Last Updated on February 26, 2021 by admin
In this article, we will provide advice, drills, hacks and tips as an introduction to fartlek swimming training.
What is fartlek swimming training?
Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning ‘speed play’.
- The principle behind fartlek swimming training is that it can help to enable the swimmer to adapt to various swimming speeds.
- This in turn helps to further develop their cardiovascular system and conditioning, enabling them to swim faster for longer.
- Fartlek swimming training usually consists of training sets of mixed pace swims over a variety of distances.
- As well as swimming, fartlek training is used in other sports such as cycling, rowing and running.
The Benefits of fartlek swimming training
Fartlek training sets can provide the swimmer with several benefits, these include,
- Developing a swimmer’s aerobic capacity and endurance.
- Improving a swimmer’s acceleration and speed.
- Helping to develop a swimmer’s race tactics.
- It can help them to develop an understanding of how hard they can push themselves.
- While trying to conserve enough energy to complete the race at a sufficient pace.
- One of the major benefits of fartlek swimming training is that it can be used in a variety of ways.
- It can be adapted to meet a swimmer’s development needs.
- It can be undertaken by a group or an individual swimmer.
- Fartlek training sets can be performed at different speeds and intensities, for example,
- Super slow swimming
- Easy and smooth
- Distance per stroke
- Stroke count
- Builds
- Race pace
- Sprints
- Max swim speed
- Drill example, 4 x 600m as 200m easy and smooth, 25m sprint@ max swim speed, 75m super slow swimming, 100m @ 200m race pace.
- Fartlek training can also be performed using different distances and competitive strokes.
- Drill example, 4 x200m as, 50m butterfly as max distance per stroke, 50m backstroke as swim build (see drills below), 50m breaststroke easy and smooth and 50m freestyle @ max swim speed.
- Some swimmers perform fartlek training sets using either a snorkel or a pull buoy.
Related article on developing super slow swimming.
We have produced a related article on super slow swimming. Which you can view by clicking this link: super slow swimming.
Related article on developing swimming distance per stroke.
We have produced a related article on developing swimming distance per stroke. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing swimming distance per stroke.
Related articles on stroke count and stroke rate
We have produced related articles, on both how to use stroke count and stroke rate and stroke count and stroke rate drills. Which you can view by clicking these links: how to use stroke count and stroke rate | stroke count and stroke rate drills.
Fartlek training sets
Listed below are some of our favourite fartlek swimming training sets.
- Some coaches use fartlek training by varying the speed of their training sets within one training session. For example,
- Warm-up, as 5 x 200m freestyle as 50m easy and smooth 50m stroke count
- Activity 1, as 12 x 50m Own choice of stroke builds Odds) as swim Evens) as kick. (Odds = reps 1,3,5,7,9,11 evens = reps 2,4,6,8,10.12)
- Activity 2, as 8 x 100m max distance per stroke, as 1+2) I.M. order 3+4) Not freestyle 5+6) I.M. order 7+8) Freestyle.
- Activity 3, as 16 x 25m as, Odds) @ max swim speed Evens) as super slow swimming
- Cool-down, as 6 x 200 stroke count. Odds) not freestyle Evens) freestyle
Farlek training drills
However, we prefer to incorporate our fartlek swimming training within particular training sets, using specific fartlek drills. For example,
Fast and slow
Purpose: These are a series of alternating race paced and drill paced swims.
- For example, 4 x 200m as alternating 50ms.
- Odd 50ms) @ 100m race pace even 50ms) as slow, drill pace, recovery swims.
Builds
Purpose: Builds require the swimmer to gradually increase their swim speed during each rep.
- Builds can be performed either as a swim, a pull or a kick set.
How to perform this drill: This drill should initially be performed as a series of 50m or 100m reps.
- The swimmer should start slowly then gradually increase their speed to approximately 50% of their maximum speed at halfway.
- They should continue to build their speed and reach their max speed as they finish the rep.
- The swimmer should focus on their technique during this drill.
Beginning middle and end
Purpose: This drill requires the swimmer to alternate their swimming speed during different segments of each rep.
How to perform this drill: This drill should be initially performed as a series of 6 x 150m reps.
- The swimmer performs, sets 1+4) as 50m @ max speed and 100m as slow, drill pace, recovery swim.
- sets 2+5) as 50m slow, drill pace, recovery swim 50m @ max speed and 50m as slow, drill pace, recovery swim.
- sets 3+6) as 100m as slow, drill pace, recovery swim and as 50m @ max speed.
Fartlek warm-up
Purpose: This is an excellent warm-up drill, which requires the swimmer to perform a required number of strokes at a varying pace.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill from a push & glide at the end of the pool.
- The swimmer proceeds with this drill by performing eighteen strokes (each time the swimmer’s hand enters the water) at drill pace, with their best technique.
- They should then perform twelve strokes building to a 200m race pace.
- Finally, they should perform six strokes holding a 200m race pace.
- This drill should be repeated once the distance of 200m has been completed.
Free fartlek
Over the years, swimming coaches have tended to merge fartlek and interval training.
Purpose: One of the original concepts of fartlek training is an aspect of fluid and spontaneous changes in speed.
How to perform this drill: This drill is performed by the swimmer performing fartlek training by allowing the swimmer to swim spontaneously at the varying speeds and intensity they wish to perform.
- We usually run this set for 5 minutes and our swimmers seem to enjoy taking the responsibility for their own training set.
Kick on the whistle
Purpose: This fartlek leg kicking drill can help to develop and maintain a strong freestyle leg kick.
How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill from a streamlined push and glide from the end of the pool, whilst holding the kickboard with fully extended arms.
- They should commence a slow and steady freestyle leg kick in a horizontal and prone position while keeping their head out of the water.
- The coach should then blow a whistle which is the signal for the swimmer to perform a fast freestyle leg kick at sprint speed until the coach blows the whistle again and the swimmer should then return to a slow and steady kick.
- These bouts of random fast and slow kicking should be repeated, initially over 50m/100m.
- The intensity of this set should be gradually increased, by a combination of longer fast intervals, shorter rests or by slowly increasing the distance.
- Younger and inexperienced swimmers may find it useful to use fins when first learning this drill.
Takeaways
Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning ‘speed play’.
- The principle behind fartlek swimming training is that it can help to enable the swimmer to adapt to various swimming speeds.
- This in turn helps to further develop their cardiovascular system and conditioning, enabling them to swim faster for longer.
- Fartlek swimming training usually consists of training sets of mixed pace swims over a variety of distances.
- As well as swimming, fartlek training is used in other sports such as cycling, rowing and running.
Swimming Publications
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- For information regarding our portfolio please follow our link: Swimming publications.
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