Tag: Freestyle

The Near-Race-Pace Set

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

This set is designed for the swimmers to achieve near-race-pace speeds and progress in intensity through the set.

4 x 175 @ 3:30 Beat your best 200 time
400 ez swim
6 x 90 (float the last 10)@ 3:00 Beat your best 100 time
400 ez swim
8 x 50 @ 2:30 Be within 2.0 sec of your best 50 free time or within 1.0 of your dive P100 time (see the Race Pace Calculator to determine this time).

Done correctly, the athlete will be swimming at 88% of 200 race pace on the 175s, at 90% of 100 race pace on the 90s, and at least 90% OF 100 race pace on the 50s.

500 Tempo Trainer Pace Set

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Chris Plumb, Carmel Swim Club

Set the tempo trainer to half of the desired 25 pace time.

5x
500
400 easy swim

Rd 1) 500 is 20×25 set tempo trainer to 500 pace on 1 beep rest
Rd 2) 500 is 10×50 tempo trainer to race pace on 3 beeps rest
Rd 3) 500 is 5×100 1 on 1:30 1 on 1:20 1 on 1:15 1 on 1:10 1 on 1:05
Rd 4) same as Rd 2
Rd 5) same as rd 1

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

The Distance Freesyle Eternity Set

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

The swimmers decide when it is over. Well, sort of.

? x 500 Free @ 6:00 (Interval should be 1:00 to 1:30 from swimmer’s best time)

Lifetime best time = Get out and go home!
1 – 10 sec off of lifetime best time = 5 points
11 – 20 sec off of lifetime best time = 3 points
21 – 30 sec off of lifetime best tiem = 2 points
31 – 40 sec off of lifetime best time = 1 points
41 – 60 sec off of lifetime best time = 0 points
61 seconds or more off of lifetime best time = -1 point

Each swimmer keeps going until he or she achieves 30 points or goes a lifetime best time. Of course, if a swimmer is really up against a wall on the set, deals can be made with the coach for extra points (i.e. negative splitting by a certain amount, dolphin kicking further off the wall consistently, etc.)

Negative Split Work

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Greg Johnson, CCA Marlins

 
Here is a set we did focusing on negative splitting.  To get good quality negative splitting, we did these broken so the kids could read the clock and make sure they are hitting the split goals.  I set the intervals somewhat loose to give them rest and allow them to read the clock.  It really helped motivate them to swim fast.  I saw some good splits.  We did round 1 freestyle and round 2 prime stroke (+10 on the swim and 15 on the pull). 
 
2 x
 
    4 x 150 NEG SPLIT WITHIN 3 sec.  broken 10 sec at the 75 @  2:00  2:10
 
    P 1 X 200  BP 5  @  2’40  2’50
 
    4 X 100 NEG SPLIT WITHIN 2 sec.  broken 5 sec at the 50  @ 1’20  1’30
 
    P 2 X 100 BP 5/7 BY 50  @  1:20  1:25
 
   4 x 50 NEG WITHIN 1 sec broken 5 sec at the 25  @  55
 
    P 6 x 50  dec. 1–> 3 BP 7   @ 50
 

For Sasquatch

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

Warmup
400 free swim
4 x 100 RIM Drill
4 x 50  4 sprint cycles off both walls  all @ :10 rest

Main set:
7x through @ 11:00
Rounds 1-4 are free, rounds 5-7 no free    
400 for time    
6  x 50 descend cycle count 1-3 @ :50

Kick set:
? x 50 kick w snorkel1 @ :50
1 @ :48
1 @ :50
1 @ :46
1 @ :50
1 @ :44
and so on, until you miss the interval, then go:
1 x 100 all out for time

Age Group Habits

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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

Back and Free Sprint Set

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

WARMUP W/ SNORKEL – FREESTYLE

30 X 100 @ :10 REST

                #1 – 50 STREAMLINE FACE DOWN KICK/50 FISTS DRILL

                #2 – 50 KICK ON SIDE/ 50 CATCHUP

                #3 – OVERKICK AND CATCHUP

 

BACKSTROKE

50 – 3 SCULLS/3 STROKES DRILL @ :10 REST

3 X          200 SWIM RACE PATTERN (FOCUS ON UNDERWATERS AND TURNS) @ :20 REST

                4 X 25 @ :30   12.5 YDS SPIN DRILL/ 12.5 YDS EZ SWIM

 

