Off the Blocks with Columbia Swim Club

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Coach Todd Kramer, Columbia Swim Club

Here is our main set from last Friday 11/23. We were six days out from our mid season rest meet. We wanted to do some quality swimming after hitting them with some high intensity/short rest sets the previous couple of days. We did the OTB (off the blocks) in three heats, so swimmers ended up having about a 1:3 work to rest ratio on those. The kick intervals gave them a bit more than a 1:1 work to rest ratio. The drill/swim was recovery with a strong focus on the little details. The goal of the set was to do some high quality fast swimming followed by working the legs with the idea of helping to develop good kicking late in their races. In hindsight I would have given the kids more specific time targets on the OTB (which was choice based on their best events). A couple of kids had to be given time targets to refocus, but once we got into the workout I think it went very well.

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Fartleks for IMers

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

A “fartlek” is a continuous swim where we change speeds or points of emphasis.

During the 10:00, I would occasionally bang a metal wrench on the side of the pool, signaling an all-out sprint to the next wall followed by continuation of the swim.

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Slingshot to Freestyle Success

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

This set starts with partner slingshots:

Archer 1 involves a 6-Count pause during freestyle in position just after the hand exits the water. Archer 2 is a similar pause later in the stroke, with the elbow at its highest point even with the shoulder.

Paddlehead drill involves putting a hand paddle on top of the head and using the resistance of oncoming water during balanced swimming to hold it there.

B3 = breathing every 3 atrokes

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Working Our Underwaters with Tempo Trainers

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Mike Cook, Mason Makos

4 rounds odd rounds fly even rounds back. Fast fish kicks underwater get up when you decelerate into fast stroke.  Stay with the beep and feel the difference. Fly no breath first stroke. Can not past 15 meter with fins

4x8x25 @35 fins

1st round TT@0.7. 2nd round TT@0.6. 3rd round TT@0.5. 4th round TT @0.4

Now PICK A COMFORTABLE SETTING AND SET YOUR TRAINER 0.1 lower and do the next set

20×50 @50. Odds fly to back evens back with fins

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Algebraic Relay Descenders

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Coach Josh Sinclair

Decided to have some fun with relays the other morning as we have 2 big relay meets coming up in the next fortnight.  It was great to get some quality changeover practice, as well as get some quality work done.

Tuesday morning is 45min dryland session followed by a 1 hour swim session.  Boys worked off their p1500 times as cycle times (A,B,C) next time I will probably make the cycle times a little more challenging (maybe use p200).

I had 20 swimmers attend so ran 4 teams of 5 at a cycle time of..

2xA+2xB+1C = cycle time

1.30+1.40+55 = 4.05

Rounded down to 4min time cycles.  Was surprised how challenging it was for the boys to descend as a team as they all needed to step up each round collectively in order for a faster overall team time.

Fly & Potpourri

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCM. Today’s fly set included a bunch of other stuff. On the 8 x 200s, our top flyers did 25fly/175 free on number 1, 50 fly/150 free on #2, and so on up to a 200 fly on #8. The ‘B’ group went up to 100 fly/100 free and then started the cycle over again at 25/175.

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