With so many open water swimming events to do – from extreme ice swims and relays to competitive mile races and tropical marathon swims – open water swimmers have a wide choice. But optimal training for each genre in the open water swimming ecosystem requires specificity, both in terms of water acclimatization and feeding techniques to speed and pacing.

Open Water Source asked the world’s leading swimming physiologist, Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas of Global Sport Technology, to weigh in on appropriate training methodologies. While his advice is geared toward pool swimmers, nearly all of the fastest open water swimmers, including those who will compete in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, and most triathletes do a majority of their swimming in a pool.

His fundamental overview is below. For more information, visit here:

Classification of energy zones in swimming is based on three pathways of energy metabolism: (1) Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)/Creatine Phosphate (CP); 2) Anaerobic Metabolism; and 3) Aerobic Metabolism. There are no borders between energy metabolisms. Two or even three pathways of energy recycling might be working in conjunction.

Knowing individual heart rates and swimming velocities in each energy zone energy zones (aerobic, mixed aerobic‐anaerobic, anaerobic and creatine phosphate) enables a coach to select and monitor the proper swimming sets to develop the specific energy system.

Based on the physiological responses of athletes to different intensities, workload volume can be divided into the several energy zones in swimming. Many coaches use seven energy zones in formulating their workouts: recovery, endurance 1, endurance 2, endurance 3, sprint 1, sprint 2, and sprint 3.

Recovery include any duration at an easy pace.

Endurance 1 includes 3 x 500 :30s, 4 x 400 :60s, 6 x 300 :30s, 5 x 400 :30s, 4 x 550 :45s, 1000 + 800 + 600 :60s, 3 x 800 :45s, 2 x (500 + 400 + 300 + 200 :30s) :90s, 15 x 200 :30s, 2 x (3 x 300 :30s + 3 x 200 :20s) :90s, 2 x 1500 :90s,3 x 500, 4 x 400, 6 x 300, 5 x 400, 4 x 550, 1000 + 800 + 600, 3 x 800, 2 x (500 + 400 + 300 + 200), 15 x 200, 2 x (3 x 300 :30s + 3 x 200), 2 x 1500

Endurance 2 includes 400 + 300 + 200 :30s, 2 x 450 :30s, 3 x 300 :60s, 5 x 200 :40‐30‐20‐10s, 400 + 300 + 200 + 100 :30s, 4 x 300 :60‐45‐30s, 8 x 150 :30s, 2 x (300 + 200 + 100 :30s) :90s, 6 x 200 :30s, 7 x 200 :30‐25‐20‐15‐10‐5s, 200 + 300 + 400 + 300 +
200 :30s, 500 + 400 + 300 + 200 + 100 :30s

Endurance 3 includes 10 x 50 :15s, 50 + 100 + 200 + 100 + 50 :30s, 200 + 150 + 100 + 50 :30s, 300 + 200 + 100 :60s, 3 x 200 :60s, 2 x 200 :60s + 2 x 100 :30s, 100 + 200 + 300
:60s, 4 x 150 :30‐20‐10s, 200 + 150 + 100 + 150 + 200 :30s, 4 x 200 :60‐50‐
40s

Sprint 1 includes 2 x 100 :30s + 2 x 50 :15s, 6 x 50 :20s, 12 x 25 :20s, 3 x 100 :30s, 100 :30s + 2 x 50 :15s + 4 x (25 fast 25 easy) :5s, 150 :10s + 100 :10s + 50, 8 x 50 :60s, 4 x 100 :2min, 200 :60s + 100 :30s + 2 x 50 :10s, 2 x 200 :3min, 8 x 50 :60‐50‐40‐
30‐20s

Sprint 2 includes 2 x 50 :10s, 4 x 25 :5s, 50 :15s + 2 x 25 :10s, 2 x 50 from a dive :60s, 4 x 50 :30s, 2 x 50 :10s + 4 x (25 fast 25 easy) :10s, 2 x 100 :30s, 4 x 50 from a dive :60s, 100 :10s + 2 x 50 :10s, 4 x 50 :30‐20‐10s, 150 :90s + 100 :60s + 50, 3 x
100 from a dive :3min

Sprint 3 includes 4 x (12.5 fast 12.5 easy) :30s, 2 x 25 :45s, 2 x (25 fast 25 easy) :60s, 4 turns :60s, 4 x (12.5 fast 37.5 easy) :30s, 4 dives :90s, 3 x (25 fast 25 easy) :30s, 2 x 25 :60s + 2 x (12.5 fast 12.5 easy) :30s, 6 x (12.5 fast 37.5 easy) :30s

Photo shows Dr. Sokolovas doing a lactate test on a double Olympic silver medalist.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source