Speed Workouts for Open Water Swimming: Dominate Your Next Swim

Are you transitioning from pool to open water and feeling frustratingly slower? Do you struggle to maintain your pace when waves start chopping or when navigating around course buoys? You’re not alone. Speed workouts for open water swimming presents unique challenges that can’t be fully addressed through traditional pool training.

The good news? With targeted speed workouts specifically designed for open water conditions, you can dramatically improve your performance in lakes, oceans, and rivers. This guide provides the essential training sets you need to develop speed where it matters most – in real open water race conditions.

Why Speed Workouts for Open Water Swimming Require a Different Approach

Pool-based speed workouts can certainly build your fitness foundation, but they often fall short in preparing you for the specific demands of open water racing. Here’s why:

• Sighting & Navigation: In a pool, you follow a black line and have lane ropes guiding you. Open water requires you to sight landmarks and navigate efficiently – skills that cost time and energy if not mastered.
• Waves & Chop: Unlike the controlled environment of a pool, open water conditions are variable and unpredictable. Maintaining stroke efficiency and speed through choppy water requires specific adaptations to your technique.
• Drafting & Pack Swimming: Open water races offer strategic opportunities to conserve energy by drafting behind other swimmers – a skill that demands practice to execute effectively.
• Buoy Turns: Race courses require rapid, efficient turns around buoys that differ dramatically from wall turns in a pool.
• Environmental Unpredictability: Water temperatures, currents, and visibility create additional challenges that demand training adaptation.

Effective open water speed workouts must incorporate these elements to truly prepare you for race day conditions.

Essential Components of an Effective Open Water Speed Workout

A well-structured open water speed workout should include these components:

Component	Duration	Purpose	Key Elements
Warm-up	10-15 min	Prepare body for intensive work	Dynamic movements, shoulder mobility, water acclimatization
Sighting Drills	Integrated	Develop efficient sighting at speed	Minimal head lift technique, varied frequency practice
Navigation Practice	Integrated	Learn to swim straight lines	Landmark targeting, swimming without visual guides
Main Set	30-40 min	Build open water-specific speed	Varied intensity intervals with open water focus
Buoy Turn Practice	5-10 min	Master race-efficient turns	Fast approach, tight turns, acceleration exit
Cool-down	5-10 min	Recovery and technique refinement	Easy swimming with focus on technique

12 Powerful Open Water Speed Workouts

Sighting Speed Sets

1. Sighting Sprints

• 10 x 100m with sighting every 6 strokes during the middle 50m
• Rest: 20 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Maintaining speed while incorporating frequent sighting

2. Sighting Pyramids

• Swim 100m/200m/300m/200m/100m
• Increase sighting frequency with each distance (every 10/8/6/4/2 strokes)
• Rest: 30 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Adapting to different sighting frequencies while maintaining pace

3. Progressive Sighting Intervals

• 6 x 200m with increasing sighting frequency
• First 200m: Sight every 12 strokes
• Last 200m: Sight every 3 strokes
• Rest: 20 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Finding your optimal sighting rhythm for different race scenarios

Wave/Chop Adaptation Speed Sets

4. Choppy Water Tempo Set

• 8 x 150m in choppy conditions (or simulated chop)
• Maintain consistent pace despite disruption
• Rest: 20 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Rhythm maintenance through disrupted water

5. Wave Simulation Intervals

• 5 x 200m with partners creating artificial waves
• Rest: 30 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Adapting stroke and breathing to irregular conditions

6. Disruption Adaptation Set

• 10 x 100m with deliberate pattern changes
• 25m normal / 25m choppy / 25m normal / 25m sprint
• Rest: 15 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Quick adaptation to changing conditions

Drafting Speed Sets

7. Draft and Surge Intervals

• 8 x 150m with partner rotation
• Draft for 100m, then surge past partner for final 50m
• Rest: 30 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Energy conservation followed by acceleration

8. Pack Swimming Practice

• 4 x 400m with group of 3-4 swimmers
• Switch positions every 100m (lead, right draft, left draft)
• Rest: 45 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Position awareness and drafting efficiency

9. Breakaway Speed Set

• 6 x 200m with partner
• Draft for 150m, then execute decisive 50m breakaway sprint
• Rest: 30 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Tactical race positioning and acceleration technique

Buoy Turn Speed Sets

10. Buoy Turn Sprints

• 12 x 75m around simulated buoy (or actual buoy)
• 50m approach at race pace, execute turn, 25m acceleration
• Rest: 20 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Maintaining momentum through turns

11. Race Simulation Turn Set

• 5 x 300m with 3 buoy turns per repetition
• Maintain race pace throughout
• Rest: 40 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Multiple turn execution at sustained race intensity

Sustained Open Water Race Pace Sets

12. Open Water Race Pace Intervals

• 5 x 400m at goal race pace
• Include sighting every 8 strokes
• Rest: 60 seconds between intervals
• Focus: Sustained speed with race-specific sighting pattern

“The biggest mistake swimmers make is training exclusively in pools and expecting to perform optimally in open water. Dedicated open water speed workouts that simulate race conditions are essential for peak performance.” – Open Water Champion Coach

How to Choose the Right Open Water Speed Workout

Select your workout based on:

• Your experience level: Beginners should focus on sighting and navigation before advanced sets
• Race-specific weaknesses: Identify your limitations (turns, drafting, etc.) and target them
• Upcoming race conditions: Ocean swims require more chop adaptation than flat water venues
• Available training environment: Adapt workouts to your current conditions

Safety First in Open Water Speed Training

Before pushing your limits in open water, prioritize these safety measures:

• Never swim alone: Always use the buddy system or train in supervised areas
• Use a safety buoy/tow float: These provide visibility and emergency flotation
• Check conditions: Be aware of currents, tides, and weather changes
• Gradual acclimatization: Adapt slowly to cold water temperatures
• Know your limits: Scale workouts to match conditions and your ability

Maximizing Your Open Water Speed Gains

To get the most from these workouts:

• Practice in actual open water regularly: Nothing replaces authentic conditions
• Focus on sighting efficiency: Work on minimal head movement while maintaining awareness
• Adapt your stroke for open water: Often a slightly higher stroke rate works better than pool technique
• Master strategic drafting: Learn to identify and utilize draft opportunities
• Build open water confidence: Gradually expose yourself to more challenging conditions

Sample Weekly Open Water Training Plan

Day	Workout Focus	Main Set Example
Monday	Technique & Recovery	Easy 30-minute swim with sighting practice
Tuesday	Speed (Pool)	10 x 100m descending pace with buoy turn simulation
Wednesday	Rest or Cross-train	N/A
Thursday	Open Water Speed	Workout #7 (Draft and Surge Intervals)
Saturday	Distance/Endurance	Long steady open water swim (45-60 min)
Sunday	Race Simulation	Workout #12 (Race Pace Intervals)

Consistent application of these speed workouts for open water swimming will translate to significant improvements in your race performance. The key is specificity – training your body to excel in the exact conditions you’ll face on race day.

Your Open Water Speed Journey Starts Now

Take these workouts to your next open water session and begin transforming your race performances. Remember that developing speed in open water requires patience and consistent practice of these specialized skills.