This Isn’t One of Those Sets

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Most of the time, sets that coaches share (including the ones I post to this blog) are ones that were at least modestly successful.  This isn’t one of those sets. Instead, this is a set that didn’t work how I was hoping.  I am posting to share what I learned.

This was originally intended to be just a breaststroke set, and I tried to make it work for a few butterfly specialists who didn’t fit into the backstroke/freestyle set that we were doing at the same time.  It was fine for the fly, but for breaststroke it just didn’t work.

Swimmers reported that during/after this set they felt that their timing was off and they felt sluggish.  In hindsight, the 6 x 50 kick with the bucket was probably too much. The volume made the 50s too slow and probably diminished any power-training effect.  The rest of the set probably would still work (FPA = Fastest Possible Average), but it might be better to do 1-2 50s or 2-3 x 25s instead, and include more drill before the FPA.

See other recent breaststroke sets here.

Race Pace Set for a Well-Oiled (Team) Machine

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

This set is a really simple one, variations of which have appeared on this blog multiple times.  I am sharing/re-sharing it today to further explain how we execute this set.

Recently, we moved several swimmers up into our top group, so I have taken that as an opportunity to re-emphasize our procedures.  I like to run a very clean, efficient practice, one where every swimmer knows what he or she should be doing and what the expectations are.

For this set, we had 4 or 5 swimmers per lane across 5 lanes.  The aim of the set is to swim at 200 race pace on EVERY 50, but I instructed them to be mindful of  taking it one-at-a-time.  The early interval gives them good rest to be able to achieve that pace (and build some confidence for later), and then we tighten it up and get a REAL test on #5 and #6.

I typically solo coach 15-25 athletes in a given practice, so in order for things to function efficiently on this set, we do the following:

  • Swimmers push off 10 seconds apart.  This means I don’t have to do any subtracting of times — if I read “Matt…three-two,” he knows that his time was 33.2, not 23.2 or 43.2.
  • Swimmers are timed “to the feet,” meaning they complete a turn at the conclusion of the 50. This corresponds how we would time a mid-race 50 back or free (feet-to-feet) or breast/fly (hand-to-hand).
  • Every swimmer on our squad knows his or her pace for best times and goal times.  Each swimmers always has this info handy using our laminated Pace Cards.
  • I time every swimmer, but with this many swimmers in the pool, I can’t possibly keep track of who is making their pace and who is not, so we have set up a signalling system. If a swimmer achieves her “best time” pace (but slower than goal pace), she gives her self an open-handed tap-tap on the head. If she achieves her “goal time” pace, it is a closed-fist knock-knock on the head.  If the swimmer failed to make goal or best time pace, no signal is performed. This gives me excellent instant visual feedback on how we are doing.

 That’s just one coach’s example of how we keep practice humming right along… what strategies do you use?

Broken Miles with Coach Mike Cook

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Mike Cook
Mason Makos

We did this yesterday as we came off a big meet and get ready for our mile swim after the holidays.

Warm up
200 swim 200 kick

66x 25 free @30 with snorkels. Stay focus and long

33×50 free to back @1:00. Build to fast flip with good dolphins off each turn

16×100 free odds @1:20 evens @1:10
1×50 all out free

66×25 kick with fins. Every 6th one underwater dolphin to 15 meter @ 35

Also check out Coach Cook’s IM Fast-Pace Set with Rest

The Best Things I Read, Watched, and Listened to in 2017

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Here is my annual list of my favorites from the year that helped me improve as a coach or simply as a human being.  If you like what you see here, you may want to also check out my lists from 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.
“We need to believe that hard work can triumph over circumstance.”  This slightly contrarian article described a mentality that I feel is omnipresent in our sport — one that as a coach I have been guilty of as well.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve been told to strive for balance. Yet I’ve noticed something interesting: The times in my life during which I’ve felt happiest and most alive are also the times that I’ve been the most unbalanced.”  Stulberg is the author of Peak Performance with the aforementioned Steve Magness.  This article struck a chord with me.  Their book is on my must-read list for 2018.

