The cross-training routine that was previously posted on this thread had a variety of advice. Although quite a few people have mentioned to me that they prefer to swim, and don't really want to lift weights. That's understandable, but attempting to compromise I suggest these 4 critical exercises, 3xweek. This could take as little as 15 minutes, but will have significant impact on your swimming base times.
Here's why:
Ankle flexibility is crucial, as this is the anchor on your ship. Even if you don't improve power or strength, having your ankles flexible will reduce the drag and improve body position. So, I recommend a minimum of 6 minutes (3x per week), on the bike with your toes pointed. This is primarily to warm up the ankles as well as training the range of motion.
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Don't be discouraged if you can't do this next stretch right away. When I started 8 years ago I couldn't get my knees off the ground, and my SDK was ineffective. Just have patience, and after several months you should notice a gradual improvement. Not everyone is gifted with natural mobility in the ankles, but the good news is this can be earned. Try and hold the stretch for 3x20 seconds.
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Moving up the body line, core stability is critical for maintaining the right trajectory while swimming. Be sure to bring the elbow all the way around the knee, and tighten the core as you go through the motion. Pick a weight that enables you to do 3x12 reps on both sides.
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This last exercise is great for your core, but I've noticed it is also really good for the upper body, especially the catch phase of the stroke, as well as engaging the lats on the horizontal axis. Again, 3x12 reps, and these four exercises can be made into a short mini-routine that most aspiring swimmers should at least consider.
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Happy swimming,
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So I finally have my video on FLOSWIMMING here it is
100 free SCM - 51.60 which converts to 46.02 SCY
swimming.flocasts.org/.../65295
I like the idea of doing the 500 dolphin kick at the end of the workout after you've sprinted. Did that today.
I have a love/hate relationship with the dolphin kick after sprinting. I hate to do it because it hurts, but I love to do it for the workout.
Tonight's swim was pretty good.
SCM
3x(100 swim, 50 kick, 100 drill)
4x(3x75) on 1:10
done this way
1st 75, 25fast,50 easy
2nd 75, 25easy,25 fast, 25 easy
3rd 75, 50 easy, 25 fast
(repeat 4 times)
This is a great set!
3x200 IM on 30 rest
500 dolphin on back with finz (good for the core)
200 easy
Looks good, I'm gonna add about 1400 to the front end for warmup and a build set. This will be a nice little workout without too much intensity I think. Thanks!
4x(3x75) on 1:10
done this way
1st 75, 25fast,50 easy
2nd 75, 25easy,25 fast, 25 easy
3rd 75, 50 easy, 25 fast
(repeat 4 times)
This is a great set!
Thanks for this set. I did it this afternoon. I would definitely categorize it as Fun and Fast!
Tonight's swim was pretty good.
SCM
3x(100 swim, 50 kick, 100 drill)
4x(3x75) on 1:10
done this way
1st 75, 25fast,50 easy
2nd 75, 25easy,25 fast, 25 easy
3rd 75, 50 easy, 25 fast
(repeat 4 times)
This is a great set!
3x200 IM on 30 rest
500 dolphin on back with finz (good for the core)
200 easy
I used your easy then fast idea in this mornings practice which was built primarily for my sprinters:
WU
1 x 800 (200 Swim, 200 Kick, 200 Choice, 200 Swim)
Kick
4 x 100 on 2:15
(25 easy, 25 fast, 25 easy, 25 fast)
Pull
4 x 100 on 2:00
(25 pull, 25 swim, 25 pull, 25 swim)
Main
5 x 50 on :50
(Breathing: 3-5-5-3-3)
5 x 100 on 2:00
(Breathing 5-3-3-5-5)
Sprint
10 x 50 on 1:00
10 x 25 on :30
10 x 75 on 1:15
Recovery
1 x 200 Choice
In retrospect, I should have dropped the 2:00 100 down significantly as they were getting quite a bit of rest, but they got a great workout (I love to see red faces and panting after a sprint set)!
Did this workout yesterday:
SCM
500 Warm Up
250 Medium pace (bring the 200 in under 2:30)
Borrowed this set from Chris Layton:
3 x:
{ 200 kick
{ 2 x 150 choice, E, M, F, F, M, E by 25 w/in 150
{ 3 x 50 all out sprint
There were no times specified so I did the 150's on 3:00 and the 50's on 1:00. This set really worked me. My arms felt dead on the last set of 50 sprints.