 

POWER TOWER SET –

 

6 X 75 BACKSTROKE  @ 1:45  FAST GOING OUT, EZ COMING BACK IN

200 EZ FREESTYLE B3– NO BELT

6 X 50 BACKSTROKE @ 1:15  5+ YARDS KICK, 20 YARDS BUILD/25 EZ BACKSTROKE

200 EZ FREESTYLE B3 – NO BELT

6 X 25 ALL OUT SPRINT BACKSTROKE @ :40

200 EZ FREESTYLE B3 – NO BELT

The ? Set

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

Here’s a workout for when you only have 30 minutes.

300 smooth swim for warmup

? x 50 @ :50
Using a dry-erase board, give the swimmers a different set of instructions for every 50, erasing the old instructions and writing the new one while they swim. Mix it up, changing speeds, strokes, drills, breathing patterns, etc. Don’t let the swimmers know what is coming beyond the next 50. All swims are choice unless the stroke is specified. Here’s an example:
#1- P200+5
#2- P200+3
#3- P200+1
#4- P200-1
#5- EZ free B3
#6- Free B5
#7- Free B7
#8- At count
#9- Race!
#10- At cycle count -1
#11- 25 underwater dolphin kick/ 25 sprint
#12- 25 sprint/25 underwater dolphin kick
#13- 25 race/25 ez kick
#14- Fly B 1 up/1 down
#15- Fly B 1 up/2 down
#16- Fly B 1 up/3 down
#17- Fast fly
#18- EZ breaststroke
#19- Race!
#20- At cycle count -2
#21- 12.5 fast/12.5 ez of same stroke as #20
#22- At cycle count
#23- Breast with dolphin kick
#24- Backstroke 12.5 spin drill/12.5 swim
#25- P1650
…
The set could go on for as long as you like. The changing up speeds and instructions every 50 keeps the swimmers alert and the set fresh and interesting. What other interesting instructions can you come up with?

Fly On the Wall

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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.

The Good Morning Set

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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

The Ohio Mile Set

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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

French Toast

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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

The Sizzler

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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

Saturday Special

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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

Sub-Threshold Tempo Set

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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

The Finisher

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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.

The I.M. Bruise & Cruise

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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

Mile Race Rehearsal

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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.

The 12 Sets of Christmas

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

“At Christmas, train hard with vigor and cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.”
– Anonymous swim coach

This workout takes approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes

1 X 900 WARMUP CHOICE – OPEN TURNS, 4+ D-KICKS EVERY WALL @ 13:00

2 X 25 @ :50 at P100

3 X 700 FREE PULL-300 B3/100 B7/300 B3 @ 8:10 8:30 8:50
(PADDLES, BUOY)

4 x 25 @ :50 at P100

5 x 500 IM @ 6:40 7:00 7:20
(#1- 200 FLY, #2-200 BACK, #3-200 BREAST, #4 – 200 FREE, #5 – STRAIGHT IM)
6 x 25 @ :50 at P100

7 x 300 FREE ODD — 100 6-3-6/100 CATCHUP/100 OVERKICK @ 3:50 4:05 4:20
EVEN — DESCEND @ 3:30 3:40 3:50

8 x 25 @ :50 at P100

9 x 100 @ PRIME 1-3 BY 5+ SECONDS FLY & BK @ 1:25, BREAST @ 1:30

10 X 25 @ :50 at P100

11 x 50 @ 1:00 CHOICE – FAST TURNS & PERFECT FINISHES

12 X 25 @ :50 at P100

10,050y

Shallow End Kick Set

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

We did the blastoffs (streamline push off the bottom and explosive dolphin kick to the surface) in the 7-foot shallow end of our pool. Works beautifully for 5 to 6-foot-tall senior swimmers. Have swimmers strive for 4+ dolphin kicks during each blastoff. All kick is choice without a board. Use a board on the 300.

