Benefits of Adding a Long- Continuous Swim Workout Each Week

One thing that I have repeatedly noticed is the amount of coaches and trainers that are against adding a long-continuous swim workout into their training plans.  All triathlon training plans that I have looked at over the years include long run and bike workouts each week, but when it comes to swimming its seems that the norm is to only promote interval workouts that include periods of rest in between each set.  I am not arguing that this is an effective type of swim workout to help with technique and speed, but I am proposing that at least one of a triathlete’s swim workouts each week be at least 30-60 minutes of continuous swimming, depending on the length of race that the athlete is preparing for (for Ironman distance races I would say a 90 minute continuous swim is needed each week).  Sure this type of swimming is monotonous and repetitive, but the swim segments of races are not divided into two 800 yard sets with a 30 rest in between.  It’s a continuous swim from point A to point B, so in my opinion in order to create muscle memory and mental preparedness, add the weekly long swims to you training plans.  I can also tell you from my experience, 1.5 mile swims can feel much longer in open water than in a pool where I can catch a brief break at each end of the pool, but knowing that I have swam this distance and further continuously each week during my training for the race, I know I can conquer the swim with confidence. 

I also wanted to hit on a couple of physiological benefits that continuous swims offer.  First long swims maximize the amount of oxygen in the blood, making an athlete more efficient on a cardiovascular level.  Basically this translates as increasing overall levels of fitness.  This is certainly never a bad thing!  The second health benefit is, as with all endurance workouts of 90 minutes or more, once our carbohydrate stores are depleted, the body begins to utilize our fat stores as fuel for workouts.  Even though the body can feel fatigued once the carbohydrate stores are used, our bodies can become more efficient at utilizing fat as an energy source, which is something that becomes a must during endurance races lasting more than 90 minutes. 

You do weekly long runs that build up to and beyond race distance and you do the same on the bike, so why not do the same in water?  By utilizing this training approach to swimming, I have become a much more efficient and confident swimmer.  So give it a shot as you prepare for your next race!