Christopher Schlegel, All Star Aquatics

Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
Christopher Schlegel, All Star Aquatics
Brad Herndon, Head Coach Greensboro Community YMCA & Guilford College
Andy Copley, Malibu Canyon Aquatics
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This was challenging for some. Always good to challenge us underwater. Will probably use this set to build off of for later in the season.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM. We wore fins for the second round. Our distance group really got in a groove with this one.
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Janey Leiker, Magnolia Aquatic Club
Kickboard and Long Fins: Flutter Kick
11,10,9,8,7,6- :10 sec rest
5,4,3,2,1-:05 sec rest
Goal:beat mile time
Numbers=number of 25s ex.- 11=275,10=250
(Editor’s note: This adds up to 1:20 rest. The total distance is 1,650 yards, thus the “beat your mile time” goal)
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Our sprinters did this one the other day. We got some pretty good times on the 50.
Sam Davy, Swarthmore College
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We don’t do lots of swimming with fins, but when we do, I like to make sure it is fast.
Here is one way I like to do it:
4-6 rounds of:
100 fast swim with fins, where the goal is to go your lifetime best time, or your goal time, or the team record
100 ez swim free breathing every 3
Total interval around 5 minutes
Provide an incentive for going a best time or breaking a record: maybe coach does pushups, or relays at the end, etc. I have the breaststrokers go flutter kick with the fins on –they end up going really fast that way!
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
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Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We did this little set the other day as a bit of speed work at the end of practice. Putting fins on, swimmers were expected to go faster than their 100 yard race pace. Seemed to work pretty well – the minus 2.0 25s were pretty tough for some. They had their choice of Fly, Bk, or Fr.
Rob Bond
Head Senior Swim Coach
Glenbrook Aquatics
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We also do a Sprint Challenge Circuit. Each part of the challenge is about a month apart. No intervals – swimmers go when they are ready. A pre-meet warm-up precedes the set. Active recovery is encouraged, but not required. Swimmers get 5 failures at any step before the set is cut off. If a swimmer tries 5 times without meeting goal, the set is over and they are out of the set – send them to a different training group…
Part 1:
Pre-Meet Warm-up then
3 x 50 Off The Block @BT +2.5
3 x 50 Running Start @BT +1.5
3 x 50 Fins @BT +.5
Part 2 (approximately one month later):
Pre-Meet Warm-up then
2 x 50 Off the Block @BT +2.0
2 x 50 Running Start @BT +1.0
2 x 50 Fins @BT
Part 3 (another month apart):
Pre-Meet Warm-up then
1 x 50 Off the Block @BT +1.5
1 x 50 Running Start @BT .5
1 x 50 Fins @BT -.5
Running start sprints – begin the stopwatch when the final foot leaves the deck. Fins can be from a push or dive – your call.
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Here’s a set I did with our Senior 1 (National) Group. I thought it went real well, kids loved it, but were dead tired.
Brett Stoyell
North Jeffco Swim Team
Best Stroke Practice working Quality and Endurance (Sectional-Trials level group)
This set was done at 5,500 ft above sea level in Arvada, Colo. almost every swimmer started the primary set holding at or under their best time and finished the set 5-10sec under their best 200 time.
Warmup
(2x)
400 @ 530 Snorkel Stk Count Free
300 @ 430 IM R#1 K-K-D, R#2 K-D-S
4×50 @ 1 Stk
#1 Drill
#2 Fast-EZ
#3 Kick
#4 EZ-Fast
Primary Stk (Breaststk and some flyers went on + 15sec for the 175s)
4×175 @ 240 Hold Best 200 time control stk count and HR
1×200 @ 300 Free Stretchout
3×175 @ 250 Hold Best 200 time – 2-3 seconds
1×300 @ 430 Free Stretchout
2×175 @ 300 Hold Best 200 Time -4-5 seconds
1×400 @ 600 Free Stretchout
1×175 @ 310 Hold as Fast as possible from a start
1×500 Recovery choice
Followed by a circuit (1min to switch stations)
G1 8×50 on medium in water cords @ 130 Either IMo or best 2 stks (Stk count against resistance – Stk tempo with assistance)
G2 12×50 @ 1:00 Fins 25 15mtr uH2O – 10 mtr sprint IMo or Best 2 stks on surface
G3 2×400 IM from a dive @ 6 Each stk as follows: 25 Build-25 Kick-25 Drill-25 ALL out. (Working Transitions all out!)
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
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
Louis C. Cavadini
SCY
Here is a little set we did that was fun and hard
24×50 (1-12 w/fins @1:15, 13-24 wo/fins @1:30)
-25 IM rotation
-25 sprint free
Place 25lb weight room plate on the bottom of the deep end (starting end). Swim 25 IM rotation, sprint back freestyle and at the flags(deep end) dive down and pull the weight back up to the surface. We used 10lb plates for the smaller swimmers.
After that set, we did a little experimenting:
8×25 @1:00 w/fins
-kick underwater with weights (use 10lbs). They kids said it worked
best if you held the weight out like a steering wheel.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
SCY
This kick set with fins (kickboard optional) will demand an intense effort, even from senior-level athletes who are good at kicking:
6x:
50 kick @ 1:00
75 kick @ 1:00
100 kick @ 1:00
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
This drill is to help with body awareness, core body control, and balance in the water. Rotisserie kick is simple: Get in a streamlined position, squeezing your head between your arms, and flutter kick face-down. When you need a breath, roll onto your back, keeping your streamline intact. When you have concluded your breath, roll in the same direction onto your front again. Repeat and continue as you need each breath. This is best done with fins.
Abby Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachabby@ncacswim.org
Here's an age group practice emphasizing good habits with some fast
100's freestyle at the end:
600 (100 Free – 50 Breast)
8 x 100 (25 Fly – 50 Back – 25 Free) on 2:00
#1: 5 dolphin kicks off each wall
#2: 6 dolphin kicks off each wall
#3: 7 dolphin kicks off each wall
#4: 8 dolphin kicks off each wall
10 x 50 with fins on 1:00
Odd: UW dolphin kick as far as possible, then sprint fly or back to wall
Even: Streamline dolphin kick on back
3 x 300 Free – breathe every 3, no breaths off wall – on 5:00/5:15/5:30
2 x 100 Free on 1:40/1:50/2:00 Free FAST
2 x 300 Free – breathe every 3, no breaths off wall – on 5:00/5:15/5:30
4 x 100 Free on 1:50/2:00/2:10 Free FAST
1 x 300 Free – breathe every 3, no breaths off wall – on 5:00/5:15/5:30
6 x 100 Free on 2:00/2:10/2:20 Free FAST
100 Easy
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
#9 – Hypoxic Freestyle Speed
The ability to swim fast while using little oxygen is a vital skill for sprinters. This set aims to improve that ability. For a little variety, do it with paddles and/or a buoy and fins. For a bigger challenge, do all max speed swims at your Threshold Tempo with a Tempo Trainer.
20 x 25
2x:
#1 – ez with 3 breaths or fewer @:30
#2 – max speed with 3 breaths or fewer @:20
#3 – ez with 2 breaths or fewer @:30
#4 – max speed with 2 breaths or fewer @:20
#5 – ez with 1 breath or fewer @:30
#6 – max speed with 1 breath or fewer @:20
#7 – ez no breathing @ :30
#8 – max speed no breathing @ :30
#9 – max speed unlimited breath @ :30
#10 – max speed no breathing @1:00
Disclaimer: Use caution when performing hypoxic restricted breathing sets. Do not push yourself too far or you risk blacking out. Do not hyperventilate in preparation for a swim. Only perform this set under the direct supervision of a coach trained in rescue techniques.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Intervals are written for LCM
WARMUP
400 FREE
200 IM DRILL
6 X 100 FREE @ 1:30/1:45/2:00
SNORKELS, FINS & PADDLES
DESCEND 1-3, 4-6
MAIN SET
PURPOSE: INDUCE A LITTLE FATIGUE WITH THE THREE 50s AND THEN HOLD A STEADY PACE UNDER THAT FATIGUE. AN IMPORTANT SKILL FOR RACING AND A GREAT FITNESS BOOSTER! PULLING EQUIPMENT OPTIONAL THROUGHOUT THE SET. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE, SUBSTITUTE STROKE FOR FREE DURING THE 50s!
3 X 50 FREE FAST @ 1:00/1:10/1:20
3 X 100 STEADY & STRONG @ 1:40/1:55/2:10
1:00 REST
3 X 50 FREE FAST @ 1:00/1:10/1:20
3 X 200 STEADY & STRONG @ 3:20/3:50/4:20
1:00 REST
3 X 50 FREE FAST @ 1:00/1:10/1:20
3 X 300 STEADY & STRONG @ 5:00/5:45/6:30
1:00 REST
WARM- DOWN SET W/ FINS
6 X 100 @ :30 REST
SPRINT 15m, EZ FOR 85m
TOTAL 4,050m