Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
Ryan Woodruff
Here is one of our favorite core exercises. We call it 30-60-90 for each of the body angles where we pause.
Have the swimmer be seated on a physio ball and have a teammate stand on his feet. The swimmer should then streamline and hold a straight line from wrists to shoulders to hips as he moves through the different angles. We like to go for 1:00 straight shifting positions about every 3 seconds and finishing with 10 seconds holding the 30 degree position.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
SCY A pretty straight-forward I.M. workout. With all of the fun and interesting sprint sets, there are some things you still have to do.
1 x 800 IM @ 11:20 (1:25 base)
200 Free pull B3 @ 2:30
2 x 400 IM descend @ 5:40
200 Free pull B3 @ 2:30
8 x 100 IM descend 1-4 @ 1:25
200 Free pull B3 @ 2:30
2 x 400 IM descend, faster than previous ones @ 5:40
200 Free pull B3 @ 2:30
1 x 800 IM Fast @ 11:20
200 Free pull B3 @ 2:30
5,000 yards, 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
SCY Here’s a fantastic fly set that will get the swimmers going fast while preserving technique and motivation for the end. They will spend some time on the wall, however.
Use the Goal Pace Spreadsheet to determine P100 (100 race pace)times.
100 x 25 @ :30
For the first 96, do the following 8x:
#1-5 drill (#1 – 3R-3L-3cycles, #2 – w/br kick, #3 – w/flutter kick, #4 – clap drill, #5- triple kick drill)
#6 – Swim at P100
#7-9 Swim smooth at race cycle count
#10 – Fast swim at P100
#11 – easy kick on back
#12 – Fast swim at P100
#97 – 100 are all fast swim at P100
Configuring the 25s as I have listed above will allow the coach to stay at one end of the pool and time every race-pace 25.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
We did this set recently just to wake everyone up, get some good aerobic yardage in, and get the juices flowing for an agressive end-of-practice kick set.
1000 free swim B3 @ 12:30 (1:15 base)
100 free pull B3 @ 1:15
800 free swim B3 @ 10:00
300 free pull B3-5-3 by 100 @ 3:45
600 free swim B3 @ 7:30
500 free pull B3-5-7-5-3 by 100 @ 6:15
400 free swim B3 @ 5:00
700 free pull B3-5-7-9-7-5-3 by 100 @ 8:45
200 free swim B3 @ 2:30
900 free pull B3-5-7-9-3-9-7-5-3 by 100 @ 11:15
5500 yards, 1 hour, 9 minutes
Matt Hall, Rowan Aquatic Club
This is the main set only – takes about 90 minutes. First time through is freestyle, rounds 2 & 3 are choice stroke.
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3 X (10 x 100 SPRINT off of the blocks) |
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what to do |
within best time |
interval |
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2x kick |
20 seconds |
2:30 |
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2x 75 kick/25 sprint |
16 seconds |
2:40 |
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2x 50 kick/50 sprint |
12 seconds |
2:50 |
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2x 25 kick/75 sprint |
8 seconds |
3:00 |
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2x sprint |
4 seconds |
3:10 |
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200 EZ on 4:40 |
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Gary Galbreath, Assistant Senior Coach, Dayton Raiders
Here’s a set I use to do with milers a couple times a month. Usually on Thursdays on weeks when we didn’t have a meet. I could predict almost to the second how fast they would be on their upcoming 1650. It didn’t work as well for LCM. On the 1st 15 Pace 100’s you want them to have 4-8 sec. rest. On the last 15 fast 100s they need to go near 500 Speed! Make sure they have a good warm-up and have their heart rates up when they start.
