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.
Wednesday, Dec 19
Warm-Up (1000)
200 Free (75 swim/25 3R-3L)
200 Back (75 swim/ 25 3R-3L); fins ok
100 Change 6 with 3 strokes. 50 free/50 back
100 Swim with fins (50 free/50 back)
100 Breaststroke 50 with free kick/50 with fly kick. Keep pull short; breathe early.
200 as 8 x 25 count strokes. If possible, 2 of each stroke, but do what you can.
100 IM swim. Substitute free where necessary.
Main1 (1250)
125 as 5 x 25 on 30, 40, 45, 55
250 as 5 x 50 on
375 as 5 x 75
500 as 5 x 100
Main2 (300-600)
~Fins ok~
(2-4) x 150 as 25 Kick/100 Swim/25 Kick, choice.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
You better watch out. You better not complain. Better not pout . It’s easy to explain. Santa Claus is coming to town.
→500 (100 swim (no fins) / 100 kick (with fins) / 100 swim with fins / 100 drill
(choice) / 100 swim no fins
→400 Pull as 100 easy pull / 200 pull fast /100 pull easy. Get lane together
before each part.
→300 as 4 x 75. #1- all drill; #2 - 50 drill/25 swim; #3-25 drill/25 swim;
#4 all swim. Choice drill. Leave when 4th finishes.
He’s making a list and checking with coach. Gonna find out Who’s working hard and Who’s not. Santa Claus is coming to town.
→6 x 50 #1-4 are pull; #5-6 are swim. On :45,:50, :55, 1:00, 1:10, 1:20
He sees you when you’re swimming. He knows when you are sloppy. He knows if you are doing your best, so pay attention to how much rest.
→400 as 2 x 50 / 2 x 100 / 2 x 50. Look at the clock when you start. Rest exactly 10 seconds after each part. Get your finish time. Subtract 50 seconds for 400 time.
Oh! You better watch out! You better not complain. Better not pout. It’s easy to explain. Santa Claus is coming to town.
→100 easy swim; long and strong
→Relays!
I’ll miss you. See you on the 26th!
Wednesday, Dec 26
“Human” stroke is similar to dog paddle, except you pull all the way back. Underwater, it is like the normal stroke, but recover underwater.
Warm-Up (1400)
300 Swim. 200 easy/100 pick it up a little
~fins on~
300 as 4 x( 50 Kick/25 Swim)
300 as 6 x 50. #1-2 50 catch-up, #3 25 “human” stroke/25 swim, #4 25 head up/25 swim,
#5-6 choice stroke and drill
300 Pull. Continuous for 300, but make each 100 faster
200 Swim. Choice, all the same stroke. Good technique.
Main (1200)
300 as 2 x 150 (50 swim/50 3R-3-3L/50 swim). Free. fly or back.
600 as 6 x 100 Odds are pull; evens are swim. Try to keep the time for pull and swim equal
On 1:40, 1:55, 2:10, 2:15, 2:50
300 swim. All free or 100 free/100 non/100 free. Good technique.
Cool-Down (100)
100 IM, easy. Substitute as needed.
Friday, Dec 28
Warm-Up (1000)
200 Swim
200 Pull
200 Swim
200 Drill/swim by 25
200 free as 2 x 100
Main (1600)
100 as 2 x 50 descend on 1:30, 1:30, 1:30, 1:45, 2:00. The 2nd one should be fast!
100-200 Pull
600 as 12 x 50 on :50 or :55, 1:00, 1:05, 1:30, 1:45. Distance – keep steady pace.
200 Pace – (3 at same pace; #4 recovery) x 3
~fins on ~
300 as 50 kick/50 swim
200 as 4 x 50 (25 kick/25 swim) on 1:00, 1:00, 1:00, 1:15, 2:00
~fins off~
100 easy swim, choice
100 swim, good effort
Cool-Down (100)
4 x 25, count strokes
Mon, Dec 31
Warm-Up (1200)
400 Swim. 75 free/25 non-free
300 Pull. 2 x 150 Increase effort
200 (25 drill/25 swim) x 4. Drills (1st catch-up, 2nd 3R-3L) x 2
300 (75 Kick/25 swim)
Main (1300)
→4 x 200 Work just one 50 of each 200. Try to keep the designated 50 at 200 pace.
#1 50 at 200 pace, 150 easy
#2 50 easy, 50 at pace, 100 easy
#3 100 easy, 50 at pace, 50 easy
#4 150 easy, 50 at pace
→100 (25 fingertip drag/25 swim) x 2
→4 x 100 (#1 and #4 are pull, #2 & #3 are swim). On 1:35, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:45
Cool-Down (100)
2 x 50 easy
Friday, Jan 3
Warm-Up (1000)
300 swim, choice.
