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, Sept 10
Warm-Up (700)
300 (100 Swim/100 Pull, no paddles/100 Swim)
400 (8 x 50. Odds are kick; evens are swim.)
Main (1600-2000)
16 x 25 Interval for everyone to get at least 10 sec rest. Choice. Try to stay consistent.
8 x 50 Interval for 15 sec rest. Work on steady pace. 1-4 are free, steady pace.
5-6, 7-8 choice. All can be free.
4 x 100 Interval for 15-20 sec rest. Again, even pace – be consistent
2 x 200 swim or 200 Pull/200 Swim. Rest 20-30.
1 x 400 (if time)
Cool-Down (300)
100 Pull
100 Swim
100 Pull
Monday, Sept 13
Warm-Up (1000)
200 free swim
200 swim (50 choice/50 free)
300 pull. Start slowly and build so that last 100 is at a good pace.
200 kick, choice
100 swim
Main (1350-1500)
4 x 50 Free. Get correct pace. Interval for 10 sec rest
10 x 100 free on interval for no less than 10 sec and no more than 20 sec rest (10 ≤ rest ≤ 20)
(3-6) x 50. Choice. Descend 1-3, 4-6. Interval for 10 sec rest for non-free. Free will get more rest.
Cool-Down (200)
100 swim
2 x 50 swim
Mon, Sept 13, Yard Pool
WARM-UP (1100-1200)
400 75 free swim/25 non-free or drill
300 100 w/ paddles; 100 w/o paddles; 100 paddles optional
200 50 3 rt/3lft, 50 swim (back or free)
100 kick
100-200 swim, choice
MAIN (1200)
300-400 as (2 x 200 or 2 x 150). Long stroke, think. Rest 20 sec.
25-50-75-100 Swim, count last length of each part. Go on 4th person touch.
100-75-50-25 Pull, count last length
300-400 (3-4) x (2 x 50)
(1) 1 x 50 d/s, (2) 1 x 50 swim. Same stroke – do 3 or 4 sets if time. Each set can be different
COOL-DOWN (100-200)
4 x 25 Count, 100 easy
Note: I was gone to the USMS convention from Tues-Sun. I emailed some workouts to my swimmers for them to do. Our morning pool is still closed for maintenance.
Tuesday, Sept 14
This workout is harder to do in a group because of the longer swims. There will be some passing on the 500 and the first 400. After that, it should work out okay. If you are with a group, keep lane organized!
500 free swim
400 swim, 50 choice/50 free
400 (8 x 50) #1-4 are Kick with fins; #5-8 are Swim with fins. Get lane together to do these.
300 as 4 x (25K/25D/25S). Continuous.
300 free swim
200 pull
200 as 2 x 100 descend, choice.
100 easy swim
100 as 4 x 25, choice, easy
Wed, Sept 14
WARM-UP (900-1200)
200-400 Swim. Choice.
When the first person in your lane finishes, everyone stop to start the next part.
100 Swim. Count strokes. Choice.
100 Pull. Count strokes.
300-400 Pull. Each lane decide distance.
200 No fins. 25 drill/25 swim. Choice.
MAIN (1100-1300)
400 as 4 x 100 Free. Decide interval for 10-15 sec rest. Aerobic pace (not breathing hard).
200-400 (4 x 50. Descend 1-3. #4 is recovery. ) x 2
The 3 x 50 descend are the same stroke.
The 4th 50 is recovery and can be anything.
Set interval to give yourself time to descend.
300 as 6 x 50 (25 Drill/25 Swim), choice. Go 10 seconds after 2nd person finishes.
200 as 2 x 100 descend. Interval for 15 sec rest.
COOL-DOWN (100-200)
100-200 Easy swim.
Wednesday, Sept 15, Yard Pool
Warm-Up (700)
300 (100 Swim/100 Pull, no paddles/100 Swim)
400 (8 x 50. Odds are kick; evens are swim.)
Main (1600-2000)
1 x 400. Moderate, steady pace.
2 x 200 swim or 200 Pull/200 Swim. Rest 20-30 between 200s.
4 x 100 Interval for 15-20 sec rest. Even pace, be consistent.
8 x 50 Interval for 15 sec rest. Work on steady pace. 1-4 are free, steady pace.
5-8 choice. (Choice can be free).
~If time: 16 x 25 Choice. Clocks are not together. Make sure everyone gets 10 sec rest.