1 x 100 @ 1:05 Mile Pace or Faster
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
2 x 100 @ 1:05 Mile Pace or Faster
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
3 x 100 @ 1:05 Mile Pace or Faster
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
4 x 100 @ 1:05 Mile Pace or Faster
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
5 x 100 @ 1:05 Mile Pace or Faster
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
5 x 100 Fast @ 1:30 Try to hit 500 Goal Pace
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
4 x 100 Fast @ 1:30 Try to hit 500 Goal Pace
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
3 x 100 Fast @ 1:30 Try to hit 500 Goal Pace
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
2 x 100 Fast @ 1:30 Try to hit 500 Goal Pace
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
1 x 100 Fast @ 1:30 Try to hit 500 Goal Pace
1 x 100 EZ @ 1:30
Mary Young
Northwest NC YMCA Riptyde Swim Team
My daughter sent me this last year when she swam with a French team in Montpelier (MANUC) during her fall semester abroad. Harder than it looks if they push themselves. Interval should be pretty tight, then recovery interval for 100 EZ, 200 pull etc.
8 x 50 Free :35
100 EZ
8 x 50 Free 1:00 fast as you can on all 8
200 pull
4 x 100 Free 1:10
100 EZ
4 x 100 Free as fast as you can go on 15 sec rest
200 Free breathe 3,5 by 50
2 x 200 Free 2:20
100 EZ
2 x 200 Free as Fast as you can go on 15 sec rest
200 EZ
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Warm-up 100-200-300-400 – 1/4 of each distance kick, 1/2 of each distance drill, 1/4 of each distance swim
3x (including the 400)
200 Fly @ 2:50 (1:25)
150 Back @ 2:10 (1:26)
100 Breast @ 1:25
50 Sprint free @ 1:00
100 Breast @ 1:20
150 Back @ 2:05 (1:23)
200 Fly hold count and build entire 200 @ :10 rest
400 free pull – paddles, buoy, snorkel
Kick set – 4 x through, all @ :25 per 25
25 fast kick
75 ez kick-dominant drill
50 fast kick
50 ez kick-dominant drill
75 fast kick
25 ez kick-dominant drill
Loosen down 500 breast descend cycles by 25 1-4 x 5
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
This set will bring the pain. Can you take it?
Part 1 @ 6:00
2 X 50 FLY AT P400IM @ :10 REST
100 BACK @ :10 REST
100 BREAST @ :10 REST
100 FREE
Part 2 @ 5:50
100 FLY @ :10 REST
2 X 50 BACK AT P400IM @ :10 REST
100 BREAST @ :10 REST
100 FREE
Part 3 @ 5:40
100 FLY @ :10 REST
100 BACK @ :10 REST
2 X 50 BREAST AT P400IM @ :10 REST
100 FREE
Part 4 @ 5:30
100 FLY @ :10 REST
100 BACK @ :10 REST
100 BREAST @ :10 REST
2 X 50 FREE AT P400IM @ :10 REST
Mary Young
Northwest NC YMCA Riptyde Swim Team
This workout is inspired by Matt Hall, coach of RACY
4x:
175 FR (sometimes BA) should equal best 200 time (they have 5:00 total for both 175s)
175 EZ
75 FR or BA add 10 secs to equal PB (they have 4:00 for 75 + 175 EZ)
175 EZ
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Here’s a solid distance free set:
20 x 300
#1-5 Swim free, descend @ 3:40
#6-10 Pull free with paddles & buoy, descend @ 3:40
#11 – Strong swim @ 3:25
#12 – Smooth, Negative split @ 3:40
#13 – Strong swim @ 3:20
#14 – Smooth, Negative split @ 3:40
#15 – Strong swim @ 3:15
#16 – Smooth, Negative split @ 3:40
#17 – Strong swim @ 3:10
#18 – Smooth, Negative split @ 3:40
#19 – Strong swim @ 3:05
#20 – Smooth, Negative split @ 3:40
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Throughout this set, every time you reach the wall, perform vertical dolphin kicking until your interval comes up for an extra aerobic boost.