300 count strokes (25/50 free) ; (25/50) non-free; (25/50 free); 75 free
200 (4 x 50) #1 catch-up slowly, #2 almost c.u., #3 fingertip drag, #4 fingertip drag
~fins on~
200 (4 x 50) as 25 drill/25 swim, choice
Main (1500)
4 x 50 on 2:00, all fast
100 easy swim, choice
5 x 100 on fastest interval possible. Each person pick their interval.
100 easy pull
300 as 50 kick/25 swim
300 pull, increase effort
Cool-Down (200)
200 Kick
This worked out well. I pushed everyone to try a tight interval. Most made it, some didn’t, but they learned where to start next time.
I probably shouldn't have done the 4 fast 50s first. Some said they started out too fast on 100s.
Wed Jan 2
Warm-Up (400-600)
200-300 Swim
200-300 Pull
Main1 (1000)
20 x 50
Odds are non-free on interval for 10 sec rest
Evens are free on interval 5-10 sec faster than non-free
Main2 (1000-1300)
13 x 100
3 x 100 Kick (fins ok). Go on 4th touch.
2 x 100 Drill/Swim by 25 (fins ok). Rest 10.
3 x 100 Pull. Set interval.
(2-5) x 100 Swim. Set interval.
Cool-Down (100)
2 x 50 Easy swim
Monday, Jan 7
Warm-Up (1000)
200-300 Freestyle (50 catch-up/50 glide 2)
100 Swim, choice
200 Swim free, almost catch-up
200 IM (25 kick/25 drill). Do *** first (fly kick, free kick, 2 P/1K, 2K/1P); put on fins: fly,
back, free
200 Swim, choice. Mix it up.
Main 1 (1200)
2 x 50 (same stroke) on :50 or :55, 1:00, 1:05, 1:10, 1:45
1 x 100 (same stroke as above) on 1:40, 1:55, 2:05, 2:10, 2:40 (Will need time to chg equip)
~Decide on interval for rest of set~
2 x 50 and 1 x 100 Pull with paddles
2 x 50 and 1 x 100 Pull without paddles
2 x 50 and 1 x 100 Swim
2 x 50 and 1 x 100 Pull without paddles
2 x 50 and 1 x 100 Pull with paddles
Main 2 (500)
200 Kick (fins ok)
300 (50 kick/50 swim)
This was a good workout. Everyone worked hard but liked it. The variety kept their interest.
Wed, Jan 9
This workout was adapted from Wendy Neely’s workouts on Workout Forum
Warm-Up (900)
200-300 Swim
300 as 4 x 75 (25k, 25drill, 25 swim). Continuous.
200 as 4 x 50 Pace Freestyle on :50, 1:00, 1:05, 1:10, 1:45
100 as 4 x 25 Build to fast with in each 25. Start ou technically perfect and at the 12 ½ mark turn on the legs and sprint. On :35, :40, :45, :45, :55
Main (1500)
6 x 100 Distance per stroke. Keep even stroke count!
Odds are choice 1:40, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20, 3:00
3X200
#1Easy- Fins and Paddles( legs are moving you forward strokes relaxed and long)
#2 Medium- Paddles No Fins (legs still driving force long strokes
#3 Strong- No Toys relaxed effort faster in time
12 x 25
4 Kick on back ( rolling water off of feet no knees breaking surface)
4 Swim choice
4 Kick w/board (feet under water)
Cool-Down (100-300)
300 Pull, long and strong
Friday, Jan 11
Warm-Up (1200)
400 Swim (200 free/100 choice/100 free)
200 (8 x 25) #1 head completely out, #2 mouth &nose in / eyes out, #3 just face in
#4 head low, #5 head too low, #6 head low ear in when breathe, #7-8 head perfect
300 Pull (100 with paddles/100 no paddles/100 either way)
200 Drill/ swim. Free 50 c.u./50 swim. Fins on. Back 25 ¼ lift drill/25 swim/25 “L”/25 swim
100 Butterfly (4 x 25 with fins). Rest 5-10. Think about breathe early. Head down/butt up.
Main (1200)
3 x 100 on 2:00, 2:15, 2:30, 2:30, 3:10. #1 choice, #2 free, #3 choice
100 choice, count strokes
3 x 100 free on 1:35, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:45
100 Pull, easy
2 x 100 (Make both!) on 1:30, 1:45, 1:55, 2:05, 2:40
200 Pull
Cool-Down (150-300)
(2-4) x 75. Rest 10-15. 25 free/25 non/25 free. Long and strong.
