Coaching Challenges Running Workouts for Varying Ability Levels

Jeff's "General Policies and Lane Etiquette" handout: 

docs.google.com/.../

Call to Action

1. Designate a lane leader for every lane
2. Implement a themed workout
3. Create a modified workout so that every lane can stay on the same interval

Notes from KH:

Challenges: Running Workouts for Swimmers with Varying Abilities (Jeff Commings, Leslie Scott) 

Building a sense of belonging, be ONE team despite speeds/abilities

Start and finish sets together 

• Warm for X time so everyone starts together
• Announcements (or invitations) - recognize new swimmers, swimmers who swam events) SHORT 1 minute, helps build connections
• Drill set - together
• Lane Leader to help explaining workout if needed
• Lane arrangements by ability

(Jeff sometimes mix up by drawing a lane number but workout is based on rest or other item)

Same interval - but change distance by lane

Eg 1:30 interval, 100, 75, 50 yds

ADD fins if needed

Keep total time the same:

8x100 on 1:30, 6x100s on 2:00 (all end at 12 minutes)

Do fewer reps, but all do same distance

Choose your own adventure - lane choice

All lanes must do the same, eg a breaststroke lane, a sprint lane, but end at same time/interval

Use equipment as an equalizer

Make sure there is a reason, not just to go faster

Butterfly - only x number of strokes fly for slower or less experienced lane:
100 fly, each length 3 fly rest free

Lane Etiquette

Passing

Moving to side

Don’t stay to side after flip turn

Not leaving on time or after time

Mile swim

Ideas - relay, indiana mile

Multiple swimmers in lane

Same warm up - so latecomers know what to expect

Take away equipment to penalize latecomer

Make sure they enter safely - where in a set, etc, best if it is during warmup

Need to hear set from coach

Bad circle swimmers - try swimming clockwise instead of counter clockwise to help them understand body placement

Lane leader - coach picks leader, may switch depending on stroke

5 secs apart, penalize early starters who want drag, don’t give them a time, let swimmers/lane deal with it first

Start over and do it right (eg no gear and someone uses gear)

Talking during set instructions - wait for conversation to finish, 

Have lane repeat the set

Assign a person to remember the set - 1st person - 1st round, 2nd person - 2nd round

Fun Ideas

Birthday swim

Social Kick, 5 minute warm down, social for 75, then 25 hard

Relays or games at end of workout (with prizes/swag)

Swap lanes to meet new swimmers

Theme workouts - way to create connectedness

Shark week, sharks at minnow at end of practice

Mardi Gras, (see slide)

Playlist

Swim your buns off - colon cancer fundraiser (ask Leslie for workout - included 

notes)

Football

Thanksgiving - turduckin (Ellen)

Halloween - buckets and put in candy

Equipment bring to one side, have last person pick up

1776

kayak/canoe across pool

Breakouts - working on different aspects

Zombie Breakouts - push off to complete stop (and sniff brains), kicking to end

Coach.em.swim (insta) and https://www.coachemswims.com/

Humans vs zombies - zombies come 30 sec later, swag if they catch up

Olympics - swim same as events for that day, or USA medals 

Star Wars sets

Halloween - Haunting 100s, tombstone kick, 

Working with Triathletes:

Exercise your non-freestyle strokes to help: body position, cross training etc (explain how)

Sighting sets - waterpolo/head up, alligator sighting, back stroke, breastroke

If close to race, give them race specific training

Catch is the same in ALL 4 strokes

Let them wear fins if needed

15X100 to figure out why you go slower vs 1-1500 or 2x 800 hard to pinpoint

Let them swim in their wetsuit

Use paddles with other strokes to help them learn what muscles they are using - they will be SORE!

No wall turns

Serpentine between lanes - good for pool triathlon swims

Emphasize ankle flexibility - fins,