One of the best ideas I ever had (or maybe stole)…

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

I probably got this idea from somewhere, but it is pretty simple so maybe I came up with it myself…

Want to use video to help your swimmers improve their technique? Great — buy an iPad and start filming.  But there is a better way…

If you coach teenagers, they probably all have a camera phone.  Have them pair up. Give them a prompt on what to work on (i.e. examine freestyle breathing technique, looking for horizontal head position) and give them 10-15 minutes to film each other and give each other feedback.  Peer Coaching!

The benefits are many:
1. Tons of feedback for EVERY swimmer in your group, something that would take an individual coach hours to do by himself.
2. A chance to use a rapid feedback loop in a way that isn’t easy to do in a normal workout.  Do it…watch it… do it again, better… watch it… do it again better still.
3. The teaching swimmer learns as well. Teaching is one of the best ways to learn.
4. Team bonding! Swimmers enjoy working together and helping each other improve.

I promise you… give this a try and you will love it.  If not, I will give you a full refund of your purchase price for this post.

Choose your weapon — back or breast

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

LCM.  Wanted to get some good swimming of both of these strokes in today.  Being within the best+30 goal on the 200s wasn’t a problem for most, and the conscientious ones were able to be within 20 for the most part.  Rest intervals allowed for good flexibility on lane assignments and stroke choices.  Swimmers had to stick with either stroke for a round before switching.

Choose Your Descend with Coach John Ravestein

Posted on by rdwoodruff

John Ravestein
TYDE Coach – National Team
YMCA of Northwest North Carolina

We did this yesterday, I liked it because it gave the kids some freedom of what they wanted to descend but the intervals were still hard enough that they couldn’t slack on the other part. I also played a game to see if I could pick which one they descended based on their effort. You can also have them pick it before they start to give them ownership of the set.

10x50s on :50

     Odds- fly, Evens- IM

     Desc 1-5

     You pick to either desc the fly or IM

Rest 1:00

8x100s on 1:25

     Odds- back, Evens- IM

     Desc 1-4

     You pick to either desc the back or IM

Rest 1:00

6x150s on 2:20

     Odds- breast, Evens- IM no Free

     Desc 1-3

     You pick to either desc the breast or IM

Rest 1:00

4x200s on 2:45

     Odds- Free, Evens- IM

     Desc 1-2

     You pick to either desc the free or IM

200 ez

12 Books All Swim Coaches Should Read 
Tools for Swim Coaches
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Free/IM Day with Coach Brandon Fain

Posted on by rdwoodruff
Brandon Fain
New Braunfels YMCA Swim Team
New Braunfels,  TX   
KICK 12 X 50 FINS          1:00
           -4 BK 4 FLY 4 FR
           – ALL IN STREAMLINE
           – AT LEAST 12 YARDS UNDERWATER
SWIM 2 X 150
            – BREATHE 3-5-7 BY 50  REST :15
            – ALWAYS WORK THE TURNS
SWIM 8 X 75
            – 50 IM ORDER 25 FREE  1:45
            – BUILD
SWIM 3 X 150 FREE                  3:00
             – BREATHE 3-5-7 BY 50 REST :15
             – WORK STREAMLINES / TURNS
SWIM 4 X 125.                            3:00
             – 100 – 80% / 25 – SPRINT
DRILL 6 X 100 IM                      2:30
            – DON’T DO SAME DRILL MORE THAN TWICE
DRILL 6 X 50 FREE                  1:05
            -SIDE KICK 6 + 3 STROKES

I always drill at the end of practice.   I believe doing good drills at the end of practice will help hold strokes together at the end of a race.

Butterfly Quality Control

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

With narrow lanes and lots of turbulence in our pool, I try to find ways for our swimmers to get in good quality fly sets without having to dodge teammates, do 1-arm strokes, or have to worry about getting hit in the face.  This set accomplished all of those objectives AND helped us deliver some fast performances at practice.  On the 25s, we were able to go :10 apart.  On the 75s, I would start the second heat when the first heat had finished about 60m (SCM pool).  For the 125s, the second heat would begin as soon as the first heat had finished about 110m.  This also produced a “chasing” effect that encouraged swimmers to finish their last 25 fast lest they get caught by a teammate in embarrassing fashion.

"The Olympic Set" with Coach Mathieu Leroy

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Mathieu Leroy
Chartres, France

Editor’s Note: Have you checked out Bob Bowman’s new book yet? The Golden Rules is a Swimming Wizard recommended read.  

 
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Broken 175s for Kicking Prowess

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff

Lynchburg YMCA

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This set is designed to encourage swimmers to practice strong kicking through the middle and end of 200 events. Time the total round (50+75+50), with the goal being to beat one’s lifetime best 200 time. Typically, breaststrokers and flyers will have the easiest time achieving this goal.

6x through @ 4:00:

50 fast swim
:10 rest
75 fast kick with a board
:10 rest
50 fast swim

Free, Free, Free

Posted on by rdwoodruff
Brandon Fain
New Braunfels YMCA Swim Team
New Braunfels,  TX  
SW/K/DR 3 X 150
KICK 12 X 25 STREAMLINE ON BACK
KICK 8 X 75 FREE WITH BOARD
           25 MOD / 50 FAST
SWIM 12 X 50
             3 BUILD / 3 BREATH EVERY 5 X 2
SWIM 3 X 150 FREE
             MIDDLE 50 HARD
SWIM 8 X 75 FREE
             DESCEND BY 4

DRILL 10 X 50 FREE
             3 SIDE KICK 6
             3 THUMB DRAG
             4 CATCH UP
  

Age Group Developmental Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff
Brandon Fain
New Braunfels YMCA Swim Team
New Braunfels, TX
SW/DR/K 3 X 200
KICK  10 X 75
-25 UNDERWATER 50 STREAMLINE ON BACK
SWIM 3 X 100 FREE DESCEND
SWIM 8 X 50 BUILD NON FREE
DRILL  1 X 150 SIDE KICK 6 FREE
SWIM 3 X 100 IM DESCEND
SWIM 8 X 50 BUILD IM ORDER
DRILL 1 X 150 SIDE KICK 6 BACK
SWIM 3 X 100 FREE RACE PACE FROM A DIVE
DRILL 4 X 100 50 BR / 50 FLY
DRILL 3 X 100 50 BK / 50 FR