Meat Grinders

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Coach Ethan Leach

This set is called “Meat Grinders.” It says to do 2 rounds, but it was built to be stopped around halfway through the first round and started over, pushing the swimmers to their limit.

2 x [8 x 50 ALL OUT SPRINT, from the block, last person touch]
FL down, IMO back
(example: #1 FL/FL, #2 FL/BK, #3 FL/BR…)
Really emphasize the fact that the entire set is ALL OUT, so that when they start to slack off you threaten them with starting over again.
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Recovery Workout?

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

We generally don’t do “recovery workouts.” Not because I don’t believe they have benefit, but rather because rarely do I have an entire group on the same page where that is what they all need at the same time.

Today was one of those rare times. Most of the group has just come off their high school state championships. We spent time at the beginning of practice going back over what we learned, how we swam, and what we can do better next time.

Here was the main block of the workout:

3 x 10:00 fartlek @11:00

#1 – 10 cycles kick against the wall at every wall then great underwaters on the push off

#2 – 25 drill/25 build done as 50 free/50 no free

#3 – all choice, sprint 1 cycle on first lap, 2 cycles on 2nd lap up to 4 cycles on fourth lap, continue that pattern.

3 x 500 kick @ coach’s go

25 fast -25 ez

50 fast- 50 ez

75 fast-75 ez

100 fast-100 ez

Lactate Production Set with Jeff Gross

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Jeff Gross, Head Coach, Saline Swim Team

Founder, Techniq Group

We rarely repeat exact sets, aside from tests, but here is one we reliably do once per cycle. Here is a copy from something I wrote. 

Our sample set is one of my all time favorite lactate production sets (used early in the lactate production cycle noted above) and is one of the only sets I dependably repeat each season. I mean, its one of my all time favorite sets of any kind. Swimmers are asked to increase effort as the rest gradually increases; causing lactate levels to spike significantly. The set came to me from a long time mentor, Coach Richard Pointon:

2 x 50 @1:00 holding best 50 time +6/7 seconds

100 Smooth Technique As; 50x (Fists/ Stroke Count) @2:00

4 x 50 @1:10 holding best 50 time +4/5 seconds

100 Smooth Technique As; 50x (Fists/ Stroke Count) @2:00

6 x 50 @1:20 holding best 50 time + 2/3 seconds

100 Smooth Technique As; 50x (Fists/ Stroke Count)@2:00

8 x 50 @1:45 holding second half 100 pace

Longer flush out swim, min 300

I expounded on it a bit recently on our Blog at Techniq Group. https://www.techniqgroup.com/news/2019/1/27/chapter-2-lactate-production-sample-set

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Awesome Age Group Workout with Coach Gordon Brown

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Gordon Brown, YMCA of Western Connecticut

“Wanted to share what we did tonight with our 10-12 year-old age group qualifiers. Workout attached below. They did a great job and had some really fast swims at the end.”

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Race To The Top

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Alex Morris, KC Blazers

Here is a set idea that I came up with over the summer that I call “Race to the Top” which is very similar to the Targeted Finishes set.

? x 50 @ 1:01, beginning on the :10

The goal is to be back by the :00 (top)  (or :05 for second person, :10 for third person, etc.) no matter when you leave. So the interval is always 1:01, but you have 1 second less to complete each 50 as you go through

The first time you miss being back by the Top, you stop and sit one out and out on fins, then hop back in and continue until you miss again

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Targeted Finishes Pace Work with Coach Mike Pestorius

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Mike Pestorius, Somerset Valley YMCA

This set was for our 13-14 year-olds in a 25m pool.

5 rounds of 6 x 100

The challenge is for the lane leader to finish on the :00 (second in the lane always on :05, 3rd on :10). 

Therefore, in the fast lanes, the kids need to go 1:20s on #1&2 (leave on the :40, finish on :00). #3 & 4, shoot for 1:15, #5, shoot for a 1:10, #6 is all out.  The interval is 2:00 when the goal is steady, 2:05when the goal gets faster.  Took a bit to explain it to the kids, but they really enjoyed it. We reset between rounds and took an easy 50 after rounds 4 and 5. 

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Coach Leroy’s Training Outline and Best Stroke Efficiency Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Mathieu Leroy, Bishop’s Stortford, UK

Below is the training plan for Coach Leroy’s 50-100-200 Juniors group for the month of January and one of his recent workouts.

Purpose: efficiency work on your Best stroke. Secondary: muscular endurance with kick & pull set

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