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Beat Your Best With Fins
Ryan Woodruff
LCM – We performed this set 3x through. The goal for each swim with fins & paddles is to beat your lifetime best 100m time. This set works for any stroke, and it may work best for some butterflyers to do it without paddles.
100 with fins & paddles + 100 ez swim @ 3:00
100 with fins & paddles + 200 ez swim @ 4:30
100 with fins & paddles + 300 ez swim @ 6:00
Handicapped 150s
Ryan Woodruff
LCM – This set provides some good competitive incentive. It will also help your slower swimmers get more comfortable swimming from the front and help teach your faster swimmers how to race from behind.
? x 150s (do as many as you like) All are handicapped to a swimmer’s best 200m time. The coach starts counting down..3:00…2:59…2:58, etc. and swimmers start when they hear their best time. First swimmer to the wall wins, and the fastest 2-4 swimmers (depending on the size of your group) get to do an ez 50 instead of a 150 on the next repeat.
The Towson Tune-up
Jeb Beaver, Assistant Coach
Monocacy Aquatic Club/ Towson University
Let me start off by saying that I really enjoy the website!
SCM
500 Twitch (25 free/25 non-free)
10 x 100 (50 Kick/50 Drill) 2:00
Hypoxia: 10 x 50 Fins (25 underwater Fly (10secs rest at wall), 25 sprint Free no breath) 1:20
Easy 100
4 x 50 (backstroke 15 meters, flip into boat skull to the wall) 10 sec rest per 50.
Main Set
100’s Breaststroke
150’s 25 free, 50 fly, 25 bk, 25 br, 25 free (rotate per round) (2nd round 50 bk)
200 Free
Bold = SPRINT!
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4 x 50 (backstroke 15 meters, flip into boat skull to the wall) 10 sec rest per 50.
Swim For Maximum Distance
Ryan Woodruff
This test set is useful when you have a large group of swimmers performing different strokes at different speeds in only a few lanes. Bang a lane wrench on the inside of the pool gutter to notify the swimmers when it is time to stop.
2:00 swim for maximum distance
300 ez drill breaststroke
4:10 swim for maximum distance (Goal: double your 2:00 distance)
300 ez drill backstroke
8:40 swim for maximum distance (Goal: double your 4:10 distance)
300 ez drill fly
1:00 swim for maximum distance (Goal: 1/2 of 2:00 distance +5m)
200 ez drill breaststroke
2:05 swim for maximum distance (Goal: 1/2 of 4:10 distance +10m)
200 ez drill backstroke
4:20 swim for maximum distance (Goal: 1/2 of 8:40 distance +15m)
200 ez drill fly
The Century Set
Ryan Woodruff
LCM or SCY
100 x 50
1- Fast from a dive @ 1:00
2- Smooth swim at cycle count -1 @ :50
3- Descend 1-3 to P200 @ :50
4- Smooth swim at cycle count -2 @ :45
5- 25m sprint/25 ez work on breakouts @ 1:00
6- Descend 1-3 to P200 @ :50
7- Steady swim @ :40
8- Kick 4 @ 1:00, 2 @ :55, 2 @ :50
9- Descend 1-3 to P200 @ :50
10- Fastest possible average @ 1:30
9- Ascend 1-3 to P200 @ :50
8- Kick 4 @ 1:00, 2 @ :55, 2 @ :50
7- Steady swim @ :40
6- Ascend 1-3 to P200 @:50
5- 25m ez/25 sprint to perfect finish @ 1:00
4- Smooth swim at cycle count -2 @ :45
3- Ascend -3 to P200 @ :50
2- Smooth swim at cycle count -1 @ :50
1- Fast from a dive @ 1:00
Triple Crown Set
This set comes from Coach Sean Quinn, former head coach of the North Carolina Aquatic Club. He had his swimmers perform it once a season:
3x through (all swims fast for time):
1,000 free @ ~16:00
500 free @ ~10:00
400 IM @ ~10:00
Record all times. Fastest total time wins the “Triple Crown!”
Turn Test Set
Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA
SCY This set is intended to test an athlete’s turning ability as well as encourage him or her to improve this all-important skill. It works for open turns with fly or breaststroke swimming. If you have touch pads that can measure turn time, this set could also be good for back or free.
Swimmer performs 1 x 200 for time. Coach times the swimmer’s turns (from hand touch to feet leaving the wall) cumulatively using the start and stop buttons on the watch. Record swimmer’s total turn time and average turn time. For instance, a good total might be 7.00 seconds, average turn time of 1.00 seconds per turn.
