Christmas Swim

A former coach of mine, Rick Edwards, had some fun and very tough winter training workouts for his high school team. Here's a set he called "Casino Royale" Gambling Blackjack to reduce by ½ or double your fun x 400 descend x 200 descend x 100 IM descend x 50 ( 1 set of each stroke in IM order)desc. to pace x 25 (same as above, middle set choice) sprint So basically, you pick five swimmers to roll the die for each of the five sets above. If swimmer one rolls, for example, a 3 on the first roll everyone on the team does 3x400. However, everyone has the option individually of playing blackjack. If they beat the coach, the set is reduced by half, if they lose the set is doubled. Coach Edwards passed away just a few weeks ago. He will be missed. A very tough, but compassionate coach.

So what exactly is an Aussie relay? Is that where the relay ends when one team laps the other?Yeah, I think that's what it is.

*multiquote feature, Chris! So what exactly is an Aussie relay? Is that where the relay ends when one team laps the other? Yeah, I think that's what it is. Yeah, you have two teams, one at each end of the pool. Send them off at the same time, they swim a 50, next person dives in, so on and so forth, and you keep going until one team has caught up to and passed the other. If you've got a balanced mix of kids, it can take a while, and makes a good sprint threshold set.

If you want to keep it "fun", as was your original intent, I think using Muppet's point of getting in the pool and joining the kids is a valid point. With my son's hockey team, the highlights of practices are always when the coaches are out scrimmaging with the kids--the more the merrier. Since many of the coaches are ex-hockey players themselves, knocking down the kids and stealing the puck is always fair game, and the coaches are always outnumbered by the kids. The annual kids v. parents games are always fun (your version would just be to mix the parents in with the kids on relay teams, and bring siblings in on the fun as well). With the mix of personalities you have going on your team, ML, I think "fun" needs to be the theme of the day. JMO.

I've had a few hat swims, in particular 3 hats: # of repeats, distance, and modifier (kick, pull, IM, free, etc.). A key for holiday cheer is a willingness to drop bad combinations (like 8x400 IM). :angel:

It's cruel to make kids swim on Christmas.

I forgot about Australian Relays! So what exactly is an Aussie relay? Is that where the relay ends when one team laps the other?

Try the Twister. 1x 1x 1x 1x 1x With send-offs manipulated for your skill level. This is just what I use. 3750 yard set Or 52 Card Red or Black Get a deck of cards Have team separate into lanes choosing either red or black Give hard set to members who pick wrong color My favorite 5 x 200 Fly @ 3:00 Give easy set to members who picked correct color My favorite 5 x sit and splash while others are doing 5 x 200 fly We use to do this with a starting gun and called it Deerhunter. Six shooter with 3 loaded and 3 empty. But, starting guns are frowned upon these days. It made it a little more exciting.

*multiquote feature, Chris! Yeah, you have two teams, one at each end of the pool. Send them off at the same time, they swim a 50, next person dives in, so on and so forth, and you keep going until one team has caught up to and passed the other. If you've got a balanced mix of kids, it can take a while, and makes a good sprint threshold set. This was in my plans for our practice on the 23rd! I can't wait to see what the outcome is!! We have prizes for the winning "team".