Introduction.
I coach 3 mornings a week at a 25 meter pool with an average of 25 swimmers in 5 lanes. I coach 2 evenings a week at a 25 yard pool with an average of 12-14 swimmers in 5 lanes. Both workouts are for one hour. They are mixed groups with competitive swimmers, triathletes, and people who just want a good workout. Ages range from 20 to 87, with an occassional teen-ager dropping in. My emphasis is on techinique and pace. I swim 3 days a week with a coach at a Y pool. I use some sets that I learn from my coach, Laura Peter. I also write a workout for myself for Saturday mornings. The workouts that I coach are 2500-2800 meters for the fastest lane, scaled down for other lanes. In the yard pool, they are 2700-3000 yards for the fastest lanes. For my personal workouts, I aim for 2500 yards and try to boost it to 2700 in the fall.
Friday, June 27
I adapted a workout from those published on the website. This one is from Laurie Hug.
We have been working on learning and holding pace, so it fit in very well. The swimmers liked it.
Warm-Up (1000)
600 as (100 swim free / 200 pull / 200 swim alt 25 fr-25 non / swim 100 choice)
~fins on~
100 as (4 x 25) free or back kick; FAST. Go on 3rd touch.
100 swim with fins
200 Kick, choice
~fins off~
Main (1500)
I. This set is meant for working on holding a set pace on the way up the ladder while focusing on good technique. Choice, but those with * must be same stroke.
1 x 25*– focus on tech, get time R5-10s
1 x 25 easy free R5s
1 x 50* – aim for double the time from the 1st 25, R5-10s
1 x 50 easy free R10s
1 x 75* – aim for triple the time from the 1st 25, R5-10s
1 x 75 easy free R15s
1 x 100* – aim for 4x time from the 1st 25, R5-10s
1 x 100 easy free R20s
Can change stroke here, but 75^, 50^, 25^ should again be one stroke.
1 x 75^–Get time, divide by 3 for 25 average. R5-10s
1 x 75 easy free R15s
1 x 50^ Should be faster than double 25 average. R5-10s
1 x 50 easy free R10s
1 x 25^ Should be faster than average for 25. R5-10s
1 x 25 easy
II. (2-4) x 100 Pull. Decide on interval within lane.
III. 2 x (4 x 25). On each set of 4, reduce # of strokes each 25.
Cool-Down (100)
Easy swim
Wednesday, July 2
Warm-Up (900-1200)
200-300 Swim, choice.
~fins on~
100 Swim non-free with fins.
100 Swim free with fins.
100 Back (25 chg 8 / 25 chg 6 / 25 chg 3 / 25 chg 3 with 3)
100 Free (25 chg 8 / 25 chg 6 / 25 chg 3 / 25 chg 3 with 3)
~fins off~
100 (2 x 50) as 25 scull on stomach/25 swim breaststroke. Just expand scull for br pull.
200-400 Pull. 75 free/25 choice.
Main (1400)
250 as (5 x 50), choice. Do 2 x 50 even pace. 1 x 50 easy. 2 x 50 even pace.
On :50 or :55 (3), 1:05 (4), 1:10 (5), 1:20 (6), 1:30 (7), 2:00 (8). No breaks.
200 Swim, choice.
250 as (5 x 50), freestyle. Do 2 x 50 even pace. 1 x 50 easy. 2 x 50 even pace.
On :40 or :45 (3), :50 (4), :55 (5), 1:05 (6), 1:20 (7), 1:50 (8). No breaks.
200 Swim, free.
150 as (3 x 50), choice. Descend 1-3. On first interval above.
150 as (3 x 50), freestyle. Descend 1-3. On faster interval above.
200 Pull, free.
Cool-Down (100-300)
100 swim, 100 pull, 100 swim Easy.
Saturday, July 5
No coach on deck, but a group gets together informally for a workout. I don’t usually
go early enough for them. I had this workout for me, but seven of us did it together.
Warm-Up (800)
200-300 Swim (75 free/25 choice)
200 IM (25 drill/25 swim). Substitute free where needed
200-300 (4-6) x 50. Odds d/s. Evens swim.
Main (1500)
5 x 100 Pull
4 x 100 Swim, steady pace
3 x 100 Pull, descend
2 x 100 Swim, descend
100 Swim, good effort
Cool-Down (200)
4x 25
2 x 50
Monday, July 7
Warm-Up (800-1000)
200-300 (75 free/25 choice)
200 (25 drill/25 swim) choice.
200 Pull (75 free/25 choice)
200-300 (4-6) x 50 Do 2 x 50 pull, then 2 x 50 swim, …
Main (1600)
100 (2 x 50) same stroke, descend. Interval for 15 seconds rest.
100 (2 x 50) I’ll time you on 50 (same stroke as above), followed by 50 easy.
200 Pull, build. (Start easy, gradually increase effort and speed.)
200 Kick, choice.
200 Swim, choice, moderate.
100 (2 x 50) same stroke, descend. Interval for 15 seconds rest.
100 (2 x 50) I’ll time you on 50 (same stroke as above), followed by 50 easy.
200 as 50 Kick/50 Swim, choice.
200 Swim
200 Pull
Cool-Down (100)
4 x 25
Wednesday, July 9
Warm-Up (1000)
600 as 200 Swim / 100 Pull / 100 Swim / 200 Pull
~fins on~
50 backstroke kick on side. Change side at turn. I should see your hip.