Swimmer then performs fast 50s on a moderate interval (perhaps a 1:1 work:rest ratio). If the swimmer’s total turn time was 7 seconds, then he does seven 50s. If it took him 10 seconds, he does ten 50s. During the 50s, the coach times the swimmer’s turn. Swimmer must beat his average turn time by .2 seconds and give a good effort on the 50 for it to count.
If doing this set in a group setting, divide the swimmers into teams, each swimmer with a partner on the opposite team and a stopwatch per partnership. Team with the least # of 50s to do wins.
Monday Movie: Inspirational
It may not be a workout, but check out this guy’s incredible technique despite his physical limitation. Listen for his time at the end of the clip – incredible!
Solo Distance Training Set
Anonymous Submission
Here is a progressing series of sets I use to train for long distance open water racing.
Week 1 –
Day 1 – 4 x 500 first 100 fast, 50 easy, balance at race pace 3 min rest between reps
Day 3 – 5 x 500 first 100 fast, 50 easy, balance at race pace 3 min rest between reps
Day 5 – 6 x 500 first 100 fast, 50 easy, balance race pace 3 min rest between reps.
Each week I start back at 4 reps but increase the distance by 100 total per rep and increase the fast part by 50 per rep. so Week 2, Day 1 would be 4×600, 150 fast, 50 easy, balance at race pace Week 3 Day 1 would be 4×700, first 200 fast, 50 easy, balance race pace. and so on. I do this for a 5 week cycle. It is important to focus on going really fast for the first part of each rep and returning back to race pace for the balance of each rep. The goal of these sets is to improve ability to swim long distances at a fast pace and to get used to going out fast. In open water swimming this will help you to get out with the front pack and free from the crowds. As you can see I do this set three times a week. On days 2,4 and 6 each week I do sprint and technique work.
Blast From the Past #2
Chris Webb, SwimMAC Carolina
This post is the second of two submissions by Coach Webb detailing workouts from past stops in his coaching career (Click here for #1). This set originally was a creation of Chris Plumb of the Carmel Swim Club from 2008.
15×200 on 3:00-3:30 choice
If the swimmer is within 10 of their best time they skip two 200’s. If they are within 15 of their best they skip one. 16+ they skip none. So the set could be 5×200’s on 9:00 or it could be a whole lot of painful 200’s 16 over your best. This set rewards performance.
Miler 25s
Gary Galbreath, Dayton Raiders
Did this set early during taper for the Distance Group
Repeat Set 3 Times. All 25s are to a hand touch. Do Not Flip.
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 20 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 19 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 18 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 17 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 16 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 15 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 20 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 19 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 18 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 17 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 16 Fast
2 x 25 @ 25 Smooth
3 x 25 @ 15 Fast
Blast from the Past #1
Chris Webb, SwimMAC Carolina
This is the first of two submissions from Coach Webb of sets that he used at a past stop in his coaching career. This first one is from the 2001 Team Pittsburgh Distance group
3×200 fr on 2:10
2×200 fr on 2:05
1 min rest
1×500 on 5:30
3×200 fr on 2:15
2×200 fr on 2:10
1 min rest
1×500 on 5:20
3×200 fr on 2:20
2×200 fr on 2:15
1 min rest
1×500 fr on 5:10
Monday Movie: Kinesthetic Memory for Freestyle
An interesting way to construct or correct a stroke with Dr. Rein Haljand.
IM Overload Loop
Eric Talsma, Hamilton (MI) Swimming
Another set we like for a good IM practice SCY:
IM Overload Set:
4 x (16 x 50 on :50/:60/1:10)
Odd 50’s are Overload Stroke
Even 50’s are Broken 400 IM
So first time through looks like this
1-Fly
2-Fly
3-Fly
4-Fly
5-Fly
6-Back
7-Fly
8-Back
9-Fly
10-Breast
11-Fly
12-Breast
13-Fly
14-Free
15-Fly
16-Free
Second time replace Fly on the odds with Back, third time they’ll be Breast and fourth they’ll be Free. I got this set from someone but I can’t remember who for the life of me. We’ve been using it for quite a while.
FOWLI Set
Eric Talsma, Hamilton (MI) Swimming
This is a fun set that we do. Or we use it as part of a larger set. Great for getting the kids to push each other and make each other suffer a bit.