300 fly swim @ 6:00
Swim fly as long as you can hold your technique together (i.e. hold you count and rhythm). When you fall off, kick a 25 dolphin kick and then resume fly swimming. Continue until you have reached 300 yards total of fly swimming (it may be a 325, 350, 375 etc. total)
3 x 200 fly
#1 – 12.5 kick/12.5 fly clap drill @ 3:30
#2 – 12.5 triple kick drill/12.5 swim @ 3:00
#3 – 15m swim/~10y no breath fly swim @ 3:00
20 x 50 @ 1:00
#1 – breathe every stroke
#2 – breathe every 2nd stroke
#3 – breathe every 3rd stroke
#4 – fast swim, choice breathing pattern
Mary Young
Northwest NC YMCA Riptyde Swim Team
This workout comes from Paul Yetter’s days at NBAC
You will need all swimmers PB in 200 IM minus the fly split.
4x:
3 x 150 IM desc 1-3 . Interval should allow 20-30 sec rest. Their goal is to beat that split on #3 each time. Writing their #3 results on board as we go is big motivator.
Scott Dunn and Mary Young
Northwest NC YMCA Riptyde
12 x 50 “Fly”
Odds: 25 Fly controlled speed- around 15 sec for girls, faster for boys. They stop to hear time, then 25 Free.
Evens: “Phelps, not Piano”. 25 Free, 25 Fly. How often have you seen a great 90 yd fly ruined by a PIANO dropping on the swimmer somewhere around the flags? they build a strong 25, surging to the wall from outside the flags,then must “stick the landing” exactly- a la PHELPS v. Cavic.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Try this set for a little tempo and technique work. Tempos should work well for free, back, or fly.
4 x 25 at threshold tempo @ :10 rest
100 ez swim at normal cycle count
4 x 50 at threshold tempo +0.20 @ :15 rest
100 ez swim at normal cycle count
4 x 75 at threshold tempo +0.30 @ :20 rest
100 ez swim at normal cycle count
4 z 100 – 25 at threshold tempo/50 at cycle count/25 at threshold tempo @ :20 rest
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
This set makes a good practice finisher. After a long hard set, it gets them going fast, swimming hypoxically, and working together to build some team unity.
Divide the swimmers into groups, ideally a number that can all swim side-by-side for a 25. All swimmers will swim a no-breath 25 freestyle, and one swimmer will be chosen by the coach to swim FAST no breath and given a time to beat. If that swimmer achieves the time AND all other swimmers in that group make the 25 without breathing (time doesn’t matter), the group earns a point. Repeat the exercise with each group until they earn 5 points (or any number you set). When a group gets their 5 points, they are free to go. The 25s can be done from a push or off the blocks.
Louis Cavadini
Here’s one more modified wizard set we did last week–another version of blast-offs (See The Shallow End Kick Set)
In the deep end of the pool we did blast-offs but here is the twist: They are time controlled. The group starts together and goes to the bottom on the Coach’s “go”. They stay down for about 5 seconds and then blast up, catch a breath as they come out and then fall straight back to the bottom. We repeated this about 5 times and then took a break. We didn’t start the watch until everyone had returned to the bottom of the pool.
5x (5x :05 under deep-end blast-offs)
If I had kids that spent too much time above water after each one, I sprayed them with the hose in order for them to get back under quickly. After a couple rounds, we did the final one a bit different…adding 5 seconds per dive, going till the last person couldn’t go any longer:
1x :05 under deep-end blast-off
1x :10 under deep-end blast-off
1x :15 under deep-end blast-off
1x :20 under deep-end blast-off
1x :25 under deep-end blast-off
1x :30 under deep-end blast-off
(that’s as long as they could go)
Chad Onken, YMCA of the Triangle Area
Here’s an improvement on the Streamline Sticks that allows for two-way swimming:
Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA
Did this one the other day. It really seemed to set the kids up for success (swimming at P200). Works for any stroke.
60 x 50 SCY @ :50
done as 6x
1 easy choice
2 at P200 +2 seconds or faster
3 at P200 +1 second or faster
4 at P200 or faster
(you’ll spend a lot of time underwater)
Louis Cavadini
Widths underwater continuous, take a breath at walls with an open turn, then go back under. We did these in two groups, so the group that just went could catch their breath. We had lane lines in so it worked better to help prevent kids coming up in the middle of the pool:
1:00 widths underwater
2:00 widths underwater
3:00 widths underwater
4:00 widths underwater
100 EZ
10:00 widths underwater!