:25 blastoffs @ :30
75 fast kick + 25 ez swim @ 2:00
:25 blastoffs @ :30
125 fast kick + 25 ez swim @ 3:00
:25 blastoffs @ :30
175 fast kick + 25 ez swim @ 4:00

300 kick for time

"D"cember Freestyle Set

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

2x:
Round 1 – Swim
Round 2 – Pull with , make all P1650-based swims 2 seconds faster

300 free @ 4:00 Beat 1/3 of your best 1,000 free time
5 x 100 free @ 1:20 Beat P1650 + 4
600 free @ 8:00 Beat 2/3 of your best 1,000 free time
5 x 100 free @ 1:20 Beat P1650 + 2
900 free @ 12:00 Beat your best 1,000 free time
5 x 100 free @ 1:20 Beat P1650
300 EZ Backstroke swim

25 x 50 Challenge Set

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

Here’s a challenging set we did Thursday that a few swimmers said they enjoyed.

25 x 50 yard

1 – EZ swim @ :40
1 – at P200 @ :40
1 – EZ swim @ :40
2 – at P200 @ :45
1 – EZ swim @ :40
3 – at P200 @ :50
1 – EZ swim @ :40
4 – at P200 @ :55
1 – EZ swim @ :45
5 – at P200 @ 1:00
1:00 rest
5 – Fastest possible average @ 1:00

All 50s at P200 are choice. IMers can do the 1 fly, the 2 fly/bk, the 3 fly/bk/br, the 4 fly/bk/br/fr, and the 5 fly/bk/br/fr + weak stroke.

To compete within the group, have the swimmers keep track of their running total under-P200 time.

Hypoxic from Utah

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Dani Caldwell
St. George, Utah

 
Here is one of our favorite hypoxic workouts — it’s not much yardage, but it does the job and the kids like it.
 

4 x 25 FR @:45 – NO BREATHERS

4 x 75 FR @2:15, taking two breaths per length, at same locations each 25 (helps if you do kick counts and SL!)

4 x 25 CH @:45 – NO BREATHERS (No Backstroke, for obvious reasons)

4 x 75 CH @2:15, taking two breaths per length (3 for BR), at same locations

4 x 25 FR @:30 – NO BREATHERS

 
 

Twenty Ways to Do 20 x 25 – #14

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

#14 – Fun with Streamline Sticks

You’ll need four lanes to do this. Position one set of Streamline Sticks in each lane in such a way that the swimmers swim a “snake” pattern – down the pool in lane 1, back in lane 2, down in lane 3, back in lane 4.

Lane 1 – Streamline Sticks at 5 yds
Lane 2 – Streamline Sticks at near 15 m mark (about 7.5 yards from the wall)
Lane 3 – Streamline Sticks at 12.5 yards
Lane 4 – Streamline Sticks at 15 m

20 x 25 @ :30
Do freestyle, backstroke, or freestyle in groups of 4 x 25 at a time. Descend 1-4.
#1 – in lane 1
#2 – in lane 2
#3 – in lane 3
#4 – all out fast in lane 4

After #4, take an additional 30 seconds rest to migrate back to Lane 1.

Follow The Leader

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Andy Astfalck, Head Coach, International School Manila, Philippines
astfalcka@ismanila.org

A set I have started using recently and is great for getting the kids to work together as a team.

It’s called Follow the Leader.
A typical set would be 25X100 FR on 1:30.

I have a group of 4 boys who have similar send off times.
The idea of the set is to take turns leading, once you have lead you go to the back of the line. Just like cyclist take turns at the front.The swimmers leave 5 seconds apart which means they work hard for 4 efforts then get to rest then join the group at the back of the line. The reality is they are swimming on a send off of 1:25 for 4 repeats then when they go to the back of the line their send off will be 1:50, they really get into it and wouldn’t dream of stopping or getting out for the bathroom, they work hard so they don’t let down their team.

The P500 Challenge

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

How long does it take you to swim a 500 free at your race pace?

Pick a distance – 50s, 75s, 100s, or 125s. Figure out the pace corresponding to your lifetime best or your goal time. You can use this excel spreadsheet to help you.

Perform the following set:

10 x 50

OR

6 X 75 + 1 X 50

OR

5 X 100

OR

4 X 125

Do the first repeat from a dive. All remaining repeats from a push. Take as much rest as you like between repeats, but they MUST be faster than your target pace. Any swim that does not meet the target pace does not count. No easy swimming in between – stay “in the race.” Time the set from beginning to end. Next time you do this set, try to do it in less time (take less rest, hit your target pace every time, etc.).