Author: rdwoodruff

Wetland Set from SwimMAC Carolina

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Coach Emily Laurent, SwimMAC Carolina

This is a set that I modified from a couple of the sets on the website, but my swimmers seemed to really like it. Main focus was the 100s doing the correct underwater under stress. This was for a combo practice of a set of 11-14 that are BB-Age Group Cut for their respective ages. 

4X50 @ 1:15 IMO Fast  

8X100 @ 3:00 Back, 25- 5 squats, 25- 5 pressouts, repeat 

4X50 @ 1:15 Choice Fast, perfect swims  

6X100 @ 3:00 Breast 10 squats, 5 pressouts

4X50 @ 1:15 IMO Fast  

4X100 @ 3:00 Fly 15 squats, 10 pressouts

4X50 @ 1:15 Choice Fast  

2X100 @ 3:00 Free 15 squats, 10 pressouts

4X50 @ 1:15 IMO Fast  

IM Mystery Hour

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA Swim Team at the YMCA of Central Virginia

We did this one recently at a morning practice. Most swimmers said they liked and that it was pretty challenging.

SCY.

? x 50 Fly strong @ :40

1 x 100 Back Fast for time 

1 x 50 EZ

? x 50 Back strong @:40

1 x 150 Breast Fast for time

1 x 50 EZ

? x 50 Breast strong @:45

1 x 200 Free Fast for time

1 x 50 EZ

? x 100 IM Fastest Possible Average @ 2:00

                  (Last one from a dive)

We ended up doing between eight and twelve 50s in each of the three sets. The top part of our group went on the intervals listed — the rest went on an interval :05 slower. My intent with the 50s was to let fatigue build gradually through repetition at speeds that would give them ~ :05 rest. Once I sensed we were starting to wobble a bit, I gave the “final 50” warning. We did a last 50 and then launched into the timed swim of the next stroke.

For the last set of 100 IMs, we did a little “stopwatch roulette ” (start a watch, then stop randomly — use the number in the hundredths pace) to determine how many we did. We got 4 – so we did three from a push and one off the blocks.

Taper Sprint Choice Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

John Neff, Head Coach GPHS Girls Swim & Dive

Ran this yesterday – It’s a High school team taper set run in a 10-lane SCY pool. It went very well and we saw some awesome swims.

Favorite part of the set is that everyone gets to train together. The athletes are told that lower the yardage, the higher the intensity. Every individual swim is on 1:00, with the entire group racing at the end of each round for a fast 25 for time.

Swimmers can move between groups in between rounds and are encouraged to follow their meet order. 

Sprint group should be 100 Pace, IM is 200 Pace, Mid-Distance is 200 Pace.

200 IM Predictor Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Coach Ben Seamer, Australia

I designed this set for younger age group swimmers and it predicts their 2IM potential when done correctly – I’ll explain after the set.

[10×50(1:00) as]
1×50 Dive Fly Best Effort
2×50 Back 1:Cruise 1:Best Effort
3×50 Breast 2:Cruise 1:Best Effort
:30 Rest
4×50 Free @ Best Possible Average

Add the best effort of the three form stroke components to the best average of the freestyle and that should produce a total that is usually + or – 3 to the next 200 IM time your swimmer can drop.

Aerobic Capacity and Aerobic Power with NOVA

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Alex Muni, NOVA of Virginia

A key part of this practice was education—helping swimmers understand the difference between aerobic capacity and aerobic power (VO₂ max).

  • 100s (Aerobic Capacity Focus):The goal was to hold the same effort on both freestyle and IM swims while progressively reducing the rest across each block of six. Ideally, swimmers were expected to keep the same times on free and IM repeats, while rest was cut by two seconds per block. If rest drifted above 15–20 seconds, swimmers were told to push a little harder.
  • 75s and 50s (Aerobic Power Focus):The first rep came off short rest, serving as active recovery while keeping the heart rate elevated and shifting gears toward harder swimming. From there, swimmers were asked to maintain ~90% effort—sustainable but very challenging—with no fewer than :30 rest between repeats. If their rest fell below :30, they were instructed to increase intensity slightly, but not push all the way to maximum effort.

This combination gave the group exposure to both capacity and power early in the season, reinforcing how each system feels and how to manage effort and rest accordingly.

Aerobic Capacity & Power Hybrid:

6X100 Swim P.T. [O: Free E: IM] @ Guys: 1:24/Gals: 1:26 – SKILLS

4X75 #1: Choice #2-4: Free [#1: Build HR^ #2-4: Hold Best Maintable Average] @ 1:15

6X100 Swim P.T. [O: Free E: IM] @ Guys: 1:22/Gals: 1:24 – SKILLS 

4X75 #1: Choice #2-4: Free  [#1: Build HR^ #2-4: Hold a FASTER Average] @ 1:15

6X100 Swim P.T. [O: Free E: IM] @ Guys: 1:20/Gals: 1:22 – SKILLS 

6X50 DESC 1-3 to RED Hold 4-6 –  #1+2: Choice / #3-6: One Stroke @ :55

6X100 Swim P.T. [O: Free E: IM] @ Guys: 1:18/Gals: 1:20 – SKILLS 

6X50 DESC 1-2 to RED Hold 3-6 – #1: Choice / #2-6: One Stroke @ :55

Spicy 50s Freestyle

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff

The three columns of intervals (SCY)here represent an A/B/C option for different levels of swimmers. Ideally, the fastest interval should push the swimmers a bit on the first 3 rounds and be a significant challenge at the end of the set. This was a good finisher for a recent practice of ours. The last set of 6 got spicy for sure.

Odd Fly Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCM

We did this one recently for some good butterfly work on a day when we had more swimmers present than could train effectively in the space available. We split into two groups – one group would do the swimming set while the other group did dryland set on the deck, and then they switched. The dryland exercises always takes less time, so that allows for some rest before starting the next fly set.

Middle Distance Free with NOVA of Virginia

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Alex Muni, NOVA Senior Assistant.

LCM

Today’s focus was threefold: we worked on steady-state cruising, negative pacing, and descending. All the 50s were on :45 (LCM) and served as active recovery while maintaining a moderate heart rate. As the number of descending 100s increased, so did the rest—allowing swimmers to actually achieve a descending effort. 

Since negative splitting is essentially an even split, I decided to go all in on fractions and include 3/4 and 2/3 splits as well. Additionally, the longer straight swims were on a consistent interval base of 1:30. 

We wrapped up with a broken 500, with the goal of holding a near-200 effort throughout—not necessarily an all-out sprint, but also not paced like a typical 400/500/800 distance swim. It was challenging, but it kept them moving and got them in a good training rhythm.

Freestyle Negative Split and Descend

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA.

SCY.

This isn’t the most creative set ever, but it gets the job done for a cool 4,000 yds of aerobic work. The instructions for our crew were to negative split the long swim, and then make both of the shorter swims faster than half of the long swim. The intervals listed represent the A interval for our group, on a 1:10 per 100 base.

You Gotta Eat Your Veggies

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

Some training just has to be done. Because it is good for you. Even if you don’t love it.

Today’s set is in 2 parts. The first part is primarily freestyle, and the 2nd part is primarily IM. At the end of each round we did some open-ended scull/swim by 25, which allows for some recovery and re-grouping.

JMI = Just make it

FPA = Fastest Possible Average

🥦🥬🌽🥕🍅🥦🌽🫑🌶️🥒🥕