*The 10 minute widths under got a bit boring, might want to break it
up a bit. This set made for a great Monday morning leg workout.
Louis Cavadini
Here’s a little twist on your Modified 15-minute kick set.
1:00 kick fast for distance
:30 tread water
2:00 kick fast for distance
:30 tread water
3:00 kick fast for distance
:30 tread water
4:00 kick fast for distance
100 ez
10:00 kick fast, beat total distance from above
Ryan Woodruff
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Here’s another abdominal exercise that we do, often for 2 sets of :30 each. Keep the ball on your lower shins, and control it using the tops of your feet. Kick from the hip with the knees straight and the hips slightly elevated for best results.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Here’s an example of a terrific core exercise we do. The swimmer in the foreground is demonstrating the best technique. We typically do a set of 10 of these, rolling the swimmer on the physio ball from the chin to the knees and back each time.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
You may remember the 15-minute Kick Test Set.
Here’s a new wrinkle that I came up with last week: Instead of stopping after each distance and having the swimmers state their distance, and swim a 100 easy (which is good, but just takes a LONG time), simply make it a broken 15-minute kick stopping in place at the same intervals (1:00, 2:10, 4:30, 4:20, 2:05, :55). Take a minute rest treading water in between intervals. Swimmers keep track of their TOTAL distance rather than the distance kicked in each segment
+’s of doing it this way: Less time to complete the set, easier to calculate the swimmer’s total distance kicked.
-‘s of doing it this way: You no longer have the motivational “double-up” the distance and “double-down” during the set, as swimmers no longer are counting their yardage precisely in each set.
Dani Caldwell, SUSA Stingrays
Hope that’s of use somehow!
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
The repeat 400 IMs are the bruise – they’ll put the fatigue in you. The 100s descend to P400IM are the cruise – go fast! Look back at your lifetime best 400IM to get your splits before you start.
1 x 400 IM @ best time + 1:20
3 x 100 Fly descend to P400IM @ 2:00
2 x 400 IM @ best time +1:10
3 x 100 Back descend to P400IM @ 2:00
3 x 400 IM @ best time +1:00
3 x 100 Breast descend to P400IM @ 2:00
3 x 400 IM @ best time +:50
3 x 100 Free descend to P400IM @ 2:00
Dani Caldwell, SUSA Stingrays
St. George, Utah
Something we like to do with our newer swimmers (and sometimes the older ones, too, for fun and fundamentals) is what we call “Dizzy 50’s:”
We only do about 6-10 x 50 FR (depending on level and ability of swimmer) with a Streamline pushoff (7-kicks or 10 yards), then a few strokes, a somersault in the middle, continue to the far wall, do two consecutive flips, push off on the 2nd flip, SL to 5 yards, stroke, somersault in the middle again, then far wall. We really emphasize turning in Head-Hips-Heels fashion and not lifting the head into the turn. Make sure there is enough space so they don’t run into each other when they get “dizzy!”
See Previous Submissions from Coach Caldwell:
Hypoxic from Utah – December 16, 2009
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
3 x 400 descend 3-5 seconds each 400 to a strong effort on #3. Remember your times.
3 x 100 descend 1-2 seconds each 100 to a strong effort on #3. Start at least as fast as your pace from the 400s. Remember your times.
3 x 50 fastest possible average. Start at least as fast as half of your fastest 100 from above. Make sure your last one is your best one and ends with a great finish.
Add up your times
400+400+400+100+100+100+50+50+50 = 1,650 yards.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
See Lumber Kicks #1 and Lumber Kicks #2
Exercise #3:
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Click here to see Lumber Kicks #1
Inspired by the Navy SEALs Log Workout.
Exercise #2
The Swimming Wizard 