Tag: Freestyle

Shreveport Sequel: Descending/Challenge Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

Miler’s Delight

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com

LCM
3x through:
1 x 1500, descend your 500s
1 x 500 easy, 25 scull/25 perfect technique swim

Round 1: Descend 500s by 10-15 seconds each to a strong effort on the last 500
Round 2: Descend 500s by 5-10 seconds each to a strong effort on the last 500
Round 3: Descend 500s by 1-5 seconds each to your best effort of the set on the last 500.
Rest intervals as determined by the coach during the set.

Underwater Weight Kicks

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com

Earlier this week, Louis Cavadini posted a set called Heavy 50s. At the end of the set, he described kicking underwater with weights. We performed a similar set this week, using bundled weight belts. We did the following set with fins:

SCY
400 smooth free, 25 drill/25 swim @ 5:20
8 x 75 descend 1-3 and hold #4 at P200 @ 1:20
4 x 25 underwater kick with fins and weight belt in a streamline @ 1:00
300 smooth free, 25 drill/25 swim @ 4:00
6 x 75 descend 1-2 and hold #3 at P200 @ 1:15
4 x 25 underwater kick with fins and weight belt in a streamline @ 1:00
200 smooth free, 25 drill/25 swim @ 2:40
4 x 75 descend 1-2 and hold #3 at P200 @ 1:10
4 x 25 underwater kick with fins and weight belt in a streamline @ 1:00
100 smooth free, 25 drill/25 swim @ 1:20
2 x 75 descend 1-2 and hold #3 at P200 @ 1:05
4 x 25 underwater kick with fins and weight belt in a streamline @ 1:00

On the underwater kicks, some swimmers performed them on their back and reported that the exercise really worked the backside kick. Use this sheet to Determine Your Goal Pace for LCM to perform the set.

Swimmin’ with Shreveport

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Dustin Myers
City of Shreveport Swim Team

LCM
This is a freestyle set working on pace with some active recovery mixed in.  The intervals are the ones we used, but you can adjust to your athletes ability level. 

10 x 150
odds = moderate free breathing every 3  @  2:30
evens = desc 1-5 from moderate to fast  @  2:15

10 x 100
odds = moderate free breathing every 3  @  1:50
evens = at 400 pace  @  1:30

10 x 50
odds = moderate free breathing every 3  @  1:00
evens = at 200 pace or faster  @  1:00

Time Flies Swimming Freestyle

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
ncacheadcoach@gmail.com

SCY

This set uses your per 100-yd pace from a timed 3,000 yard swim (P3k).
Or you can use P500+5 per 100 as an approximation. All paces are per 100.

First column of intervals is for paces 1:05 or faster (32:59 or faster 3k)
Second column of intervals is for paces 1:06-1:11 (33:00 – 35:59).
Third column of intervals if for paces 1:12 or slower (36:00+)

600 swim or pull at P3k+4 @ 7:00 7:20 8:00
1 x 300 at P3k+1 @ 3:40 3:50 4:00
2 x 200 at P3k-1 @ 2:30 2:35 2:40
3 x 100 at P3k-3 @ 1:20 1:20 1:30
6 x 25 ez no free @ :30

600 swim or pull at P3k+4 @ 7:00 7:20 8:00
2 x 300 at P3k+2 @ 3:40 3:50 4:00
2 x 200 at P3k-1 @ 2:30 2:35 2:40
2 x 100 at P3k-4 @ 1:20 1:20 1:30
6 x 25 ez no free @ :30

600 swim or pull at P3k+4 @ 7:00 7:20 8:00
3 x 300 at P3k+3 @ 3:40 3:50 4:00
2 x 200 at P3k-1 @ 2:30 2:35 2:40
1 x 100 at P3k-5 @ 1:20 1:20 1:30
6 x 25 ez no free @ :30

The American Standard

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Chris Webb, SwimMAC Carolina
cwebb@swimmaccarolina.org

1×100 fly on 3:00
1×100 bk on 3:00
1×100 br on 3:00
1×100 fr on 3:00
1×200 IM on 6:00
1×200 fly on 6:00
1×200 bk on 6:00
1×200 br on 6:00
1×200 fr on 6:00
1×400 IM

All 100's must be within 10 seconds for boys and 8 seconds for girls of the American record,all 200 must be within 20 seconds for boys and 16 seconds for girls, and the 400 IM  I like to use 30.  All  the seconds you accumulate over the records add up for a total score.

 The lowest total boy's and girl's score set the “standard”.  Set whatever time standard or “seconds over the record” that fits your group's ability. 

On a swim by swim basis for every second a swimmer misses the 10 or 8 over standard the swimmer will owe 2 burpees at the end of the entire set.

 This set helps familiarize swimmers with the fastest times in every event. 

  Do this set once per cycle and compare times. Have title belts/ and or plaques with a ceremony for the top girl and boy that rewards their well rounded IM racing focus.

One to Write Home About

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

90 x 100 SCY

5 warmup @ 1:20

1 free @ 1:10
1 ez @ 1:20
2 free @ 1:10
1 ez @ 1:20
3 free @ 1:10
1 ez @ 1:20
4 free @ 1:10
1 ez @ 1:20
5 free @ 1:10
1 ez @ 1:20

1 free @ 1:05
1 ez @ 1:20
2 free @ 1:05
1 ez @ 1:20
3 free @ 1:05
1 ez @ 1:20
4 free @ 1:05
1 ez @ 1:20
5 free @ 1:05
1 ez @ 1:20

1 IM @ 1:20
1 ez @ 1:20
2 IM @ 1:20
1 ez @ 1:20
3 IM @ 1:20
1 ez @ 1:20
4 IM @ 1:20
1 ez @ 1:20
5 IM @ 1:20
1 ez @ 1:20

1 IM @ 1:15
1 ez @ 1:20
2 IM @ 1:15
1 ez @ 1:20
3 IM @ 1:15
1 ez @ 1:20
4 IM @ 1:15
1 ez @ 1:20
5 IM @ 1:15
1 ez @ 1:20

5 fastest possible average free @ 2:00

9,000 yards — 1 hour, 55 minutes, 50 seconds

Meters for Breakfast

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

LCM
3 x 400 free descend and negative split
1 @ 5:40
1 @ 5:30
1 @ 5:20

300 w/snorkel 25 kick/25 swim choice

4 x 300 free 200 DPC B3/100 Overkick @ 4:10

300 same as above

6 x 200 free, paddles & buoy optional
2x: 1 @ 2:45
1 @ 2:40
1 @ 2:35

300 same as above

12 x 100 free swim
2x: 1 @ 1:25
1 @ 1:20
1 @ 1:25
1 @ 1:15
1 @ 1:25
1 @ 1:10

300 same as above

The Dolphin Maker

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

Want to have a killer underwater kick in your arsenal for the end of a race? You had better practice kicking hard and fast under fatigue! Try this one:

5x through:

4 x 100 free w/ fins 1 @ 1:10, 1 @ 1:05, 2 @ 1:00
This initial set of 100s is intended to put the athlete in a fatigued state. Then immediately go into:

2 x 25 w/fins @ :30 #1 All UW dolphin kick, #2 Max UW kick and then sprint
Max UW kick means the athlete should go as far as possible (up to 15m) as long as he can maintain high velocity and sprint the remaining distance.

FINS OFF
4 x 25 @ :40 #1 All UW dolphin kick, #2 Max UW kick and then sprint
:30 rest to put fins back on

Surge Speed

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Gary Galbreath, Dayton Raiders

This set is designed so swimmers can have some surge speed in the mile or 800. To break away or to run with someone that tries to break away.
 
Short Course Meters
2 x                                                                                              

500 Fast + 3 x 50 Fast Dive     + 100 EZ         @ 11:30

400 Fast + 3 x 75 Fast Dive    + 75 EZ            @ 11:30

300 Fast + 3 x 100 Fast Dive  + 100 EZ          @ 11:30  
Swimmers can decide how much rest to take before dive swims.
All Dive Swims Need to be 400 Free Speed or Faster

Carmel Workout

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Chris Plumb, Carmel Swim Club

4x:

1 x 50 Fast @ :30
1 x 50 Ez @ 1:00
1 x 100 Fast @ 1:00
1 x 50 Ez @ 1:00
1 x 50 Fast @ :30
1 x 50 Ez @ 1:00
2 x 100 Fast @ 1:10
1 x 100 Ez @ 2:00
1 x 50 Fast @ :30
1 x 50 Ez @ 1:00
3 x 100 Fast @ 1:20
1 x 150 Ez @ 3:00

72 minutes, 4800 yards

Get out of the Box

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Gary Galbreath, Dayton Raiders

So many kids train in the comfort zone! This set is to get them out of that box, to feel uncomfortable. That uneasy feeling they all feel at the end of a race.
 
Short Course meters
 
4 x 200 Free     2:25   
4 x 50 (25Fly/25Back)      40     
4 x 150 Free     1:50
4 x 100 (50 Back/50 Breast)   1:30
4 x 100 Free     1:10
4 x 150 (75 Breast/75 Free)   2:10
4 x 50 Free        35
4 x 200 (100 Free/100 IM)   2:35 

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Time to Cinco or Swimo

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo

How many 5’s can we squeeze into one set?

500 free @ 5:55
5 x 200 prime stroke @ 2:45 Descend 1-4, hold 5
500 free @ 5:55
5 x 150 prime stroke @ 2:05 Descend 1-3, hold 4,5
500 free @ 5:55
5 x 100 prime stroke @ 1:25 Descend 1-2, hold 3,4,5
500 free @ 5:55
5 x 50 prime stroke @ :45 fastest possible average
500 free @ 5:55

Descend 500s 1-5. Kick 5 yards underwater off every wall.

Total distance = 5,000 yards

Luke and Mariel Liked this I.M. Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

This set is a follow-up to the I.M. Transition Set from last week. Its purpose is also to work on transitions, though it does not depend on the rest from that set’s broken swims.

6 x 100 50 fly/50 back
3 @ 1:20
2 @ 1:25
1 @ 1:30

3 x 200 IM descend @ 2:40

6 x 100 50 back/50 breast
3 @ 1:25
2 @ 1:30
1 @ 1:35

2 x 300 IM descend @ 4:00

6 x 100 50 breast/50 free
3 @ 1:25
2 @ 1:30
1 @ 1:35

1 x 600 IM all out for time

Put a strong emphasis on the final 10 yards of each stroke and the first 10 yards of the next stroke.

Drill: Rotisserie Kick

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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.

The Bear

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

LCM
1 x 800m Free @ 12:00
1 x 35m sprint choice @ 3:00
1 x 800m Free @ 12:00
2 x 35m sprint choice @ 3:00
1 x 800m Free @ 12:00
3 x 35m sprint choice @ 3:00
1 x 800m Free @ 12:00
4 x 35m sprint choice @ 3:00
1 x 800m Free @ 12:00
5 x 35m sprint choice @ 3:00

This set takes 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. 800s are fastest possible average, and 35m sprints are all-out timed to the head crossing the line. Record all times.

Distance Free + Speed Fly

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

100 free catchup drill @ 1:20
200 strong free swim @ 2:20
2 x 25 Fly sprint, 1 breath max @ :40
100 free catchup drill @ 1:20
100 tennis ball drill @ 1:20
300 strong free swim @ 3:30
4 x 25 Fly sprint, 1 breath max @ :40
100 free catchup drill @ 1:20
100 tennis ball drill
100 6-3-6 drill
400 strong free swim @ 4:40
6 x 25 Fly sprint, 1 breath max @ :40

Leadoff Pace

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

“How fast should I swim at the beginning of my race?” It is a question often heard on the pool deck at meets. Don’t wait to decide this at the meet! Use the LCM Goal Pace Spreadsheet to figure out how fast you need to be in the first 50 or 100 to reach your goal time. Here is a set to get in that early-race-speed groove:

1 x 50 from a dive at P200 or P400
150 ez, perfect technique choice at race cycle count

For milers, I would suggest:

1 x 100 from a dive at P100 (get 50 split)
100 ez, perfect technique at race cycle count

Distance Tempo Trainer + Kicking

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

Here’s another way to use a Tempo Trainer for a distance set. Set your Tempo Trainer for an appropriate tempo for the following aerobic set. This should be significantly slower than your Threshold Tempo. Do as many as you want, and experiment with different tempos to change up the intensity.

‘?’ x 300 freestyle
1st 100 – Swim at tempo
2nd 100 – 5 cycles swim at tempo/5 cycles streamline kick (6 beats per cycle) at tempo
3rd 100 – Swim at tempo

Back and Free Tempo Set

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

This set can be done backstroke or freestyle, and is meant to challenge the athlete’s ability to hold tempo. Use a Tempo Trainer and be sure to establish your Threshold Tempo (TT) first.

5 x 100 @ :20 rest (includes time to adjust your tempo trainer)

#1 – Hold TT + .30 for as long as possible, then swim perfect technique for the remainder
#2 – Hold TT + .20…
#3 – Hold TT + .10…
#4 – Hold TT…
#5 – Smooth perfect technique (recovery)

Perform multiple rounds if desired.

After the set, use The Swimming Calculator and your Cycle Count to determine what a reasonable time goal you could achieve if you were able to sustain your tempo longer than you did on the above set.

Friday Fly Day

Posted on by rdwoodruff

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

100 LAST 25 IS FLY @ 1:10
300 LAST 50 IS FLY @ 3:30
500 LAST 100 IS FLY @ 5:50
700 LAST 200 IS FLY @ 8:10
800 FIRST AND LAST 100 ARE FLY, MAKE LAST ONE FASTER @ 9:40
600 FIRST AND LAST 100 ARE FLY, MAKE LAST ONE FASTER @ 7:20
400 FIRST AND LAST 100 ARE FLY, MAKE LAST ONE FASTER @ 5:00
200 BUTTERFLY SWIM FAST

Carmel Combos

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Chris Plumb, Carmel Swim Club
chris@carmelswimclub.com

Here is a set we did this morning with kick-out bouys in past the flags

2 x 7 x 150

The 150 is always on a total of 2:00

#1: 50 on :30 100 on 1:30

#2: 50 on :35 100 on 1:25

#3: 50 on :40 100 on 1:20

#4: 50 on :45 100 on 1:15

#5: 50 on :50 100 on 1:10

#6: 50 on :55 100 on 1:05

#7: 50 on :60 100 on 1:00

Rest :60

For the second round, go backwards through set, starting with 100 on 1:00 etc.

 

Related Posts:
Yota Kick-Out Sticks
More Kick-out sticks
Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 #14
Streamline Sticks Progression

Teammate Slingshots

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff

This exercise builds off of the Teammate Drag. It is best done for a 25 at a time. Here is how it works. Swimmers are partnered, with one swimmer pulling (sprinting) and the other being pulled. Somewhere between the 15m marks, the trailing partner pulls the leading partner’s leg, attempting to slingshot to the lead. They then sprint to the wall. The kids love this exercise, and it really got them going pretty fast.

Here’s a video example:

Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 – #18

Posted on by rdwoodruff

Chris Plumb, Carmel Swim Club

#18 – P100 All the Way

Set the Tempo Trainer for your 100 pace using this chart.

Take as much rest as needed to make the pace. Beat your 100 pace to your feet every time.

Other Swimming Wizard Tempo Trainer Posts:
Aerobic Tempo Set
Sub-Threshold Tempo Set
The Whatchamacallit
Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 #9
Find Your Threshold Tempo