Training plan: 8-week swim plan for triathletes

Here's a swim programme containing 4 carefully crafted pool sessions from British Triathlon swim coach Alan Rapley

Published: December 4, 2014 at 10:25 am

Do you want a swim training plan to help you maximise every minute in the pool? Alan Rapley, British Triathlon’s swim coach and a former Olympic swimming captain, has created a new 8-week swimming training programme for busy triathletes who train on their own.

The plan offers 24 meticulously crafted swim workout sessions, consisting of 1hour sessions 2-3 times a week. Each workout is designed to hone your front crawl technique and unlock your maximum physiological potential. Whereas many athletes unwittingly dull their training sessions by doing the same exercises each time they workout, Rapley’s swim exercise programme was specifically developed so that each session builds upon the last to achieve comprehensive strength and stamina increases over time.

As Alan puts it, “the sessions are designed to help you train smarter, getting the most out of each session.” So the eight-week regimen is sequenced to help athletes maximise their results through step-by-step physiological development. It was also designed so swimmers at all levels can complete the training; and because it only demands 24 hours in a two-month period, Coach Rapley’s regimen can be squeezed into even the most hectic schedules.

The entire swimming training plan on a week-by-week basis is attached, together with an invaluable Reference Guide that includes all of the terms Alan currently uses in his myCOACH swimming sessions and a clear Session Plan User Guide. Enjoy!

... and don't forget – you can find lots more free triathlon training plans on the 220 Triathlon website, including sprint distance, Olympic distance, Ironman and more.

myCOACH Session Plan & Reference Guide

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK ONE

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK TWO

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK THREE

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK FOUR

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK FIVE

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK SIX

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK SEVEN

myCOACH 8 Week Session Plan – WEEK EIGHT

Thanks to SwimShop for sending us this piece – there lots more info on their website.