Breaking 2 by National Geographic (Youtube documentary)

Nike’s pursuit to have a human run 26.2 miles in under 2 hours was both controversial and fascinating. As a runner and a general fan of exploring the boundaries of human performances, I was riveted watching this documentary.
This bite-sized bit of wisdom should be required reading for every American.
“About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light…They seem deeply good. They listen well. They make you feel funny and valued… They are not thinking about themselves at all.” This is a powerful article from 2015 that I read just recently
“Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake… We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.”
Actually, there is a good chance you have heard of him if you are a swim coach.  Still, this is an excellent, inspiring read.
This podcast tells the story behind the Russian expulsion from the upcoming Winter Olympics and  the new documentary Icarus.  I haven’t yet watched the documentary on Netflix, but this conversation pulling the curtain back on the anti-doping world was extremely compelling.  Also check out Rich’s podcast with U.S. National Team Swimmer Conor Dwyer and his talk with  legendary triathlete Mark Allen
A fascinating look at ancient stoic philosophy in relateable bite-sized daily nuggets. I haven’t finished the book yet because I started it mid-year. I also enjoyed Ryan Holiday’s appearance on The Forward Podcast

My Favorite Tweets of the Year

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 A good one to show your athletes — what will you do when you “get a flat” and hit some adversity? — FIND A WAY!
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A few excellent pieces of writing that had nothing to do with coaching or swimming, but still made an impact on me:
An Awesome Quote That Is Both Timely and Timeless
From Martin Luther King’s Riverside Speech, 4 April 1967:
“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity. The “tide in the affairs of men” does not remain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: “Too late.””

9 Different Ways to Train I.M.

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

We all know that I.M. is a great way to put some variety into your training. Here are some ways to put a little variety into your variety.

#1 – Reverse I.M. A commonly used version, simply swim the strokes in reverse order.
#2 – Free I.M. Good for masters swimmers who are fly-reluctant or for any time that you want to get good back, breast, and free training without the butterfly. Simply substitute freestyle in for the butterfly portions of the I.M.
#3 – Inside-out I.M. Swim the strokes in the order Back-Fly-Free-Breast
#4 – Fat I.M. – Do these for lengths that are 25% longer than your standard I.M.-125s, 250s, 500s, etc. Double up on one of the strokes (this is the Fat stroke). A 250 Fat I.M. (Back) would thus be 50 Fly/100 back/50 breast/50 free.
#5 – Lemon I.M.
#6 – Emily I.M.- For swimmers with knee injuries/pain or whose breaststroke is not a focus of your efforts for improvement. Swim backstroke double the normal distance and leave out breaststroke altogether. Yes, this is named after a swimmer.
#7 – Baltimore I.M.s
#8 – Skinny I.M. This is the opposite of Fat I.M.s Swim distances like 175s, 350s, etc. Cut the distance of one stroke in half.
#9 – Gator I.M. Alternate stroke and free. A 300 Gator I.M. would be 50 fly/50 free/50 back/50 free/50 breast/50 free.

Do you have any other interesting or creative ways of training I.M.?

This post was originally published to this blog in February 2010. 

Tennis Ball IM Technique & Sprint Set

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

The purpose of this set is promote kinesthetic awareness and a better “catch” in all strokes combined with a bit of speed.  We used tennis balls held in the palm of the hand to take away the ability to pull with the hand surface.  Swimmers enjoyed the effect of the tennis balls when they went back to an open hand.

24 x 50
#1-5 are with tennis balls, excellent technique
#6 – no tennis balls, SPRINT!

6 fly @:50
6 back @:50
6 breast@1:00
6 free @:50

Sprint Set with Muscle-Ups

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Ryan Lee
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

We use our starting blocks at our pool to perform muscle ups and combine it with sprints.  Our stronger athletes can perform them without the use of their legs and the others bounce off the bottom of the pool to complete the technique.  But, always focusing on contracting the triceps at the end of the muscle up.
4 Rounds – 
3 Muscle – ups 
25 Blast (12 ½, mid pool turn, 12 ½ back to block)
3 Muscle – ups 

*25 Blast are choice of stroke* 

200 Recovery 

4 Rounds 
12 ½ Mid pool dead float blast to block 
5 Muscle – ups 
25 Max speed 

*12 ½ and 25 are choice of stroke*

Breaststroke Workout with Coach Greg Johnson

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Gregory A. Johnson
Head Age Group Coach
Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club

2 rounds (1 min rest b/w rounds):
             4 x { 1 x 100 breast-hold stroke count @ 1:40 (Descend 1-4 by round)
                   { 3 x 50 free fast +overkick @ :40
The set was deceptively hard for the swimmers. Most took off on the first round counting strokes and feeling good, only to be taxed by the 50s. We were not very successful on the descend on round two. They got back on it on round 3 and four. If we do this again, I might set some more specific times to hit on the 100s, but I was more focused on a good stroke count that wouldn’t fade under fatigue. 

Underwater Power and Sprint Set

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Our club doesn’t have the luxury of having power towers to use (yet), so we substitute by having swimmers hold a stretch cord for the their teammates, giving them resistance for short sets such as the one below.  One swimmer is tethered in the water and performs this set, and then they switch roles.  No rest except where indicated.

