Serpentine Swim Training

Coached Pool Sessions

 Sessions are yardage and drills based with a specific focus for each part of the session, and coached by Serpentine Coaches.  They are usually suitable for all levels of swimmer but are front crawl only.  Sessions are run at:

  •  Orchard Lisle Pool, Guys Hospital, London Bridge
  •  St Pancras Pool, Pancras Road, Kings Cross

See the Training Diary for the session schedule and e-mail triathlon@serpentine.org.uk for details of how to sign up.

Please note:

  •  Swimming is based on booking a block of 10-12 sessions, paid in advance. 
  •  You need to be a member of Serpentine Running Club to sign up for sessions.  There is a waiting list in operation which allows for 10 people per session to sign up at any one time.
  •  The cost covers pool hire and assumes that each session will not get 100% attendance.  This means that missed sessions may not be refunded or made up in future blocks, and you cannot offer your place to someone else if you know in advance you will miss a session.
  •  We only charge to cover costs, so when pool hire fees are revised we will have to increase the cost to Serpies.

Swimming Training Plans

Try this 26 week swim training plan, written for us by the coaches at Swim For Tri, a London based team of swimming experts who have set themselves the challenge of teaching triathletes of all levels how to swim well! Many of our members have used them for both swimming training and coaching and they come highly recommended.

The plans are aimed at swimmers of average ability training for Olympic distance triathlon. Halve or double the main set if you are training for shorter (sprint) or longer (half/full ironman) distance triathlons respectively. Click on the Swim for Tri weekly training plan in the drop down box on the right.

If you are a beginner, or relative beginner, the distances in some of the weekly swim plans may seem daunting. But if you follow them through, you will be amazed at how much more you can swim and how much more focussed your training can be when broken down into sets with a different purpose for each.

If your goals or ability are below or above the level of these sets, then you can half the number of lengths or repeat the main set to get the distance you want.

 External Swim Coaching

See here for details of external swim coaches with links to Serpentine.  Please contact these coaches and organisations directly as they are Independent Coaches.

 Wetsuit Swimming

 London offers plenty of opportunities to swim in a wetsuit, whether in a pool environment or open water.

Although currently not in our offering, we hope to offer coached open water sessions for small groups at Shepperton Lake.  We may also be able to offer sessions at other open water venues around London depending on interest.