Work on good stroke. ~
Cool-Down (300)
100 Pull
100 Swim
100 Pull
Monday, Sept 20, Yard Pool
While at convention I swam in a workout coached by Kerry O'Brien of Walnut Creek. He was emphasizing the same freestyle points that I do, but he had catchy phrases that reminded you of what to do:
Ride the Glide, Extend and Bend, Rock and Roll.
Warm-Up (700-1000)
•200-300 Swim. All stop together.
•100 as 4 x 25. Work on head position.
•100-200 Swim.
•100 as 4 x 25. 25 ride the glide; 25 extend and bend; 25 rock and roll; 25 all.
•200-300 free. Think!
Main (1500)
~fins on~
•50 as 25 K on back with arms extended, note head position. 25 K ½ way then add arms.
•100 as 4 x 25. 25 head position; 25 hip position; 25 exit and entry; 25 hips
•50-100 swim back
~fins off~
•100-200 free. Think about “ride and glide, extend and bend, rock and roll.”
•100 as 25 kick (no brd), 25 (fast K, slow arms), 25 (fast K, med arms), 25 (fast K and arms)
•10 x 50. Odds fast free or back; Evens easy free. On :55, 1:00, 1:05, 1:10, 1:15
•3 x 100 descend. All free or non-free or 2 non and 1 fr.
•3 x 50 descend. Choice.
Cool-Down (200-500)
200 Pull, 100 Swim, 200 Pull
Wednesday, Sept 22, Meter Pool
Warm-Up (800-1000)
•200-300 Swim. All stop together.
•100 as 4 x 25. Work on head position.
•100 as 2 x 25, 1 x 50. Ride the glide.
•100 as2 x 25, 1 x 50. Extend and bend.
•100 as 2 x 25, 1 x 50. Rock and Roll.
•200-300 free. Think!
Main (1300)
~Fins on. Backstroke.~
•50 as 25 K on back with arms extended, note head position. 25 K ½ way then add arms.
•100 as 2 x 25 Change 6 with 3; 2 x 25 Change 3 with 3. Use hips!
•100 as 2 x 25 swim, think about hand (thumb out, little finger in); 50 swim roll before entry.
•50 swim back. Think!
~Fins off. Freestyle.~
•100-200 free. Think about “ride and glide, extend and bend, rock and roll.”
•4 x 50 free. 25 back/25 free. On 1:00, 1:10, 1:15, 1:15, 1:45.
•6 x 50. Descend 1-3, 4-6. On :55, 1:00, 1:05, 1:10, 1:15
•3 x 100 descend. All free or 2 free/1 non. On 1:40 or 1:45, 1:55, 2:15, 2:20, 2:50
Cool-Down (200-500)
200 Pull, 100 Swim, 200 Pull
Wednesday, Sept 22, Yard Pool
Warm-Up (1000)
400 Swim
200 Kick
(4-8) x 50. Drill/Swim, choice.
Main (1000-1400)
(10 -14) x 100. Longer interval to allow changing of equipment. No breaks.
Ln 5 on 1:30
4 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
4 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
Ln 4 on 1:45, Ln 3 on 1:55, Ln 2 on 2:00 (?)
3 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
3 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
Ln 1 on 2:15
2 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
2 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
#1 Pull, with buoy, no paddles
#2 Pull with buoy and paddles
#3 Swim with paddles
#4 Swim with paddles and fins
#5 Swim with fins
#6 Swim
Cool-Down (200-500)
8 x 25 (2 of each stroke or choice)
200 swim
100 swim
Friday, Sept 24, Meter Pool
This is the same as the workout from Wed evening.
Warm-Up (1000)
400 Swim
200 Kick
(6-8) x 50 D/S, choice
Lane 8 (preparing for a meet)
200 Swim, 200 Kick, 8 x 25 (Kick ½ way, swim rest, choice)
Main (1000-1400)
(10 -14) x 100. Longer interval to allow changing of equipment. No breaks.
Ln 4 on 1:45
4 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
4 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
Ln 5 on 2:00
4 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
3 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
Ln 3 on 2:15; Ln 2 on 2:20
3 x 100 Pull, paddles optional
3 x 100 Swim
6 x 100 See below
#1 Pull, with buoy, no paddles
#2 Pull with buoy and paddles
#3 Swim with paddles
#4 Swim with paddles and fins
#5 Swim with fins
#6 Swim
Lane 8 (going to meet)
Pick a stroke (will do this twice):
4 x 25, 2 x 50 (I’ll time)
Cool-Down (200-500)
8 x 25 (2 of each stroke or choice)
200 swim
2 x 50 swim