50 backstroke, change 6 with 3 strokes
50 backstroke swim, exaggerate roll
~fins off~
50 backstroke swim, exaggerate roll
200 free or back or mixed. Concentrate on good turn with good streamline.
No stroke before the flags!
Main (1600)
50 2 x 25. I’ll start all lanes together and time you.
200 Swim, choice. Moderate. Predict your time.
~Rest 30-60 seconds~
200 Swim, choice. This one should hurt a little (last 200 today). Predict time.
~Rest 30~
200 (4 x 50). #1 swim easy, #2 drill/swim, #3 drill/swim, #4 swim
300 (3 x 100) Kick. #1 with board, fly or free or mixture , #2 back or fly on back,
#3 breaststroke with board or fly, free or back. Go on 4th or R15
300 (4 x 75 pull), #1 with paddles, #2 no paddles, leave paddles at other end,
#3 no paddles, #4 with paddles. Go on 4th or R15.
50 2 x 25 again. I’ll time.
300 (3 x 100). One stroke or IM. Decide on interval for 20 sec rest.
Cool-Down (100)
2 x 50 easy
Friday, July 11
Warm-Up (1000)
300 Swim (100 free/50 choice) x 2
300 with ~fins on~
50 free kick on side. Change side at turn. I should see your hip. Face in water.
50 free, change 6 with 3 strokes
50 free swim, exaggerate roll
50 backstroke kick on side. Change side at turn. I should see your hip. Face out of water.
50 backstroke, change 6 with 3 strokes
50 backstroke swim, exaggerate roll
100 with ~fins off~
50 backstroke swim, exaggerate roll
50 free swim, exaggerate roll
300 build
2 x 25 build to fast finish
2 x 50 same stroke, descend, rest 10.
2 x 50 same stroke for both, descend, rest 10
2 x 25 easy
Main (1500)
50 2 x 25. I’ll start all lanes together and time you.
200 Swim, choice. Moderate. Predict your time.
300 (4 x 75 pull), #1 with paddles, #2 no paddles, leave paddles at other end,
#3 no paddles, #4 with paddles. Go on 4th or R15.
50 2 x 25 again. I’ll time.
300 (3 x 100). One stroke or IM. Decide on interval for 20 sec rest.
~Rest 45-60~
100 Swim, choice. Predict your time.
250 Swim. Rest 10 after each part. Choice. 100-75-50-25
250 (5 x 50) Swim, kick, pull or drill/swim. Choice. Go on 3rd or 4th .
Cool-Down (200)
Easy swim
Monday, July 14
This was a good one!
Warm-Up (1200)
100-200 Swim
100-200 Pull
200-300 Drill/Swim by 25 (no fins), choice
200-300 Kick/Swim by 50, choice, fins okay
200 2 x (2 x 50). Swim 2 x 50, rest 10 between. Rest 20-30 and repeat.
Main (1500)
500 as 5 x 100 freestyle on 1:50 (1:35), 2:00 (1:45), 2:10 (1:55), 2:20 (2:10), 3:00 (2:45)
How many can you do on interval, keeping time under (time).
200 Pull
600 as 3 x (4 x 50). 1st and 3rd interval set for non-free. 1:00, 1:10, 1:20, 1:30, 1:50.
2nd interval set for free. ::50, 1:00, 1:10, 1:20, 1:40.
100-200 Swim or kick with fins
Cool-Down (100)
4 x 25, good stroke, good streamline off walls
Friday, July 18
Warm-Up (1000)
300 Swim, choice. I’ll stop everyone together.
150 Free style drills
50 With paddles, no buoy. One-arm free; chg arms at 25. Feel the catch and the pull.
50 Swim with paddles.
50 Swim without paddles.
100 Fly drills
2 x 25 (fly at least ½ way) swim, think “no kick”
2 x 25 with fins, swim, think “no kick”
200 Kick, choice
150 Free swim with paddles
100 IM (sub free if needed)
Main (1600)
100 (2 x 50) freestyle. 1st breathe on right; 2nd breathe on left. Go on 4th.
100 (2 x 50) Pull free, no paddles. Use hips to enter with force and extend. Go on 4th.
100 Free swim, almost catch-up. Use hips.
100 (2 x 50) backstroke. Think “change 2”. Move hips! Go on 4th.
100 (50 pull backstroke/50 pull free). No paddles.
100 (50 pull backstroke/50 pull free). With paddles.
3 x 100 free on interval for 15 sec rest
2 x 100 IM. Can be free/back/***/free. Add 15 to interval.
3 x 100 Pull free. Same interval as free swim.
8 x 25 (odds easy; evens fast). Rest 10-15. I will try to time some of these.
Cool-Down (200)
Easy Swim
Monday, July 21
Warm-Up (1000)
200 Swim
200 Pull
~Fins on~
300 (25 drill/25 swim)
300 (50 Kick/50 Swim)
Main (1500)
Pick a stroke for 4 of the ten 50’s
500 as 10 x 50 ( #1, #4, #7, #10 are the same stroke, time yourself). Rest 15 sec.
400 as 4 x 100 (#1, #3 choice; #2, #4 one stroke)
300 as 6 x 50 (Odd free, even choice). Rest 15.
200 as 2 x 100 choice
100 easy
Cool-Down (100-300)
(25 K/25 D/ 25 S) Repeat
