Training the Swimming Energy systems
A1 – Basic Endurance. This is your warm-up & cool-down set.
Swim this @ 60-70% effort and cover distances between 600m+, depending on your ability.
Energy source used in this zone: Fat.
A2 – Medium Aerobic. This is your drill set. Swim this set @ 70-80% effort.
Use repeat distances of 25m to 200m+, depending on your ability.
*Top Tip* Ensure the drills that you’re doing are relevant to you and your stroke and that you understand the purpose of the drills you’re doing.
Rest times required: 5 to 30 secs.
Energy source used in this zone: Fat & Glycogen.
A3 – Threshold Endurance. This is to improve Aerobic Capacity without overstressing the swimmer.
Swim this set @ 80-90% effort. Use repeat distances of 50m to 400m, depending on your ability.
Rest times should be 10 secs to 40 secs. Note: If your repeats are over 600m, then more rest is required.
Energy source used in this zone: Glycogen.
A4 – Overload Endurance. High Intensity work to improve Aerobic Capacity, V02Max & Aerobic Power.
Swim this set @ 90-95% effort.
Use repeat distances 50m to 300m, depending on your ability.
Rest times should be 30 secs to 2 mins.
Energy source used in this zone: Glycogen.
A5 – Lactate Tolerance. High Intensity work with medium rest / passive recovery. This type of training helps the swimmer to build and remove lactic acid. It is also called ‘buffering’.
Swim this set @ 95-98% effort. Use repeat distances of 25m to 150m but with a maximum total set distance of 1000m.
Rest times should be 1 to 5 mins.
Energy source used in this zone: Glycogen.
A6 – Lactate Production. This type of training improves the swimmer’s ability to finish a race as fast as possible or in other words, it will stop them from ‘blowing up’.
Lots of rest is required, but NO passive recovery is allowed. Swim this set @ 95-98% effort. Use repeat distances of 25m to 100,m but with a maximum total set distance of 800m.
Rest times should be 1 to 5 mins.
Energy source used in this zone: Glycogen.
Speed – This type of training is often confused in the swimming and triathlon world.
I often hear athletes talking about 50s or 100s ‘speed work’.
This is incorrect, and speed training should be to a maximum of 25m repeats at a time. However, ideally speed set distances should be 10m to 15 metres with a maximum of 200m total set distance. Rest times should be 1 to 5 mins.
Energy source used in this zone: ATP-PCr / Glycogen.
If you’d like to learn more or have any questions, then drop Dave and his team a line at Heathwood swimming.
About The Author
Dave Tonge
Heathwood Swimming caters to all adults wishing to learn to swim, improve their technique, or be put through their paces in an endurance session. Our Endless Swimming Pool is great for Teaching and Coaching Adult non-swimmers, Beginners, open-water, Masters, or age-group swimmers. Pool & Open water Swimmer & Coach Owner of Heathwood Swimming & Triathlon MSc Physical Activity & Health RLSS Trainer Assessor Welsh Masters record holder. World Record Holder - longest wetsuit swim in an endless pool (24 hours) Finished in the top 20 at the Tenby LCW Swim 5 times from 2011-2016 (PB 48:18) Completed Long Course Weekend Tenby 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023 & 2024. 4 Times IRONMAN
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