Central place to discuss training strategies for people who do Sprint or Oli Tris, and only train 6 – 8 hrs / wk.
I hope this is helpful. I have some questions for others in the same situation, I am hoping we can all gather here and help each other by sharing info & experiences.
[You won’t be kicked out if you do 10 hrs / wk, but the focus is on optimizing Tri training in minimal time. We don’t do 2 hr Z2 rides 2 – 3 x / wk, 1.5 – 2 hr swim sessions with drills 2 – 4 x / wk, or 2 x sessions in one day (Swim AM, Bike PM). Not possible with our schedules. We’re all very aware that increasing volume would be the best way to get faster! 
This place is to discuss other strategies to get faster, for whom that isn’t possible.]
I’m currently doing TR LV on Mon, Wed & Fri, and trying to swim Tue & Thu. But this is often just Tue or Thu.
Swim: My 1 km in 25 m pool time has been stuck at 21 mins for 5+ yrs. OW 750 m recent event time: 18:45. I recently got the Total Immersion swim book, and am going to work on the form drills to try to increase efficiency. I was a competitive swimmer before HS, but clearly need work. Currently I do the same both days / every time: Swim 1 k continuous, and if I have energy, finish w 1 x 100 FAST, 1 x 50 SPRINT. Going to switch that to 1.5 k continuous + same finish.
Bike: TR FTP 210, up 20%, from 175, in Nov 2022. 20 k TT recent event time [on triple-loop course, 6 x turn arounds]: 38:45. Just finished Rolling Race Specialty, before my A Event on Sun Aug 20. I’ve decided to repeat a full cycle: SSBLV1 – SSBLV2 – Sust Pow Build – Specialty [Focus TBD]
Run: Saturdays. [Not currently running due injury, working on physio to return 2024.]
Questions:
1 – Swim: 1A - If you’re only swimming 1 - 2 d / wk, are you better to do what I’m doing? BC you’ll never really get faster, you’re just maintaining base, and will never get strong & fast enough at 2 x / wk to bother with drills? Just keep practicing continuous swimming? Or better to do one day 1.5 – 2 km continuous easy pace, and the other day do sets between 100 – 200s on hard to sprint pace? Or another plan entirely? 1B - Any other ideas to improve efficiency / form, in addition to / instead of TI book?
2 – Bike: Has anyone gone through a couple years and tried out returning to base for a full cycle vs just staying on something like Enthusiast Maintenace plan / your own designed plan, and noted increases / plateaus in FTP and/or TT times?
3 – If you have to drop one WO one week, I think better to drop a bike, right?
[Did a deep forum dive before posting this. Couldn’t find any other thread that addressed this specifically.]