People embarking on their triathlon journey often struggle with the swim leg, but with these five beginner triathlon swim workouts, you’ll surely come prepared. If you’re new to the world of triathlons and looking to improve your swimming techniques and build endurance, you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we’ll take you through five swim workouts tailored to those just starting their triathlon training, especially for sprint triathlon distances. For those who are using our 8-Week Sprint Triathlon Training Plan for beginners, you may modify its swim workouts if you find the training plan’s swims easy.

Now, let’s get you to these easy-to-follow sprint triathlon swim workouts.

Swim Workout 1: Technique Focus

Proper form is essential for efficient swimming, so Workout 1 starts with drills and exercises that emphasize body rotation, arm extension, and catch technique.

Warm-up: 200 m easy freestyle

Drill Set: 4 x 50 m with kickboard, focusing on body rotation and a streamlined kick

Main Set: 4 x 100 m using pull buoy, focusing on arm extension and catch technique

Recovery: 200 m easy backstroke

Cool Down: 100 m choice (mix of strokes)

Total: 800 m

Swim Workout 2: Build Endurance

Workout 2 focuses on building endurance. By incorporating fins and gradually increasing your effort, you’ll be able to swim longer distances with more ease, which is crucial for the swim portion of a triathlon.

Warm-up: 300 m alternating 50 m freestyle, 50 m backstroke

Main Set: 6 x 150 m freestyle with fins, gradually increasing effort each 50 m (easy, moderate, strong)

Drill Set: 4 x 50 m using paddles, focusing on high elbow catch

Recovery: 200 m easy choice stroke

Cool Down: 100 m easy choice

Total: 1200 m

Swim Workout 3: Speed Intervals

Get ready to work on your speed and pacing in this workout. Workout 3 includes a series of short and fast intervals, combined with technique-focused sets, to help you improve your overall swim speed and maintain good form even at higher intensities.

Warm-up: 200 m easy choice stroke

Main Set: 8 x 50 m freestyle, alternating 25 m easy and 25 m fast with 15 seconds rest

Technique Set: 4 x 100 m with pull buoy, focusing on bilateral breathing

Main Set: 6 x 75 m freestyle with fins, building speed throughout each 75 m

Cool Down: 200 m choice (mix of strokes)

Total: 1000 m

Swim Workout 4: Stroke Variety

Enhance your overall swimming ability by exploring different swim strokes. Incorporating various strokes and drills will make you a more versatile swimmer. It will also improve your muscle balance and coordination.

Warm-up: 300 m alternating 50 m freestyle, 50 m backstroke

Technique Set: 4 x 100 m with paddle, focusing on catch and pull technique

Main Set: 5 x 200 m, alternating 100 m freestyle and 100 m non-freestyle stroke (backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly)

Drill Set: 4 x 50 m with kickboard, emphasizing body alignment

Cool Down: 100 m easy choice

Total: 1500 m

Swim Workout 5: Pyramid Set

A pyramid-style workout that will challenge your stamina and provide a well-rounded swim session. The intervals will gradually increase and then decrease in distance, helping you work on both speed and endurance while maintaining a strong focus on technique throughout.

Warm-up: 200 m easy freestyle

Main Set: Pyramid set – 50 m, 100 m, 150 m, 200 m, 150 m, 100 m, 50 m with increasing effort and 15 seconds rest between intervals

Drill Set: 4 x 75 m with fins, alternating 25 m kick on back, 25 m single-arm drill, 25 m swim

Recovery: 200 m easy backstroke

Cool Down: 100 m choice (mix of strokes)

Total: 1400 m

Final Thoughts from Your Multisport Buddy

Always prioritize proper technique over speed, and gradually increase the intensity and distance as you become more comfortable in the water. Consistency, mastery of proper swim techniques for triathlons, and a positive mindset will not only make you a more efficient swimmer but also injury-free. We hope that these beginner triathlon swim workouts would help your swim program for sprint triathlon both enjoying and challenging. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us! We’d love to hear from you!