I will be spending about week at a conference where the pool is 20 yards. Are their any specific workouts for pools this small?
Former Member
Depending on the pool, it might be a great opportunity to work on your flip turns. I usually do a lot of fly when I swim in a shorter pool. 20 yards allows me to maintain decent technique (besides it keeps the recreational swimmers at a distance).
Short polls are great to work on streamlining. Also when in a short pool I do pulls,kicks,one arm strokes,vertical kicking,sculling drills,etc.A 20 yd pool is a lot better than no pool.
I was thinking the same as trout... work on your butterfly in a 20 yard pool. Sometimes I had to practice in the diving well in high school - and when we did fly sets, I had more energy because of the shorter distance... it's great.
I assume there are no pool ropes and backstroke flags. I used to swim in a pool like that. It was horrible. Try to use the pool when the kids and non-swimmers are away. Check the heat of the water (they are mostly warmer). If the pool is crowded, I do breaststroke. I would also do some weight training if there is a gym.
I swam my youth in a 20 yard pool. Certainly helps your turns and speed work. I recommend using it for those two aspects. Train short and hard in a 20 yard pool. I wish master nationals had an 80yd. IM.
John Smith
I regularly have to swim in a 20 yd (85 degree) club pool. Remember a 200 is ten lengths. I do a lot of 200's and 400's and try to keep each length exactly the same as the last, i.e. perfect stroke count and not gain strokes per length. It's easy to start shortening your stroke in anticipation of the wall. Also I trick myself into swimming more fly - "you can do it, just up to there," Here are some of my "micropool" sets:
3x5x40 kick @ :40
#1 back kick
#2 dolphin kick
#3 flutter kick
6x200 descend 1-3, 4-6 either back or free (descending 200's are probably my favorite set in any venue)
5x200 IM shift, break down the IM by lengths remembering 1, 2, 3, 4 = 10;
#1: 1 fly, 2 bk, 3 ***, 4 free
#2: 2 fly, 3 bk, 4 ***, 1 free
#3: 3 fly, 4 bk, 1 ***, 2 free
#4: 4 fly, 1 bk, 2 ***, 3 free
#5: 1 fly, 2 bk, 3 ***, 4 free
Try to keep up the intensity since you are basically stopping for extra turns in the shorter pool. The kick set really wears me out. Swimming in the micropool is not my favorite but I live 22 miles from my home pool and when I am in my work week I can't always make the trip and have to swim in town. You can still get a good practice in!
I swam my youth in a 20 yard pool. Certainly helps your turns and speed work. I recommend using it for those two aspects. Train short and hard in a 20 yard pool. I wish master nationals had an 80yd. IM.
That'd be awesome... only as long as they still allowed the 15y underwater/pullout rule. That way, I'd only have to take 3 *** strokes.
