 3 Swim
Longest Workout:
3200 m swim
Beginner Triathlete 12 Week Swim Program
This is a great 12-week swim training program for the beginner triathlete. There are 3 swims per week that progress throughout the 12-weeks. Each swim provides a warm-up/technique set, main set, and cool-down set.
The workout distances range from 2500-3500 yards and are heavily focused on the freestyle stroke with minimal backstroke, breaststroke, fly, and kicking.
400 drill as 25 catch up/25 FR and repeat
4x50 FR build each 50 from aerobic to threshold; rest :10
200 FR as 100 aerobic/100 tempo
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6x100 FR as 50 aerobic/50 tempo; rest :20
6x50 FR aerobic with paddles only; rest :10
4x75 FR as 25 sprint/25 aerobic/25 tempo; rest :15
6x50 FR kick with fins in streamline on back, aerobic; rest :10
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200 choice c/d
5x500 done as:
100 FR aerobic
200 drill as 25 fist/25 FR swim and repeat
200 FR pull with paddles, aerobic
rest :60 and repeat
300 drill as 25 fist drill/25 FR swim and repeat
300 FR aerobic
200 fly kick on back with fins, aerobic
200 FR build in 50s
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4x50 FR as 25 aerobic/25 tempo; rest :10
100 non-FR easy
4x75 FR as 25 aerobic/50 tempo; rest :10
100 non-FR easy
4x100 FR as 25 aerobic/75 tempo; rest :15
200 fly kick on back with fins, alternate 50 aerobic/50 tempo
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200 choice c/d
200 FR aerobic
400 drill as 25 catch up/25 FR and repeat
200 FR build in 50s
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8x50 FR as 2 aerobic/2 tempo and repeat; rest :20
400 FR aerobic, focusing on form
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6x100 FR as 1 tempo/2 tempo and repeat; rest :30
300 FR aerobic, paddles only
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100 choice c/d
200 as 25 FR/25 BK and repeat
4x50 drill as odd sets one arm for 25 and switch arms for the second 25, even sets catch up; rest :10
200 FR aerobic
4x50 FR kick on back in streamline, no fins, aerobic
200 FR tempo
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300 FR build each 100 within the 300 from aerobic to tempo; rest :15
2x150 FR pull, no paddles, bilateral breathe every 3 or 5; rest :15
4x75 as odd sets BK, even sets BR, aerobic; rest :10
6x50 FR as 2 threshold/1 aerobic and repeat; on :45
8x25 FR - breath control as 4 breaths/3 breaths/2 breaths/1 breath per 25 and repeat; rest :20
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200 fly kick on back with fins
7x400 FR done as:
Odd sets done as:
100 aerobic
100 drill as 25 fist/25 swim and repeat
200 with paddles, aerobic
Even sets done as:
300 tempo
100 aerobic
Rest is :60 after each 400
300 FR as 200 aerobic/100 tempo
6x50 drill as 25 catch up/25 FR swim; rest :10
4x50 FR as 25 tempo/25 threshold; rest :15
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8x25 FR as 2 aerobic/2 tempo and repeat; rest :05
4x200 FR as odd sets with paddles no buoy, aerobic; even sets pull buoy no paddles tempo; rest :10 after each
8x25 FR as 1 aerobic/3 tempo and repeat: rest :15
500 FR as 150 aerobic/50 tempo and repeat
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300 mix of BK and BR c/d
Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS, METS II, is one of the first USA Triathlon Level III Elite Coaches in the country. He has personally coached Olympians, National Champions, and competitive age-groupers. Additionally, he is a USAT Youth and Junior Certified Coach, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a Swim Speed Secret swim coach, and a Sport Dietitian. He owns eNRG Performance, which provides nutrition, physiological testing, and coaching services to all individuals.