Below you will see a sample training programme for the 2km swim:

Week 1

Week 1

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Warm Up
  1. 400m freestyle
  1. 400m combining freestyle, breaststroke & backstroke 25m each
  1. 400m combining freestyle, breaststroke & backstroke 50m each

Drills
  1. 200m freestyle one arm front
  2. 200m catch up
  1. 400m co-ordination drill (freestyle-3 single arms on the right arm, keep left arm extended, 3 full strokes, 3 single arms on the left, 3 full strokes)
  1. 200m freestyle catch up drill
  2. 200m freestyle body rotation drill

Main Set
  1. 150m freestyle last 25m fast
  2. 50m breaststroke
  3. 50m backstroke last 25m fast
  4. Repeat with 2 minute rest in between
  1. 10x50m freestyle with 30 sec rest
  2. 100m scull both front and back
  3. 400m freestyle counting number of strokes per length, attempting to maintain the same stroke rate
  1. 8x100m freestyle rest for 20 sec in between. Use of pull buoy can be incorporated every other cycle

Cool down
  1. 200m any stroke
  1. 200m any stroke
  1. 200m inverted breaststroke & rotating arms

Total

2km

2km

2km

 

Week 2

Week 2

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Warm Up
  1. 400m freestyle
  1. 400m (25m single arm freestyle, 25m any stroke, 25m other single arm freestyle, 25m any stroke, repeat)
  1. 400m combining freestyle, breaststroke 50m each

Drills
  1. 8x50m freestyle using hand paddles 15 sec rest
  1. 400m co-ordination drill (freestyle-3 single arms on the right arm, keep left arm extended, 3 full strokes, 3 single arms on the left, 3 full strokes)
  1. 200m freestyle catch up drill
  2. 200m freestyle body rotation drill arms fully extended

Main Set
  1. 16x50m medley 20 sec rest (if you are unable to swim butterfly replace with freestyle)
  2. 50m swim down
  1. 800m pyramid (50m freestyle, 100m medley, 150m freestyle, 200m medley butterfly can be replaced with freestyle, 150m freestyle, 100m medley, 50m freestyle)
  1. 1000m (400m freestyle, 100m breaststroke x2)

Cool down
  1. 200m with kick board (75m freestyle, 25m breaststroke x2)
  2. 50m scull (front or back or both)
  1. 400m any stroke
  1. 200m kickboard deep freestyle kick
  2. 200m kickboard breaststroke legs

Total

2.2km

2.2km

2.2km

 

Week 3

Week 3

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Warm Up
  1. 400m (100m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle)
  1. 400m (freestyle and backstroke 50m alternating)
  1. 400m freestyle (focusing on maintaining equal number of arm pulls per length)

Drills
  1. 500m (25m catch up, 25m single arm right, 25m single arm left, 25m full stroke. Rest time 25 sec. repeat drill 5 times
  1. 4x50m freestyle with kick board, 30 sec rest
  2. 4x50m breaststroke, 20 sec rest
  1. 200m catch up
  2. 200m freestyle (every 5th stroke practice sighting)

Main Set
  1. 5x100m freestyle with pull buoy rest time 20 sec
  2. 5x100m freestyle sprinting on last 25m rest time 30 sec

100m swim down (breaststroke or backstroke
  1. 1250m pyramid(50m, 100m, 150m, 200m, 250m take a break and drink for 3 mins, 200m, 150m, 100m, 50m butterfly can be replaced by any stroke)
  2. 200m backstroke swimdown
  1. 8x50m freestyle (breathing every 3rd stroke)
  2. 4x100m freestyle (full strength) rest for 45 sec
  3. 100m backstroke swim down

Cool down
  1. 150m kickboard freestyle
  2. 150m kickboard breaststroke
  1. 350m kickboard (200m freestyle kick, 150m breaststroke kick)
  1. 200m freestyle kick with fins and kickboard
  2. 200m freestyle with fins

Total

2.3km

2.6km

2.2km

 

Week 4

Week 4

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Warm Up
  1. 4x100m medley (replace butterfly with freestyle if not able)
  1. 400m (freestyle and backstroke 50m alternating)
  1. 400m freestyle & backstroke

Drills
  1. 400m (25m catch up, 25m single arm right, 25m single arm left, 25m full stroke. Rest time 25 sec. repeat drill 4 times
  1. 400m co-ordination drill (freestyle-3 single arms on the right arm, keep left arm extended, 3 full strokes, 3 single arms on the left, 3 full strokes)
  1. 12x50m freestyle using hand paddle and pull buoy, rest 10 sec

Main Set
  1. 12x100m freestyle use hand paddles & pull buoy, rest 30 sec
  2. 200m backstroke

 
  1. 800m pyramid (50m freestyle, 100m medley, 150m freestyle, 200m medley butterfly can be replaced with freestyle, 150m freestyle, 100m medley, 50m freestyle)
  1. 16x50m medley 20 sec rest
  2. 200m swim down any stroke

Cool down
  1. 400m freestyle with fins & kickboard focus on leg kick
  1. 200m kickboard deep freestyle leg
  2. 200m kickboard long/deep breaststroke
  1. 200m freestyle kick with fins and kickboard
  2. 200m freestyle with fins

Total

2.6km

2.2km

2.4km

 

 

Anxiety in open water

Anxiety in open water is common and is normally caused by extrinsic factors - depth, cold, not being able to see far and having other swimmers in close proximity to you. All of these factors lead to the same physical response regardless of your expertise - holding your breath.

Holding your breath immediately increases the anxiety further, things start to feel out of control and you may even feel a sense of panic. To help eleviate this, focus instead on intrinsic factors that you can control, for instance breathing, hand entry and smooth strokes. If you do start to panic during the event then just pause or flip over onto your back for a few seconds. Take a few deep easy breaths, recompose yourself and keep those deep easy breaths going when you start swimming again.

 

 

Swimming technique and strokes 

During the event you will not be restricted to one stroke. Freestyle is the most effective but you can combine it with other strokes such as backstroke, breaststroke or sidestroke. Be aware of your leg positioning if using breaststroke and remember when using backstroke it is harder to swim in a straight line and keep an eye on the group.

 

Whichever stroke you intend to swim, you need to consider the same five things:

  1. Your body position - this affects the whole stroke, so get it right first of all. Aim to stay as streamlined as you possibly can.
  2. Your leg action - this helps to hold your body in good position. You need to kick strongly to stay as horizontal as possible.
  3. Your arm action - in all strokes except breaststroke most of the power comes from your arms. But they can only work properly if your body position is right.
  4. Your breathing - many stroke problems come from breathing at the wrong time. Try not to let your breathing interrupt the leg and arm action.
  5. The timing of the stroke - this is the way all the stages fit together to form the complete stroke.

 

Websites for stroke techniques: