Tag: Freestyle

Spicy 50s Freestyle

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Ryan Woodruff

The three columns of intervals (SCY)here represent an A/B/C option for different levels of swimmers. Ideally, the fastest interval should push the swimmers a bit on the first 3 rounds and be a significant challenge at the end of the set. This was a good finisher for a recent practice of ours. The last set of 6 got spicy for sure.

Middle Distance Free with NOVA of Virginia

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Alex Muni, NOVA Senior Assistant.

LCM

Today’s focus was threefold: we worked on steady-state cruising, negative pacing, and descending. All the 50s were on :45 (LCM) and served as active recovery while maintaining a moderate heart rate. As the number of descending 100s increased, so did the rest—allowing swimmers to actually achieve a descending effort. 

Since negative splitting is essentially an even split, I decided to go all in on fractions and include 3/4 and 2/3 splits as well. Additionally, the longer straight swims were on a consistent interval base of 1:30. 

We wrapped up with a broken 500, with the goal of holding a near-200 effort throughout—not necessarily an all-out sprint, but also not paced like a typical 400/500/800 distance swim. It was challenging, but it kept them moving and got them in a good training rhythm.

Freestyle Negative Split and Descend

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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA.

SCY.

This isn’t the most creative set ever, but it gets the job done for a cool 4,000 yds of aerobic work. The instructions for our crew were to negative split the long swim, and then make both of the shorter swims faster than half of the long swim. The intervals listed represent the A interval for our group, on a 1:10 per 100 base.

You Gotta Eat Your Veggies

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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

Some training just has to be done. Because it is good for you. Even if you don’t love it.

Today’s set is in 2 parts. The first part is primarily freestyle, and the 2nd part is primarily IM. At the end of each round we did some open-ended scull/swim by 25, which allows for some recovery and re-grouping.

JMI = Just make it

FPA = Fastest Possible Average

🥦🥬🌽🥕🍅🥦🌽🫑🌶️🥒🥕

Freestyle Pacing and Control

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Coach Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCY

This set was seeking a very specific pattern of pacing on each 600, as indicated by the line graph for each one. Failure to split it correctly meant repeating that 600. To interpret…
1 – 300 at a consistent pace, 300 at a faster pace, also consistent
2 – 3 x 200 descend, each one at a consistent pace
3 – 2 sets of 3 x 100 descending
4 – 4 x 100 descend + 200 fast and consistent
5 – 3 x 100 descend + 300 fast and consistent
6 – 2 x 100 descend + 400 fast and consistent
The second picture shows how it turned out for our swimmer, with splits written next to each graph. We had to do the first 600 twice due to some early set rusty-ness. Splits for the first of those two are not included.

Inside-Out I.M. Set

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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCY

This IM and Free set was a good one for us. The intervals indicated were for a portion of our group with 500 free times generally sub-5:00 and 400 IM times sub-4:20. We really tried to hit the 50s hard, with the big 1:30 interval serving as a decent mental break.

5 x 500
#1 – Free @6:00
#2 – 100 Free/100 IM @6:15
#3 – 100 IM/100 Free @6:20
#4 – 200 IM/100 Fr/200 IM @6:30
#5 – 5 x 100 IM @6:40

7 x 50 FPA (Fastest Possible Average) @1:30
Odds IM Order
Evens Transitions
#2 – Fly/Bk
#4 – Bk/Br
#6 – Br/Fr

5 x 500
Same as before but in opposite
order (finish with 500 free)

Mid Distance Set with NOVA of Virginia

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Coach Alex Muni, Nova of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

This set (SCY) offered a lot of variety to our national mid-distance group. It allowed for a freestyle mid-to-high aerobic progression and pace with the addition of some descending prime stroke work. We finished with a broken 200 OTB with 30 seconds of total rest. For the fourth week of the season, the swimmers approached this workout with impressive focus. 

Simple Freestyle Challenge Set

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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCY

This set went well for us this week. The three columns represent an A, B, and C level within our group.

A interval swimmers generally had best times faster than :50 in the 100 free. B interval swimmers :50-55, C interval swimmers :55-:58.

The interval on #14 was a stretch for most, but we came away with a good understanding of our current fitness level.

Day 1 of a New Season

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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA

SCM

400 smooth free with open turns, great streamlines and 3 dolphin kicks

10 x 25 flutter kick @:35

    With snorkel, on side at 45 degrees

400 smooth free with open turns, great streamlines and 4 dolphin kicks

8 x 50 dolphin kick @ 1:00, On side at 90 degrees, snorkel optional, change sides by 25

400 smooth free with open turns, great streamlines and 5 dolphin kicks

6 x 75 br kick with board @ 1:45 (those with knee issues do flutter or dolphin)

400 smooth free with open turns, great streamlines and 6 dolphin kicks

4 x 100 choice kick descend 1-4 to all out @ 2:15

400 smooth free with open turns, great streamlines and 7 dolphin kicks

30 x 50 freestyle

2 x through this sequence of 15

    3 with tennis balls @ 1:00

    2 swim B3 @ :50

    3 fists drill @1:00

    2 swim B3 @:45

    3 catch-up drill @1:00

    2 swim B3 @:40