20 x 25 Alt Free/Fly @ .25
200 warm down
TOTAL = 3400m
Tough one today, lots of fast swimming
Warmup
200 easy
4 x 150 kick/drill/swim by 50s, reverse IM order
4 x 50 on 1:00
5 x 200 on 3:00 (or an interval that gives you 45-65 seconds rest)
Best average, ideally close to or at 500 goal time pace
100 recovery
Broken 200s, all should be close to or better than goal 200 times.
4 x 50 stroke on 0:50 (I did fly)
100 easy recovery
4 x 50 IM order on 0:55
100 easy recovery
4 x 50 on 0:45 (supposed to be free but I did backstroke, I had had enough free after the 5 x 200s)
100 easy recovery
FAST kick set. No fins, high intensity. I did backstroke and also made it a hypoxic set (to work on improving the last wall in backstroke races).
200 strong on 4:00 (I did 12 SDKs off each wall)
1:00 rest
2 x 100 faster pace on 2:00 (15 SDKs)
1:00 rest
4 x 50 fastest pace on 1:00 (tried for 18 SDKs off both walls, but had to surface after 16 on the second wall of the last two)
200 easy
Everyone was completely spent after this. Those who didn't leave finished with an easy set
16 x 25 DPS and breath control (0-2 breaths) on 0:40. Long and efficient stroke, not fast.
On that interval, that would be a good set SCY, doing it SCM is pretty hardcore. Nice job!!!
Paul
Yes, it keeps me breathing hard! I use the free as recovery. Usually, I am just getting 5 or 6 seconds rest on each one. Just enough time to take a few deep breaths, turn around and go again. Also with 4 or 5 SDK's from the push off, you have already swum almost a third of the way before you break out. So it doesn't seem that difficult.
I really enjoy this set. More often than not, I will do 40 x 25. But I think it is losing its benefit. The other day a bored life guard said he had timed my butterfly's (all 20 of them)! and I was cruising in at 18 or 19 seconds on most of them. My body seems to have just got used to the interval and found a rhythm. But it is not helping me with my sprint butterfly. Although I haven't swum a competitive butterfly race since starting up Masters, I haven't gone under 30 seconds for a 50m in practice, yet. (That's one of my goals for this year)! So I guess this is more of an aerobic set. I need to up the intensity of the pace rather than reduce the interval to get faster. (You pointed this out, too in one of your recent posts).
Chris, let us know what times you do in work-out. I'm sure most people are interested.
Tough one today, lots of fast swimming
Warmup
200 easy
4 x 150 kick/drill/swim by 50s, reverse IM order
4 x 50 on 1:00
5 x 200 on 3:00 (or an interval that gives you 45-65 seconds rest)
Best average, ideally close to or at 500 goal time pace
100 recovery
Broken 200s, all should be close to or better than goal 200 times.
4 x 50 stroke on 0:50 (I did fly)
100 easy recovery
4 x 50 IM order on 0:55
100 easy recovery
4 x 50 on 0:45 (supposed to be free but I did backstroke, I had had enough free after the 5 x 200s)
100 easy recovery
FAST kick set. No fins, high intensity. I did backstroke and also made it a hypoxic set (to work on improving the last wall in backstroke races).
200 strong on 4:00 (I did 12 SDKs off each wall)
1:00 rest
2 x 100 faster pace on 2:00 (15 SDKs)
1:00 rest
4 x 50 fastest pace on 1:00 (tried for 18 SDKs off both walls, but had to surface after 16 on the second wall of the last two)
200 easy
Everyone was completely spent after this. Those who didn't leave finished with an easy set
16 x 25 DPS and breath control (0-2 breaths) on 0:40. Long and efficient stroke, not fast.
I used your easy then fast idea in this mornings practice which was built primarily for my sprinters:
Right on, what ages do you coach? and masters?
they were getting quite a bit of rest, but they got a great workout (I love to see red faces and panting after a sprint set)!
I wonder what Allen Stark thinks about that. (He read all 22 volumes of Freud):lmao:
