Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 – #2

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

Every set has a distinct purpose.

#2 – Race-pace training for the 500 free.

This is essentially a broken 500.

20 x 25 @ :20 (for swimmers with best times 5:40 or faster)
or @ :25 (for swimmers with best times 5:40 – 7:00)
or @ :30 (for swimmers with best times >7:00)

Every 25 has the same breathing pattern. Always flip and put feet on the wall. Coach times and records each 25. Give swimmers a longer cool down after the set and add up the times. For best results, figure out each swimmer’s 500 pace (to the 10th of a second) per 25 before starting the set to give them a specific goal.

Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 – #1

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

Every set has a different purpose.

SET #1 – Improving Attention to Underwater Kicks

This set could be done backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, or any combination thereof, but stick with one stroke for at least 10×25.

1-10 @ :30
11-20 @ :20

#1 >1 dolphin kick off the wall
#2 >2 dolphin kicks off the wall
…
#10 >10 dolphin kicks off the wall
repeat for second set of ten on a faster interval.

Always make the breakout cycle aggressive to avoid sloppiness.

Masters’ Fast Friday

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

Masters Workout

Warmup- All on :20 Rest
300 Smooth swim
3 X 100 build
3 X 50 First 15m fast kick

Main set – FAST FRIDAY – Race somebody!!!
3x:
Round 1 – Freestyle
Round 2 – No Freestyle
Round 3 – Butterfly – if you dare!

1x:

50 FAST @ :50
75 EZ @ 1:10

2x:

50 FAST @:50
50 EZ @:50

3x:

50 FAST @:50
25 EZ @ :30

300 FREESTYLE PULL W/ PADDLES & BUOY

KICK SET
8 X 100 KICK W/ BOARD
TAKE 20 SECONDS REST AFTER #1 TO DETERMINE YOUR INTERVAL, THEN MAKE YOUR INTERVAL :05 FASTER FOR EACH SUCCESSIVE 100

The Cold Mountain Stream

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club

Jump right in. It’ll take your breath away.

B5 = Breathing pattern of once every 5 strokes

Warm up:
20 minutes 100 swim/100 drill/100 kick continuously

Freestyle Pull Set – paddles & buoy (buoy is used only for 300s)
300 B5 @ 3:40/3:50/4:00
2 x 75 @ 1:00 #1 – 25 strong B3/25 NO BREATH/25 strong B3, #2- EZ
300 B5 @ 3:40/3:50/4:00
2 x 50 @ :40 #1- 25 strong B3/25 NO BREATH #2 – EZ
300 B5 @ 3:40/3:50/4:00
2 x 25 @ :20 #1 – 25 NO BREATH #2 -25 ez
300 B5 @ 3:40/3:50/4:00
2 x 50 @ :40 #1- 25 strong B3/25 NO BREATH #2 – EZ
300 B5 @ 3:40/3:50/4:00
2 x 75 @ 1:00 #1 – 25 strong B3/25 NO BREATH/25 strong B3, #2- EZ

100 ez

Mini-Maxi Set – 3 x through
16 x 25 choice @ :30 odd minimum cycle count, even max speed
100 ez @ 2:00

Loosen down 400 freestyle at minimum cycle count

D It Up

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

For distance freestylers:

Descend the 500s, shoot for all fast swims at P500
Optional – use paddles and buoys on all 500s

500 free @ 6:15
20 x 25 @ :20 odd fast, even ez
500 free @ 6:15
10 x 50 @ :40 odd fast, even ez
500 free @ 6:15
5 x 100 @ 1:20 odd fast, even ez
500 free @ 6:15
4 x 125 @ 1:40 odd fast, even ez
500 free @ 6:15 all out for time

4500 yards

So You Think You’re Pretty Fly?!

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

“And all the girlies say I’m pretty fly for a white guy.” -The Offspring

Just a little set to make your butterfly feel gnarly.

9x through:

300 fly @ 4:30/4:15/4:00 by round
100 no fly ez @ 1:30

Round 1 – the 300 is 3 cycles fly off each wall, then kick the rest of the 25
Round 2 – the 300 is 5 cycles fly off each wall, then drill the rest of the 25
Round 3 – all swim fly, flip the turns to put a little extra zip in your fly

Enjoy!

Doubling Down and Golfing

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

LCM

WARMUP
400 FREE B3, 4+ DOLPHIN KICKS OFF EVERY WALL @ 6:40
200 IM 25 DRILL/25 SPRINT

KICK SET
3 X 150 CHOICE KICK W/ FINS & SNORKEL GO BEST 200 SWIM TIME ON #1 AND DESCEND FROM THERE @ 3:30
(BREASTSTROKERS CAN GO WITHOUT FINS, BUT LOCK FINGERS UP FRONT)

150 EZ SWIM

MAIN SET “DOUBLING DOWN”- 3x THROUGH
800 FREESTYLE SWIM STRONG @ 10:40 (1:20) 11:00 (1:22) 11:30 (1:25)
3 X 50 CHOICE FASTEST POSSIBLE AVERAGE @ :50
400 FREESTYLE – BEAT ½ OF 800 TIME BY 10s @ 5:30 (1:22) 5:40 (1:25) 5:50 (1:27)
2 X 50 CHOICE FASTEST POSSIBLE AVERAGE @ :55
200 FREESTYLE – BEAT ½ OF 400 TIME BY 8s @ 2:50 (1:25) 2:55 (1:27) 3:00 (1:30)
1 x 50 CHOICE ALL OUT SPRINT @ 1:00

100 EZ

12 X 50 @ 1:00 “SWIMMING GOLF” – THE OBJECT IS THE LOWEST SCORE

ON 50 #1 – GET TIME AND COUNT CYCLES – ADD THESE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER – THIS IS “PAR” FOR YOU
ON #2- AIM FOR 2 UNDER PAR
ON #3 – AIM FOR 4 UNDER PAR
ON #4 – AIM FOR 6 UNDER PAR
REPEAT, DOING A DIFFERENT STROKE

LOOSEN DOWN

Find Your Threshold Tempo

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Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA

One of my favorite pieces of equipment is the Tempo Trainer. Below is a set to help you determine what I call your “Threshold Tempo.” Your Threshold Tempo is the fastest cycle rate that you are able to hold for more than 25 yards (and less than 50) while maintaining your stroke length and technique. Essentially, this is a measurement of your neuromuscular capacity for rapid movement. By finding your Threshold Tempo, we are then able to design sets to gradually increase this capacity (enabling a swimmer to swim at a faster cycle rate). In order to find your threshold, do a proper warm-up including some short sprints and then perform the following set with the Finis Tempo Trainer under your cap:

12 x 50 @ 1:00 speed up your tempo by .10 s/cycle after each pair of 50s

Start at the following tempos for each stroke (intended for senior swimmers):
Fly: Men 1.60 Women 1.45
Back: Men 1.50 Women 1.40
Breast: Men 2.00-1.70 Women 1.80-1.60 (varies highly by individual)
Free: Men 1.60 Women 1.50

If you fail to swim at least 25 yards of each 50 at the prescribed tempo, slow the tempo by .05 for the next two and then try again. Continue to make adjustments

For example, a female swimmer’s results from the set done butterfly might look like this

Repeat# – Tempo – Result
#1, #2 – 1.45 – Success
#3, #4 – 1.35 – Success
#5, #6 – 1.25 – Success
#7, #8 – 1.15 – Failure
#9, #10 – 1.20 – Failure
#11, #12 – 1.22 – Success

THRESHOLD TEMPO = 1.20

What we are trying to do here is push the neuromuscular border between success and failure to new faster levels. Thus, we will use the slowest failure tempo that we tried as your threshold tempo.

More sets using the Tempo Trainer another time.

Fly Me To the Moon

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

The following is a butterfly workout intended to improve all aspects of the stroke. As always, intervals depend on the level of swimmer being trained. In this instance, the intervals on the fly swims were intended to give the swimmers plenty of rest to facilitate proper technique and eliminate “butter-struggle.”

4 X 25 FLY KICK W/SNORKEL @:30
2 X 50 CLAP DRILL FLY @:50
1 X 100 SWIM FLY @1:25/1:30/1:35
4 X 50 FLY KICK W/SNORKEL @1:00
2 X 100 3-3-3 DRILL FLY @1:30/1:35/1:40
1 X 200 SWIM FLY @3:00/3:10/3:20
4 X 75 FLY KICK W/SNORKEL @1:30
2 X 150 TRIPLE KICK DRILL FLY @2:15/2:25/2:35
1 X 300 SWIM FLY @4:30/4:45/5:00
4 X 100 FLY KICK W/SNORKEL @2:00
2 X 200 4 FLY/4 BREAST @3:00/3:15/3:30
1 X 400 SWIM FLY @FAST

NO “BROKEN STROKES!!!”
FLIP ALL TURNS DURING FLY DRILLS
YOU MAY DOLPHIN KICK ON YOUR SIDE WITHOUT A SNORKEL IF YOU CHOOSE

Payin’ the Price for Your Partner

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Ryan Woodruff
ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

Just a fun and challenging set that encourages the swimmers to support each other and swim fast.

4x (all with fins):
12 x 25
#1 – fast UW kick @:20
#2 – fast no-breath swim @ :25
#3 – easy swim @ :30
#4 – fast no-breath swim @ :25
#5 – fast UW kick @ :20
#6 – easy swim @ :30
1 x 50 all out (rotate stroke IM order by round)
1 x 100 easy swim

Time the 50 and have them remember times. Don’t give them the following part of the set until you get to this point. Get a partner.

One partner swims an all out 50 without fins while the other partner waits. For every full second that partner #1 swims slower than his time from the previous set, partner #2 must do a pullup (2 pull-ups for each second for guys). Then switch roles – partner #2 swims and partner #1 has to do pull-ups based on #2’s time.

Occasionally you will get a clown who swims slow thinking that he will really stick it to his teammate. Surprise him and the rest of the group with multiple rounds of this and he may start to realize that the more pull-ups his partner has to do, the slower his partner will swim.

Backstroke Workout #1

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Ryan Woodruff

Warmup
800 :  100 free overkick/100 smooth backstroke/100 smooth free/100 overkick backstroke

Main Set
2x through: 1st round no equipment, 2nd round with paddles (don’t use paddles on 3 x 200)

3 x 200 backstroke  @ 3:20

12.5 r arm scull
12.5 l arm scull
25 fists drill
50 build
100 strong swim

3 x 50 kick backstroke on your side, kick 8+ yds off wall @ :50
2 x 200 backstroke  race pattern and descend 3:10
3 x 50 kick backstroke on your side, kick 8+ yds off wall @ :55
1 x 200 backstroke fast @ 3:00
3 x 50 kick backstroke on your side, kick 8+ yds off wall @ 1:00

Warm-down set
6 x 50 @ :20 rest
#1-4: 12.5 yards back spin drill then ez
#5-6:  just ez swim

4400 yards

Your Best 500

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Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org

I am a fan of sets that give swimmers specific objectives to achieve.  This one uses a swimmer's lifetime best 500 time.  This means you could have every swimmer on a different interval for the main set, but this can also promote responsibility and good clock awareness.

Warm-up
4 X 300 FREE
#1 – 25 KICK/25 SWIM @ 5:00
#2 – 25 6-3-6/25 SWIM @ 4:30
#3-  25 SIX-COUNT HIGH ARCHER/25 SWIM @4:10
#4 – 25 CATCHUP/25 SWIM @ 3:50

1:00 REST           

“BEST 500” = YOUR BEST TIME ROUNDED UP TO NEAREST 5 SEC MARK

ROUND 1 – SWIM NO EQUIP
ROUND 2 – PULL (BUOY OPTIONAL)
ROUND 3 – PULL OR SWIM (YOUR CHOICE)

———-
        1 X 400 @ “BEST 500”
3X    1 X 425 @ “BEST 500
        1 X 450 @ “BEST 500”
        1 X 125 SMOOTH BACK AND REGROUP FOR NEXT ROUND
———

1 x 475 All out  Goal: Beat your best 500 time

Warm-down set
9 X 50 @ 1:00 12.5 SCULL / 12.5 BUILD TO FAST TURN / 25 SMOOTH SWIM

Working 200 Race Pace

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Ryan Woodruff,
Lynchburg YMCA

This a mid-season or late-season workout designed to push the athlete’s ability to swim at race pace for 200-yard events.  Before the set, determine the swimmer’s desired pace per 25, 50, and 75 to the tenth of a second (use our pace cards) for whichever 200 event you would like them to focus on.  Warm up, divide the group into 3-4 teams and then perform the following set.

