Swim Terms & Sessions
Key terms used in swim sessions
We appreciate that some terms in swimming can be confusing - here we have a glossary to explain them. If you feel any are missing please let your coach know and we will update the page. This is more effective than having them on the session descriptions in TP as we would need to update hundreds of sessions.
Intensity
We keep intensity simple in swimming. It can be overly complicated.
Easy (Ez): Warm-up or active recovery. This should be a very comfortable intensity.
Extensive Endurance (EE): This is a long endurance pace that, for short durations, will feel easy, but should be sustainable for 10s of minutes.
Tempo (Te): A strong endurance pace, slightly easier than CSS and harder than EE.
Critical Swim Speed (CSS) : Threshold swim pace. It’s often slower than people anticipate. Depending upon your specific characteristic, this could be 15 - 30-min pace.
Lactate Accumulation (LAAC): Faster than CSS but not as quick as your 300/400m best time, which equates to VO2max.
VO2max (VO2): Describes your ~5-minute best pace. For convenience, we refer to this as 200, 300 or 400PB time, depending upon how fast CSS is.
Speed (Sp): Describes a pace above VO2max, roughly 50 -100m best-effort pace.
Max is self-evident. The fastest you can go.
Descend - get faster rep to rep.
Build - pace accelerates within every rep.
Varied - the pace within a rep varies sharply, unlike build, where it gradually accelerates.
Shuttle - within a block of reps, there will be some that are faster and others that are slower, i.e., shuttling above and below a certain point.
Rolling = within a rep, there will be faster and easier efforts. The fast will roll through the reps - i.e. 4 x 100 rolling 25 Fast - in rep 1 the fast is the first 25m, and the rest of the 100 is easier. In rep 2, the first 25 is easier, then the fast 25, then 50 easier. And so on.
Other terms
Fc-Bk = Mix free and backstroke.
SKPS = Skim/kick/pull/swim in equal measure
P&P = pull and paddle
B3 (or another number) = breathe every 3 strokes
PBA = Pull Buoy between Ankles
Training Zones
This is an experimental calculator to work out your own training zones using our terms and your Sprint:Distance Index. The accuracy of the model should improve with 3 sets of data, but a 200 and 400m will give a good estimate.
The Physiological Target is a ballpark figure for what should be possible physiologically; it does not mean you can do those durations, or it might be that you can perform them for longer.
Swim Performance & Zones
Training Zones (Pace per 100m)
| Zone | Physiological Target | Target Pace |
|---|---|---|
| Enter times above to generate training zones. | ||
Session Descriptions
Extensive Endurance
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute EE swim sessions
CSS - All Variations
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute CSS swim sessions
VO2max
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute VO2max swim sessions
Mixed Intensity Sesisons
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute Mixed Intensity swim sessions.
Speed Endurance (SE)
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute Speed Endurance (SE) swim sessions
Technique
For more information about the purpose, aims and how to execute Technique swim sessions