Weekly Swim Workout #2

A Guiding Principle

We believe in deliberate practice: being systematic, purposeful, and attentive to details.

When we do this, we can focus our attention on specific goals that will improve our overall performance.

Deliberate practice allows us to focus on the process rather than the outcome.

When we do this on a regular and consistent basis, the outcome takes care of itself.

We help you focus on the little things so that you can improve your performance and finally achieve the BIG things.

Weekly Workout: Back to Distance

Note: the workout is listed above; what follows is the why / purpose as well as descriptions of workout components and drills

Warm Up

Aim to get in at least 10 minutes of easy swimming where you focus on rotating the arms forward (50 freestyle) and backward (50 backstroke) while building in some backstroke drill work (25 kayak) and waking your legs up (25 kick). Distance is irrelevant at this point — listen to what your body needs to wake up.

Backstroke Drill Set

The goal here is to progressively and consistently work on backstroke hip rotation, while integrating fast leg-driven backstroke swimming (mid-ways).

Hip Rotation Drill: kicking on your back with your hands by your hips, rotate from right to left repeatedly from your hips while being mindful of trying to touch your shoulder to your chin with each rotation.

L-Drill: with each stroke, pause to make an “L” shape with your arms by focusing on 90 degree formations; as one arm enters the water, pause at the streamline position while the recovery arm is paused at the top of the stroke (toward the ceiling).

1/10 & 3/10 drill: take one (or 3) stroke(s) and pause on one side to take approximately 10 kicks; repeat on the opposite side.

Mid-ways: Backstroke blast to 12.5, flip into streamline position, 10–12 hard kicks in streamline to build speed into 4–5 blast strokes; easy the rest of the way back to the wall.

Main Set

The purpose of this set is to work on controlled distance swimming early on where it’s easy to burn the “wick” too early and not have anything left to burn at the end of the set. The goal is to descend the first 3 500s on an interval of 6:30, and then descend and compare the next three 500s on an interval of 6:15.

An example of a swimmer who executes this set perfectly would be as follows:

#1 @ 5:55 (would give swimmer :35 rest)
#2 @ 5:50 (would give swimmer :40 rest)
#3 @ 5:45 (would give swimmer :45 rest)

#4 @ 5:50 (faster than #1; would give swimmer :25 rest)
#5 @ 5:45 (faster than #2; would give swimmer :30 rest)
#6 @ 5:40 (faster than #3)

The set was originally designed to be done for a distance of 500 yards; however, 100 base paces are listed for different distances so that the workout can be adapted. When done with a group of swimmers with different abilities, this helps to keep the group together while swimmers focus on different distances.

Warm Down

Given the heavy distance freestyle focus of the main set, use the warm down to do something different with your shoulders by focusing on a backstroke drill (double-arm backstroke) followed by perfect-form backstroke. Muscle memory develops when we strive for perfect form when tired.