Many triathletes can hold a steady pool pace, but struggle when the swim stops being steady. A crowded start, a buoy turn, a sudden gap, or a faster group can force an acceleration that makes the stroke fall apart.
The answer is not simply swimming harder. It is learning to change pace while keeping the same useful shapes: a stable head, a clean hand entry, a patient front end, and pressure that travels through the water instead of slipping past it.
This session trains that skill with short pace changes inside longer repeats. The goal is to finish fast without turning the final 25 metres into a survival exercise.
Why Pace Changes Break Down
A sudden increase in effort often causes three problems:
- The head lifts as the swimmer searches for air or tries to move faster.
- The hand enters across the centre line, creating extra resistance.
- The stroke becomes rushed, so the arm slips forward before the body has finished moving past it.
These faults are expensive because they increase drag at exactly the moment you need more speed. A useful acceleration should come mostly from applying more force to the water and increasing stroke rate slightly, not from thrashing every part of the body.
The Technical Progression
Use this progression before the main set. Fins are optional, but a snorkel can help during the first two drills by removing breathing as a distraction. Do not use equipment to create a position you cannot hold without it.
1. Six-Stroke Build
Swim freestyle for six strokes at an easy pace, then six strokes at a stronger pace. Repeat for 25 metres, keeping the same head position throughout.
The easy section should feel long and quiet. During the stronger section, let the hands enter with a little more purpose and increase the tempo only enough to create a clear change in speed. Your body line should not rise or snake as you accelerate.
2. Fist-to-Open-Hand Freestyle
Swim 25 metres with closed fists, then 25 metres with relaxed, open hands. Keep the same effort for both lengths.
Fist swimming reduces the surface area of the hand and makes poor pressure easier to notice. When you open your hands, avoid pressing down or spreading the fingers dramatically. The hand should feel connected to the forearm, with pressure building as the arm moves into the propulsive phase.
3. Fast-Finish 50s
Swim each 50 as 25 metres controlled and 25 metres strong. The first half should feel like an effort you could continue for several minutes. The second half should be faster, but technically recognizable.
Ask yourself three questions after every repeat:
- Did my head stay quiet?
- Did my hands enter in front of the shoulders rather than crossing over?
- Did I speed up by increasing useful pressure, rather than simply spinning the arms?
The Main Pace-Change Set
This set works well for triathletes because it combines controlled aerobic swimming with repeated accelerations. It is demanding without requiring every length to be maximal.
- 300 metres easy, gradually building your awareness of body position
- 4 × 50 metres as 25 controlled, 25 strong, with 15–20 seconds rest
- 4 × 100 metres as 75 controlled, 25 strong, with 15 seconds rest
- 4 × 100 metres as 50 controlled, 25 strong, 25 controlled, with 15–20 seconds rest
- 4 × 50 metres strong, holding form, with 20–30 seconds rest
- 200 metres easy
The total is 2,000 metres. Adjust the volume if needed, but keep the structure. The important feature is the contrast between controlled swimming and acceleration, not completing a particular distance.
How Fast Should the Strong Sections Be?
A good target is about 8 out of 10 effort. You should clearly change speed, but you should not sprint from the first stroke. On a 100-metre repeat, the strong 25 should feel assertive and purposeful rather than desperate.
If your pace improves but your stroke becomes noisy, shorten the acceleration. Start with 12.5 metres strong instead of 25. If you cannot create a speed change without losing your line, add more rest or use the drills again.
The Triathlon Connection
In a triathlon, acceleration is rarely about winning a sprint. It is usually about responding to an event: getting clear after the start, moving around a slower swimmer, closing a small gap, or settling into a faster group.
Those efforts are short, but they can leave a large cost if you respond with poor mechanics. A controlled pace-change set teaches you to raise speed and then return to sustainable swimming without carrying unnecessary tension into the rest of the leg.
For a longer training week, place this session after an easy day or as the quality swim of the week. Avoid scheduling it immediately before a hard bike or run session if you are still learning the skill. The repeated accelerations can create more shoulder and upper-back fatigue than their distance suggests.
What to Track
Do not judge the workout only by average pace. Record whether the strong sections were actually faster and whether you could return to controlled swimming without a major technical reset.
- Speed change: Compare the controlled and strong 25-metre sections.
- Consistency: Check whether the final repeats look like the first ones.
- Technique: Note any head lifting, crossed hand entry, or rushed recovery.
- Recovery: Notice how quickly your stroke feels settled after each acceleration.
Video can be especially useful here. A pace change may feel smooth from inside the water while showing a clear loss of alignment from the side. Film one controlled 50 and one fast-finish 50, then compare the head, hand entry, and length of the front arm.
Final Takeaway
Efficient speed is not a separate stroke that appears when you sprint. It is the same stroke performed with slightly more pressure and a slightly quicker rhythm.
Build that ability gradually: learn the feeling with drills, practise short fast finishes, then place the accelerations inside longer repeats. When the pace changes in your next triathlon, you will have a better chance of responding decisively without sacrificing the technique that keeps you moving forward.
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