1 x 8 all out UW kicks and then get pulled back to wall
1 x 8 all out UW kicks + 1 sprint cycle and then get pulled back to wall
1 x 8 all out UW kicks +2 sprint cycles and then get pulled back to wall
1 x 8 all out UW kicks +3 sprint cycles and then get pulled back to wall
:10-:15 rest, unhook from tether, leave on coach’s “go”:
1 x 25 all out sprint for time
1 x 25 ez swim and trade places with partner

Power, Speed, Hypox…just FUN

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Coach Ryan Lee
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

2 Rounds of 7×25
*1st round w/ dragsoxs and fins (:50) 
*2nd round w/ fins (:40) 
25 (12 ½ fly, 12 ½ free) – max speed
25 (underwater dolphin)
25 (fly) – max speed
25 (underwater dolphin)
25 (12 ½ free, 12 ½ fly) – max speed
25 (underwater dolphin)
25 (free) – max speed

60secs in-between rounds 

Threshold and Lactate Set with Coach Phil Kraus

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Phil Kraus
Head Coach/CEO
Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club

Here is a set I did this AM with my 2 highest groups.  We are getting back into the swing of things after a long 5 week of gearing up for fast meets (HS District, Regional & State and our Prelim/Final meet – THE Gravy Bowl) and then the holiday.  My intention was to work their endurance a bit while asking them for a few Quality swims.  They did a great job and were a bit wrecked after workout.  This was after 50 minutes of weights first starting at 5 AM.  We have to go AM each day and must be done by 7:30 AM.
Warm Up – 750 yards ~ 20 min
400 Swim on 6:00 with Square Turns (touch turns but they have to get tot he correct side) all with Breaststroke pullout
7 x 50 IM Transition Series –  Focus on Turns – Evens are fast
     #1 Fly Drill/Swim   #2 Fly/BK Swim   #3 BK D/S   #4 BK/BR Swim   #5 BR D/S   #6 BR/FR Swim   #7 FR D/S
Main Set – Threshold and Lactate Production – 3500 yards ~ 65 min
5 rounds
2 x 200 Freestyle @ Threshold but loosely based on their Cruise interval before they tapered)
     #1 Breathing Pattern 3 – Goal get between :05 & :10 rest
     #2 Neg Split – Goal get between :10 & :15 rest
          Group A = 2:25   Group B = 2:35    Group C 2:25 (doing 175’s)
6 x 50 on 1:00 – Same Stroke by round on #2 & #3
     #1 Smooth – Choice of stroke
     #2 25 Skill/25 Swim No Free – Skill is anything to improve, drill, BP, Kick, Underwaters, etc
     #3 All Out No Free
Warm Down – 250 yards ~ 5 min
Total 4500 yards ~ 90 min

No Pain No Gain with Coach Mathieu Leroy

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Coach Mathieu Leroy
Chartres, France

Today it’s quality workout:

A “no pain, no gain” set emphasis lactate tolerance training.
 
* 30′ Dryland
*400 swim choice
  2 x 200 #1 IM Kick #2 Free Pull (50 3/5 – 50 5/3)
  6 x 100 (25 scull – 25 kick- 25 drill-25 swim) 1/stroke
* Power: fins/paddles/chute
  8 x 50 @ 1:15 (25 fast – 25 ez choice) 4-1st/4-2nd  IMer 2/stroke
 
3 x:
*400 (50 drill-25 swim-25 kick) Rd 1 – fins & finger paddles, Rd 2 – finger paddles, Rd 3 – No equip
  3 x 100 @ 2:30 
    #1 fast from a dive
    #2 75 fast from a dive + 25 ez
    #3 50 fast from a dive + 50 ez
 300 ez @ 6:30 (100 pull-100 kick-100 swim)
*8 x 100 fins @ 1:45/1:50 (25 UW-25 swim-50 free catchup
    25 swim = 2/stroke
100 ez swim
 
 
 

F.L.Y. = Fantastic Laps, Y’all!

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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

We did this fly set recently (SCY).  The  different instructions for A, B, and C groups were determined based on swimmers’ ability to maintain the integrity of their stroke technique over time.

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F.L.Y. = Fantastic Laps Y’all!

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Full Spectrum Heart Rate Zone Set with Coach Clarke Nyman

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Clarke Nyman
Head Age Group Coach
Eagle Swim Team

Full Spectrum Heart Rate Zone Set.  Starts Aerobic and goes Anerobic Quickly.  A Interval is a 1:17 descending to a :58 Pace.   B Interval is a 1:22 pace descending to a 1:04 pace.  The minute rest is to let everyone collect themselves and really nail the 500’s.  
This set really emphasizes front half speed, followed by a controlled back half effort.  Those with the best attitudes will nail this set!!