Swim workout planning for Garmin

Training
1

I recently switched from TP to intervals.icu and i’m still trying to wrap my head around how to create swim workouts especially including rests.
I’ve read through some old threads but could really find a working way.

If someone has a working example workout and is willing to share i would be very grateful!

So my swim workouts are structured like this:

pool length: 50m

- Warm up 200mtr 70-80% Pace
- 20s

3x
- Drill 1 Catch up 3 lengths 50mtr 70-80% Pace
- 20s

3x
- Drill 2 Kick only drill 3 lengths 50mtr 70-80% Pace
- 20s

3x
- Drill 3 Zipp up drill  50mtr 70-80% Pace
- 20s

3x
- Easy, Moderate & Hard paced free style  50mtr 70-95% Pace
- 20s

10x
- Moderate - hard 100mtr 80-95% Pace
- 20s

- Cool Down 200mtr 70-80% Pace

It sort of works on my garmin but the “- 20s” are not recognized as a rest timer but a swim or kick set timer. I haven’t tested it in the pool but i would imagine that unless you stand completely still the watch will still track and add meters.

Another question i have is that most of the intervals show up as kick set (“Beinschlag”) on my garmin. In other words they all count as drills. Is there a way to set it to swimming freestyle or front crawl? I noticed that when i use:

  • Brust 400 meters 90% Pace

It actually is recognized as Breaststroke by Garmin

  • Kraul 200 meters 80% Pace

on the other hand is again recognized as a kick set

2

Hi MarKra 1994!
Are you directly uploading this workout from intervals to GarminConnect? I have a Fenix ​​6 pro and it didn’t work, the uploaded workout doesn’t match what’s in intervals at all.
In the sense that the uploaded workout doesn’t look and work as if it was written using GarminConnect.
That’s why I enter all my swimming workouts directly into Garmin.

You can try to use «- 20" rest» instead - 20s

3

Try to record your workout like this:

# Warm Up
- 200 mtr z1 pace
- 20" rest

3x
- 50 mtr z1 pace // Drill 1 Catch up 3 lengths
- 20" rest

3x
- 50 mtr z1 pace // Drill 2 Kick only drill 
- 20" rest

3x
- 50 mtr z1 pace // Drill 3 Zipp up drill
- 20" rest

- 50 mtr z1 pace // free style Easy
- 20" rest
- 50 mtr z2 pace // free style Moderate
- 20" rest
- 50 mtr z3 pace // free style Hard 
- 20" rest

10x
- 100 mtr ramp z2-z4 pace //  free style from Moderate to Hard
- 20" rest

# Cool Down
- 200 mtr z1 Pace

image

4

Hey there!

Thank you for your time and help! I tried your method but the result is the same.

It rudimentally works. But it marks everything as a drill so i think Garmin won’t record any stroke data. I imagine if you would just swim without drills and structured workouts in mind this would be just fine. Maybe they will add further additions here. In the meantime i will continue using other apps for the swimming portions.

5

Alright so a small follow up. I planned my swim workout with the swimcoach app instead and uploaded it and this is what it shows up as in intervals:

Pool length: 50m


2x
- Swim Freestyle easy pace.
 100mtr Z2 HR
- 0m30s Z1 HR

- 1m Z1 HR

2x
- Swim 6/3/6 Drill.
Focus on Breathing. 50mtr Z2 HR
- 0m30s Z1 HR

- Now: Main Set 2m Z1 HR

4x
- Freestyle with Tennisballs.
 50mtr Z2 HR
- 0m30s Z1 HR

- 1m Z1 HR

8x
- Swim Freestyle with one Arm.
Change the active arm every 2 arm strokes. Keep your passive arm extended. 50mtr Z2 HR
- 0m30s Z1 HR

- 1m Z1 HR

5x
- Swim freestyle alternately with and without a pull buoy
Concentrate on strong, full arm strokes. 100mtr Z2 HR
- 0m20s Z1 HR

- Now: Cool Down 2m Z1 HR

3x
- Swim Freesytle easy pace.
 100mtr Z2 HR
- 0m30s Z1 HR

image

Asuming that this is how it should work with a garmin watch.

6

Hey Markra,

I am having the same problem. Did you manage to find a solution?

7

Have you tried structuring it like my last follow up? Other than that i’m either using “swim coach app” to create my workouts which then sends it to my garmin or i’m using my garmin on the fly.

1 Like
8

I see.
It works much better than using the %pace and finally possible to use rest zone.

Thank you for your inputs MarKra.

1 Like