30 x 25 @ :30
400 smooth swim @ 7:00
20 x 50 @ 1:00
400 smooth swim @ 7:00
10 x 75 @ 1:30
400 smooth swim @ 7:00

The goal for the swimmer is to beat their 200 pace time for as many of the 25s, 50s, and 75s as possible.  Swimmers are required to attempt to hold pace on every swim — no alternating efforts of fast and easy.  All turns are “to the feet” to ensure accurate comparison to race pace.  No need to remember times for the whole set — athletes should simply remember how many of each distance they successfully complete.  At the end of the practice, record their numbers, and assign 1 point for each successful 25, 2 points for each successful 50, 3 points for each successful 75.  Team with the most points wins and gets out first.  Team with the least points cleans up equipment or whatever other fun chore the coach can dream up.

Feel the Pressure

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Ryan Woodruff

As depth increases, so does water pressure.  Having a feel for the subtle changes in water pressure can help a swimmer (particularly in fly and free) time the breakout stroke for maximum efficiency.  This set is designed to help a swimmer “feel the surface” from underneath for better breakouts.

6 x 50 @ 1:00 with Stretch-Cordz Long Belt Slider

Swimmers are partnered up.  One person in the water, one on deck pulling them in with the cords.
1st 25 is always steady swim against resistance
#1 and #2 – Active streamline glide (no breath) at ~ 3 feet depth
#3 and #4 – Active streamline glide (no breath) at ~2 feet depth
#5 and #6 – Active streamline glide (no breath) at ~1 foot depth
Rotate partner positions so that each performs set

Swimmers should be encouraged to feel the upward “suck” of the surface as they approach the 1-foot depth.  Noticing this feeling in a racing situation aids in breaking out at the proper depth.

3 x 50 @ 1:00 with Stretch-Cordz Long Belt Slider

Swimmers are partnered up same as before.
1st 25 is always steady swim against resistance
2nd 25 Perform 3+ one-cycle breakouts, diving back under the surface into a streamline each time.  Practice breaking out “on plane” each time.
Rotate partner positions so that each performs set

10 x 25 @ :30

Perform 4+ streamlined dolphin kicks, one breakout cycle, and then dive under the surface and repeat as many times as possible each 25.

The 15-Minute Kick Test Set

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Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA

This set is meant to test/improve kicking speed and endurance and can be performed SCY or LCM. Place traffic cones or some other markers every 5 yards/meters along the edge of the pool. Swimmers will perform six timed kicking efforts for maximum distance.

Effort #1 – 1:00
100 easy swim
Effort #2 – 2:10 Goal: Double your distance from #1
100 easy swim
Effort #3 – 4:30 Goal: Double your distance from #2
100 easy swim
Effort #4 – 4:20 Goal: Beat your distance from #3
100 easy swim
Effort #5 – 2:05 Goal: Beat your distance from #2 or half of #4, whichever is greater
100 easy swim
Effort #6 – :55 Goal: Beat your distance from #1 or half of #5, whichever is greater.

Use a whistle or bang a lane wrench on the side of the pool to stop the swimmers. Swimmers stop immediately upon hearing the noise and determine their distance to nearest yard, then swim to the nearest wall to begin the 100 easy.

Swimmers can kick with or without a board, with a snorkel, or with no equipment – coach’s choice. I prefer kicking with a snorkel for breast, fly, and free as it encourages good body position and keeps swimmers from being distracted by teammates. Open turns throughout the set for consistency and fairness between strokes. Pick one stroke to kick throughout the set.

Record all distances. To encourage competitiveness, write them on a dry erase board where everyone can see it as the set goes on.

1:00+2:10+4:30+4:20+2:05+:55= 15 minutes total kicking time