We call it simply FOWLI which stands for First Out When Last In. No time interval, they just leave based on how fast those around them are swimming. We usually do it as 25’s but you can do it for any length repeat.
Generally set up with between 3 and 6 swimmers per lane. The fewer the swimmers the tougher the set.
When the last swimmer touches the wall, the first swimmer leaves. We want them to be leaving at about :02 intervals so they are really pretty close to each other. We encourage them to pass if they can but they must hang on to the feet of the person in
front of them.
Each swimmer leads between 1 and 4 repeats. The fewer repeats before rotating the lead the tougher the set. After the leader is done they go to the back of the lane, giving them between 6 and 12 seconds extra rest, everyone else moves up one spot shorting them on :02 or so of rest.
Some variations that we like: w/ zoomers or fins, pulling, stroke, IM order rotating lead every 4, as a lead in to a set, in the middle of a set, at the end of a set, etc. We like to mix it in to a workout once a week or so. We encourage them to push each other and steal their lane-mates rest.
Hope you like it. Let me know if you have any questions.
I’ll try to get you some others that we like to do. I really appreciate the site. It has spurred some good conversations and some good thinking on workout ideas.
Tricep Fire
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com
You guessed it… this one will burn!
SCY
30 x 50 done in ten sets of 3. After each set of three, perform 8 press-outs on the edge of the pool, adding :10 seconds to the interval on the 3rd 50.
Set #1,#4,#6 and #9: descend 1-3 to P200 or faster @ 1:00
Set #2 and #7: 1 ez, 2 at P200 or faster @ :50
Set #3 and #8: moderate, descend cycle count @ :40
Set #5 and #10: Fastest possible average @ 1:00
Free/Back Workout
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com
SCY
500 free @ 6:20 (1:16)
10 x 75 choice odd kick @ 1:20, even swim build @ 1:00
500 free @ 6:10 (1:14)
10 x 50 free, 1 @ :50, 2 @ :45, 3 @ 40 4@:35
500 free @ 6:00 (1:12)
10 x 25 back odds ez swim @:30 even uw dolphin kick @:20
500 free @ 5:50
10 x 25 free odds ez @ :30 even sprint no breath @:20
500 free @ 6:00
10 x 50 back odd @ :50, even @ :35
500 free @ 6:10
10 x 75 choice odd kick @ 1:20, even swim build @ :55
500 free @ 6:20
TOTAL: 6500 yards
Monday Movie: V-Ups with a Pull Buoy
From the GoSwim series, an improved twist on a classic dryland exercise.
E.T.’s Backstroke Set
Coach Ryan Woodruff
This set was written for backstroke, but it really could be performed any stroke.
300 25 scull/50 drill/25 swim @ :20 rest
2 x 50 swim at tempo (Find your tempo with this set)@ :20 rest
300 25 scull/50 drill/25 swim @ :20 rest
2 x 75 swim at tempo @ :30 rest
300 25 scull/50 drill/25 swim @ :20 rest
2 x 100 50 build up to race tempo/50 at tempo
Yet Another Shreveport Set…
Dustin Myers, City of Shreveport Swim Team
LCM
3 rounds:
1 x 200 IM; 25 kick, 25 drill
4 x 100 fast; round #1 = 50 fly 50 back, round #2 = 50 back 50 breast, round # 3 = 50 breast 50 free
2-3 min rest
3 rounds:
1 x 200 IM; 25 kick, 25 drill
1 x 200 worst stroke; 50 drill, 50 strong effort
1 x 200 IM; all out from push
2-3 min rest
3 rounds:
1 x 200 IM; 25 kick, 25 drill
1 x 200 IM; designated drills at aerobic pace
4 x 50 IM order; all out for an added up time better than your best time
The first 200 IM k/d of each round/set is meant for recovery. On the second set I had kids coming within 9 seconds of their best 200 IM times (from a push too!). On the third set I had kids who's add up 200 times were 2-4 seconds faster than their goal time for that season.
When giving the practice only tell your swimmers one set at a time, that way they'll focus on each set individually. So the 2-3 rest between sets is actually when you are explaining the next part. At the end of the practice my kids admitted that if I had given them the entire set at the beginning they would have been a lot more cautious at the beginning.
July Fly
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com
This set accomplishes 3,350 meters of butterfly swimming while spacing out the freestyle recovery to allow swimmers to maintain their butterfly technique.
