Swim Drills for Learn to Swim, Intermediate Swim Clubs, and Triathletes
3 Essential Swim Workouts: Triathlon Training, Intermediate Drills, and Learn-to-Swim
Building Strength and Speed in the Water
This triathlon swim workout is designed to push athletes to their limits, combining technique, endurance, and power. The session starts with a structured warm-up featuring IM drills, sidekick work, and fingertip drills to reinforce proper stroke mechanics. Next, a short diving drill prepares athletes for competitive race starts, helping to develop confidence in entering the water efficiently.
Optimizing Stroke Mechanics and Race Simulation
Throughout the drill sets, swimmers practice balance and control through Heel Tag, Seahorse, and Lacrosse Ball drills, which refine body positioning and streamline movement. The pre-set introduces a high-intensity lane relay with treading water and brick holds, simulating open-water resistance. The main set ramps up intensity with sprint-focused freestyle reps, training the body for race-paced endurance. The session concludes with a 100-yard dolphin dive cooldown, reinforcing efficient starts and streamlined gliding.
Refining Swim Technique: From Fundamentals to Performance
This dual swim workout caters to both beginners and intermediate swimmers, ensuring strong fundamental development and high-performance training. The Learn to Swim session introduces new swimmers to essential techniques, such as breath control, dolphin kicks, and underwater movement, helping them feel more comfortable in the water. Meanwhile, the Intermediate Swim session challenges experienced swimmers with advanced drills, including fast lane relays, treading water with bricks, and butterfly sprint sets to enhance endurance and race speed.
Building Strength, Confidence, and Speed in the Pool
For beginners, the workout reinforces buoyancy, kicking, and breath control while gradually introducing dolphin diving and streamlined movement. For intermediate swimmers, the focus shifts to powerful sprinting, stroke mechanics, and race-prep intensity. This structured progression ensures all swimmers build confidence, increase efficiency, and optimize their speed, endurance, and technique.
Perfecting Swimming Starts: Techniques for Faster and Cleaner Dives
Progression-Based Learning for Effective Dives
In this session, swimmers focused on a structured diving progression to enhance water entry skills and streamline efficiency. Beginning with kneeling dives, the class practiced controlled tipping to develop proper head positioning and goggle security. Moving into standing dives, participants built confidence in generating forward momentum while maintaining a tight streamline position. The progression advanced with jump diving, where swimmers focused on explosive takeoffs while entering the water cleanly. The final stage introduced race starts off the blocks, refining technique for maximum speed and power during competitive dives.
Refining Technique for Competitive Performance
Through repetition and technical adjustments, swimmers gained a better understanding of balance, body alignment, and fluidity in water entry. They were encouraged to focus on maintaining a tight streamline position upon entry, minimizing resistance for faster transitions. Special attention was given to preventing goggle displacement by emphasizing proper head positioning. By the end of the session, swimmers demonstrated marked improvement in their ability to enter the water smoothly and efficiently, laying the foundation for faster and more effective starts in future races.
The Ultimate Guide to 100 IM: Transitions, Turns & Stroke Efficiency
The 100 IM (Individual Medley) Drill is a fundamental swimming workout that challenges swimmers to execute all four strokes—butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle—in one continuous race. This drill enhances stroke versatility, builds endurance, and refines transitions between strokes. By mastering the proper order and learning effective turn techniques, swimmers develop a smooth and efficient racing strategy, crucial for competitive swimming.
Beyond just speed, this drill focuses on technical efficiency and stroke balance. It teaches swimmers how to maintain momentum during transitions and optimize turns, including the unique backstroke-to-breaststroke turn. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced swimmer, practicing the 100 IM drill improves overall stroke mechanics and prepares athletes for medley races at any level.
