Club Lane Circle Swimming: Pool Drafting and Pack Tactics Session

Session Overview

This technique-focused pool session is designed for groups of 2-4 swimmers sharing a lane. By practising circle swimming, drafting positions, and reading the pack, you develop the tactical open water awareness that translates directly to race performance in a mass start field. Skills practised here — positioning on feet, managing contact, staying calm in a tight pack — are among the most undercoached yet most impactful aspects of triathlon swimming. Best completed with 3-4 training partners in a standard 25m or 50m pool lane.

What You’ll Need

• 2-4 training partners with similar swim ability — this session only works in a group
• Lane access in a 25m or 50m pool
• Pull buoys (optional — useful for the drafting drill sets)
• Caps and goggles

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Swim 400m easy as a group in a single lane, circle swimming from the start — this immediately establishes the circle swimming pattern (keep right, pass left) and allows everyone to calibrate pace relative to the group. Include 4×25m easy kick on the back to warm up the legs before the main set.

Main Set

Three drill blocks of increasing intensity, each building tactical awareness:

• Block 1 — Feet Drafting (4×100m): The lead swimmer holds a steady moderate pace. Each subsequent swimmer drafts 30-50cm behind the feet of the swimmer ahead. Focus on positioning — too far back and you lose the draft; too close and you risk contact. Rest 20 seconds between reps. Rotate who leads each rep.
• Block 2 — Hip Drafting (4×100m): Two swimmers swim side by side, with the drafting swimmer positioned at the hip of the lead swimmer. This mimics real open water pack dynamics where a hip-position draft can offer 10-15% energy saving. Rest 20 seconds, rotate partners.
• Block 3 — Race Start Simulation (4×50m fast): All swimmers start together at the wall, swimming at race effort in a tight pack. Practice holding your line, breathing to alternate sides, and maintaining pace when jostled. Rest 30 seconds between reps.
• Main endurance block — 1000m circle swim with passing: Swim 1000m as a group at a moderate aerobic pace. Faster swimmers may overtake by gently tapping the feet of the swimmer ahead (the universal open water signal). Slower swimmers move left to allow passing without breaking circle formation.

Cool-Down (10 minutes)

Swim 200m easy backstroke to recover, then 200m easy freestyle with a focus on long, slow strokes and complete exhalation underwater. Finish with a brief group debrief — discuss what worked in the drafting sets and what felt uncomfortable. This reflective time is surprisingly valuable for ingraining the tactical lessons from the session.

Coaching Notes

• Drafting behind someone’s feet can save 15-20% of your energy at race intensity. In a 1500m open water race, getting feet to draft early is worth 30-60 seconds off your time.
• Never swim over another swimmer — if you need to pass, tap their feet and wait for them to move left. Practising this in the pool builds race-day habits.
• If you only have one training partner, all the drill blocks still work — complete as a pair, alternating the lead role.
• Use this session once per fortnight in the 8 weeks before an open water race. It is a tactical rather than fitness session — plan your week accordingly.