LCM
2 sets of 40 x 50m
1 @ 1:00 all fly
2 @ :55 first 35m fly, then free
3 @ :50 first 25m fly, then free
4 @ :45 first 15m sprint fly, then free
4 @ :55 all fly
3 @ :50 first 35m fly, then free
2 @ :45 first 25m fly, then free
1 @ :40 first 15m sprint fly, then free
10 @ :50 25 drill/25 build to perfect finish
10 @ 1:00 fly fastest possible average
How Tough Are You?
The following set originally appeared on Swimming World’s workout page. Give it a try for a solid IM workout.
LCM
800m swim free @ 10:40
2x400m IM all out @ 6:10
600m swim fly/free, by 100 @ 8:30
2x400m IM all out @ 6:00
400m swim free/back by 50 @ 6:00
2x400m IM all out @ 5:50
200m swim breast @ 3:20
2x400m IM all out @ 5:40
Total: 5200m, 77 minutes
Tempo Trainer Set #4
Coach Ryan Woodruff
LCM
1 x 400 free @ 6:20 25m at tempo/25m ez free
2 x 200 free @ 3:10 35m at tempo/15m ez free
4 x 100 prime stroke @ 2:00
#1 – 35m at tempo/65m ez
#2 – 50m at tempo/50m ez
#3 – 65m at tempo/35m ez
#4 – 75m at tempo/25m ez
6 x 50 prime stroke, just fast, no tempo trainers
#1 @ 1:20
#2 @ 1:10
#3 @ 1:00
#4,5,6 @ :50
Monday Movie: The Bulgarian Bag
Don’t have a weight room? You can do some awesome exercises using the Bulgarian Bag. Find instructions on how to make one for $2 here.
Happy Independence Day
Here’s an inspiring video that reminds me how awesome it is to be a citizen of the world’s greatest sporting nation:
Captain Jack 100s
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com
“Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid.” -Captain Jack Sparrow
SCY
This set was inspired by the scene from Pirates of the Carribbean when the pirates trek across the bottom of the ocean. Thought it would be a good challenge to run across the bottom of the pool.
This set is best performed in 6 to 8 feet of water. Have swimmers each grab weights or weight belts (10-20 pounds per person should do) and place them 12.5 yards down the pool.
Perform the following in rapid succession (no rest)
1) 12.5 yards sprint from a dive
2) Dive down and pick up your weight from the bottom, holding it and “running” along the bottom of the pool for 12.5 yards to the opposite side, dropping the weight by the wall.
3) Perform 5 press-outs on the pool edge.
4) Swim a 50 fast
5) Pick up your weight from the bottom and “run” it along the bottom back to the middle of the pool. Drop your weight.
6) Push off the bottom and sprint the final 12.5 yards to a perfect finish.
Rest and repeat as you wish.
Savvy?
Cyclone Kick Set
Lucas Ferreira, Ames Cyclone Aquatics Club
This is a set I did with my age groupers, but if you adapt the intervals I’m sure senior swimmers can get a lot out of it too:
SCY
The 400, 200s, 100s, and 50s kick are always 50 FR / 50 FL on BK
1×400 Kick – 8:00
4×25 UW DK @ 0:45
0:30 extra rest, fins on!
2×200 – 3:10
4×25 UW DK @ 0:45
0:30 extra rest, fins off!
4×100 – 2:00
4×25 UW DK @ 0:45
0:30 extra rest, fins on!
8×50 – 0:45
8×25, long UW DK, FAST Breakout! @ 0:45
Shreveport Sequel: Descending/Challenge Set
Dustin Myers, City of Shreveport Swim Team
Just wanted to say I enjoy your blog. I think one of the great things about USA Swimming is thE fact that we share all of our ideas. It's what makes us great.
SCY
Adjust intervals to fit the needs of your swimmers. The intervals listed are the intervals we used for our top group. Take 0:30 rest inbetween each set.
10 x 100 @ 1:20
8 x 100 @ 1:15
6 x 100 @ 1:10
4 x 100 @ 1:05
? x 100 @ 1:00
On the last set of 100's the goal is to do as many as possible. The most I had from my group was 4 (0:56, 0:58, 0:58, 0:59). Average was 2.
Gettin’ Faster
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
800 free @ 10:00
do all open turns to get times after each 100:
1st 100: catchup
2nd: P500+8
3rd: overkick
4th: P500+6
5th: catchup
6th: P500+4
7th: overkick
8th: P500+2
400 free pull @ 5:00
breathing every 3-3-3-5-3-7-3-9 by 50
3 x 100 free fastest possible average @ 2:30
The Swimming Wizard 