Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set this week and got some tremendous results. Swimmers got to choose their strokes by round. The 2 x 25s with the bucket seemed to help awaken their speed for the following 100. We did this in a SCM pool.
3x:
1 x 25 fast from start @:40
2 x 25 fast resisted with a bucket @:40
1 x 25 fast (no bucket) from a push @:40
1 x 100 easy swim any stroke 2:30
1 x 100 all out from dive
1 x 400 25 kick/25 swim with paddles and snorkels
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set 48 hours after coming off a brief taper for our high school state championships. We took the early descending sets a little light, and really hit the last 1500 pretty strong.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCY
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
Our pool has been a little fuller the last few days with college swimmers coming home to train. This means having to consider our space a little differently when creating workouts.
This one was a good one-size-fits-all for us today. Some speed, some endurance, a little racing, some equipment, and some underwater work.
They are “Christmas 25s” because 12 x 25. For the 2nd round, we pulled 1-gallon buckets, and if swimmers went fr or fly, they were to hold their breathe for last 8m. The fourth round we did the even ones fast from a dive (HVO)
All around a solid day.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This is the kind of set I would have loved as an athlete. Simple. Room to get in a groove and go.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This freestyle set had our kids really working, and we got some excellent results both in the main set and on the broken 500.
Greg Johnson, Team Lead Coach, Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club, Pensacola, Florida
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
B3 = breathe every 3
FPA = Fastest Possible Average
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
FPA = Fastest Possible Average
Coach Emily Wylam, University of Rochester
NB = No breath
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
That’s an exact quote from one of our swimmers upon seeing this workout. They did a nice job with this one. SCY
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Coach Jason Mauss
SCY
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This set worked well this morning when we had swimmers of a variety of abilities and paces, often mixed in the same lane.
SCY
Elliot Ptasnik, Head Coach, University of Hawaii
LOCO = Locomotive (pattern as described)
DKOB = Dolphin Kick On Back
NS = Negative Split
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Brad Herndon, Greensboro Community YMCA
This set worked real well for some fast 200 free and 100 Stroke times this weekend, takes 44 minutes, 11 mins a round, they did this 2 weeks out and were right on their 200 FR and 100 stroke goal times:
4x
3 x 175 FR @ 2:20 (hold goal 200 Fr time)
1 x 75 Stroke Fast @ 1:00
1 x 50 Stroke Fast @ 1:00
1 x 25 Stroke Fast @ 1:00
1 x 25 EZ @ 1:00 (start early after the 25 stroke fast)
Stroke = Swimmer chooses OR some did IMO by Round, but 4th Round = Fly-Back-Breast on the 75, then drop down by choice to finish with 25 of your best stroke (other than fr)
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set recently and had a great workout. Mixing back and free for our long-axis focused swimmers.
Brad Herndon, Head Coach Greensboro Community YMCA & Guilford College
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did the following set to test our fitness and establish some training paces in freestyle and either backstroke or breaststroke. We had swimmers pair up to have one observer for each swimmer. This ensured we got accurate distances and also allowed us to count cycles. We will use this information in future practices.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCY
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
This was our SCY workout this morning. The race pace set at the end came from Mike Anzano of COM Aquatics
This blog has always been and will continue to be a FREE resource for the global coaching community. As for many coaches, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative financial impact for my family.
If the Swimming Wizard has provided value to you and you have the means, donations are gratefully accepted via PayPal and Venmo.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Right now on Saturday mornings we have just a 1 hour practice. Due to having to yell over a lot of noise at practice two days ago, my voice was almost totally gone for this one. The kids did a good job with minimal instructions and encouragement from me.
This blog has always been and will continue to be a FREE resource for the global coaching community. As for many coaches, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative financial impact for my family.
If the Swimming Wizard has provided value to you and you have the means, donations are gratefully accepted via PayPal and Venmo.
Head Coach Luis Vidana, Desert Sharks Swim Club, El Paso, Texas
The Swimming Wizard 