Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this IM set LCM. It got a little hairy/confusing in the second round when we went 200 to 50 instead of 50 to 200.
The 50s in between were best non-free (for non-IMers) or worst non-free (for IMers). The IMers were thus working on their weakness. Being able to go best stroke allowed the non-IMers to make the set a little more relevant for them.
Chris Brookover, MLY Phoenix, Greater Philadelphia YMCA
This set was really good, an actual “fail” set only 3 of the 9 A+ made it. (A+, A/B, C refer to different interval groups)
A+
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 3:00 – 100 BK / 100 BR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 2:45 – 25 FR / 75 BK / 75 BR / 25 FR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 2:35 – 50 FR / 50 BK / 50 BR / 50 FR
Rest :40
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 2:25 75 FR / 25 BK / 25 FR / 75 FR
A / B
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 3:15 – 100 BK / 100 BR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 3:00 – 25 FR / 75 BK / 75 BR / 25 FR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 2:50 – 50 FR / 50 BK / 50 BR / 50 FR
Rest :40
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
3 x 200 @ 2:40 75 FR / 25 BK / 25 FR / 75 FR
C
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
3 x 200 @ 3:30 – 100 BK / 100 BR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
4 x 200 @ 3:15 – 25 FR / 75 BK / 75 BR / 25 FR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
3 x 200 @ 3:10 – 50 FR / 50 BK / 50 BR / 50 FR
Rest :30
6 x 25 @ :40 – Fly – One Lane / One Direction
3 x 200 @ 3:00 75 FR / 25 BK / 25 FR / 75 FR
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This freestyle set had our kids really working, and we got some excellent results both in the main set and on the broken 500.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We alternated a 20 -minute freestyle set of varying speeds with a 4:00 period of dryland or other exercise. Kids seemed to like it for the variety and the challenge.
Greg Johnson, Team Lead Coach, Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club, Pensacola, Florida
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
B3 = breathe every 3
FPA = Fastest Possible Average
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
The ? for the fly swims off the blocks were a 50, 100, 150, and on the 4th round swimmers had the option to do a 200 or to do a 100 with the goal to beat the time from round 1 (or face a second 100 from a dive). This set went very well for us.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
FPA = Fastest Possible Average
Coach Emily Wylam, University of Rochester
NB = No breath
Coach Emily Wylam, University of Rochester
For the “Partner pulls”: pulling their partner behind them and then release. I told the partners to be as unhelpful as possible, they really took that to heart!
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
That’s an exact quote from one of our swimmers upon seeing this workout. They did a nice job with this one. SCY
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We used our 1-gallon buckets pulled behind us for the first set and then hit some race pace right afterwards. The interval for the 100s was 2:00. SCM.
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
Coach Mike Cook, Mason Makos
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We got some great results with this one this morning. SCY.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
Coach Jason Mauss
SCY
Matt Suits, Tampa Y Stingrays
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This workout runs 3 hours (7:00-10:00 in the morning) in SCM. We’ve been doing the same practice for a number of years and it’s a great ritual. Dreaded but loved all at once!
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
2x through
