Why should you increase or decrease your rest intervals when swim training?

When training for a swim event there are a few different things that you can do that can ultimately help you to be a more efficient swimmer or to be able to swim further distances. 

Missed our previous blog “Why should you have multiple distances and what to do if you’re off track?” We already covered a few of the basics surrounding conquering distance but let’s talk rest time and intervals. The aim when decreasing rest time when swimming in the open water is to ultimately make yourself fitter. 

If we’re looking at doing a cardiovascular based session where you’re trying to hit about 80 percent of your max effort, you might decrease the rest as one option or you might actually feel like you need to increase the rest time – listen to your body. 

If you’re aiming to get faster and increase speed then you will need to have just a little bit more rest naturally as you push yourself in the water, but by swimming at a faster pace you’re improving your fitness and the more that you can practise swimming at that faster pace ultimately the fitter your body should feel. 

When it comes to the next sessions in the coming weeks you might then be able to decrease that rest again, but still be hitting that slightly faster pace thus gaining an improvement in fitness. 

So if you’re going to make a change then choose one of these 3 things to ultimately make you a quicker, more effective, efficient swimmer: 

1 –  Change the distance that you’re swimming

2 – Change the intensity that you’re swimming

3 – Change the rest intervals that you’re doing between the reps 

When training for a swim event, don’t forget the importance of a community to keep you accountable and motivated. Join our live membership events and listen to inspiring open water swimmers from around the globe speaking with Keri-anne and the Straight-Line Swimming team about their open water journey.