Preparing for Swim Serpentine in a swimming pool
Whether you're new to open water swimming, or have been dipping your toes in for many years, we've got the perfect training plan to help you get set for Swim Serpentine.
Open water swimming is an excellent form of fitness and can be hugely enjoyable – and there's no better place to take on an enjoyable open water swim than the stunning Serpentine lake in Hyde Park!
However, it's not always possible to train outdoors at venues like this, which is why we've put together helpful, easy-to-use guides to help you prepare for Swim Serpentine in a swimming pool.
If you’re planning to train for the Swim Serpentine one-mile event in a 25m pool, you’ll need to complete 64 lengths (1,600m) to cover the distance.
There are a variety of training sessions and skills sets for you to try below. If you’re new to swimming or looking to improve, it’s also a good idea to find out if your local pool holds any adult swimming sessions. These sessions are often welcoming and a great way to progress your technique and fitness quickly, especially if there are swimming coaches on the poolside providing set
sessions for you.
A swimming session should consist of a warm up, main set, contrast set and warm down.
Warm up
Gradually warm up your arms and lungs as you increase your pace over some short
distances.
Main set
Typically, a target distance broken down into shorter distances with short recovery times to help you work on your pace. For example, the target may be 1,000m, so a
simple session would be to swim 10 x 100m with one-minute rest between each four lengths (in a 25m pool). This way you can swim faster for the duration of the 100m
than you would be able to over a straight 1,000m swim.
Contrast set
After a main session, the contrast set throws in some drills with perhaps some kick or stroke work.
Warm down
A reverse of the warm up, reduce your speed and think about technique.
At other times you may go into the pool to complete a long-distance swim – for example, to swim one mile non-stop and time yourself.
You can also try the following sample sets and drill suggestions when training for Swim Serpentine.
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