Speed – Page 4 – The Swimming Wizard

With narrow lanes and lots of turbulence in our pool, I try to find ways for our swimmers to get in good quality fly sets without having to dodge teammates, do 1-arm strokes, or have to worry about getting hit in the face. This set accomplished all of those objectives AND helped us deliver some fast performances at practice. On the 25s, we were able to go :10 apart. On the 75s, I would start the second heat when the first heat had finished about 60m (SCM pool). For the 125s, the second heat would begin as soon as the first heat had finished about 110m. This also produced a “chasing” effect that encouraged swimmers to finish their last 25 fast lest they get caught by a teammate in embarrassing fashion.

Broken 175s for Kicking Prowess

Posted on May 29, 2016 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

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This set is designed to encourage swimmers to practice strong kicking through the middle and end of 200 events. Time the total round (50+75+50), with the goal being to beat one’s lifetime best 200 time. Typically, breaststrokers and flyers will have the easiest time achieving this goal.

6x through @ 4:00:

50 fast swim
:10 rest
75 fast kick with a board
:10 rest
50 fast swim

Backstroke, Free Pull, and Hypoxic Speed

Posted on April 6, 2016February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Follow @WoodruffRyan
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Editor’s note: Our goal for this year is to provide coaches around the world with a free new idea or set EVERY DAY this year! Can you help us reach that goal? Please send submissions to swimmingwizard@gmail.com.

Speed to Burn

Posted on April 1, 2016 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Power Hour 25s

Posted on March 22, 2016February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Follow @WoodruffRyan

Editor’s Note: The Swimming Wizard’s goal is to publish at least one set, practice, or idea EVERY DAY for all of 2016! To keep it interesting, we need your help! Click here to help us achieve that goal by submitting one of your sets!

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HVO = High Velocity Overload

Posted on March 3, 2016February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

HVO = High Velocity Overload (concept from Bill Sweetenham), an all out 25y swim from a dive. Cone on return 25 set at 10m from wall.

UGA 25s with Coach Ian Goss

Posted on February 13, 2016February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ian Goss
Head Coach
Stingrays Swimming

Have you read these books that can help you be a better swim coach?

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Set to Perfect Your Finishes

Posted on February 12, 2016May 27, 2019 by rdwoodruff

Chris Brookover

Director – Competitive Swimming

YBCC Phoenix Swimming – Head Swim Coach

This is really short, and I am sure somebody has done it, I was just very surprised at the huge effort my kids gave yesterday at the end of practice. Best way I have found to work finishes yet.

10 x 50 @ 1:00

Broken: 37 ½ Build on :30 , 12 ½ Fastest finish possible at :30

Swimming Fast with Tired Legs

Posted on February 3, 2016February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

We don’t do a lot of kick sets in isolation as I don’t think it relates well to racing. This is one example of a set where we combined some intense kicking with race-pace swimming. We did this is a 25m pool. The 50 at 200 pace is significantly harder with fatigued legs, but this is an absolutely essential skill to swim a good 200 race. FPA = Fastest Possible Average
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Age Group Taper Speed Set with Coach Nicholas Wooters

Posted on January 21, 2016February 1, 2019 by rdwoodruff

Nicholas Wooters
Head Coach, Director of Competitive Swimming at The Bay Club

PSRP Panthers
Bay Club Redwood Shores
Redwood City, CA

We have a championship meet for our age groupers this weekend. We are going to go through a small (VERY SMALL because they are age groupers) quick taper (3 days) leading into this weekend. Here is what we did today to focus on race specifics/race details in short speed burst situations.

Our main set was 3,450yards with intervals that kept things moving along but were not very challenging.
3x
200 smooth
8×50
#1-#2 = blast the breakout (to 12 1/2)
#3-#4 = blast the finish (final 12 1/2)
#5-#6 = blast both (1st and last 12 1/2)
#7-#8 = whole 50 fast

1×50 smooth
1×100 FAST from the blocks

100 smooth

8×25

#1-#2 = blast the breakout (to 10)

#3-#4 = blast the finish (final 10)

#5-#6 = blast both (1st and last 10)

#7-#8 = whole 25 fast

1×50 smooth

1×50 FAST from the blocks

F.A.T. (For a Time) Tuesday with Glenbrook Aquatics

Posted on November 18, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Rob Bond

Head Sr. Coach

Glennbrook Aquatics

coachrob@glenbrookaquatics.com

Our focus today was tired speed. I wanted to give the kids a gut check and asked them to find a way to sprint when tired. We warmed the kids up and then talked about expectations for honest efforts prior to revealing the set. It was 2 rounds as shown below – no breaks between rounds. The long interval on the sprint was to allow free time after the sprint to prepare for next round. Some took advantage and used time for active recovery. Others went the painful route and layed on the deck until it was time to go. We go a great effort from the kids. I will probably add a little more interval to the best average swims next time, but not much.

Enjoy!

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Kicking Speed Set

Posted on November 15, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Goal on all 75s is to be personal best 100 time.

Partner Pull for Power & Overspeed Sprints

Posted on November 10, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

30- Minute Breaststroke Set for Speed and Technique

Posted on November 7, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Sprint Set for Body Position, Explosive Power, and Fast Turns

Posted on October 15, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

We did this set with traffic cones at the bottom of the pool approximately 10m from each wall. This means that the swimmers performed a very short powerful 5m sprint (“go from zero to 100 mph!) in the middle of the pool during each lap of the 75s.
The “Max 3, Max 2” etc. refers to the number of breaths permitted on each 25.

Simple Breaststroke Set

Posted on June 4, 2015February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

To Swim Fast at the Meet, Swim Fast at Practice; How to Train Consistently at "Race Pace"

Posted on May 29, 2015January 20, 2021 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan

I have written before on this blog about using Pace Cards at practice to help swimmers accurately and consistently train at “race pace.” Today I am sharing the Pace Cards that we use for training. Simply type in your best times and goal times in each event and the Pace Card will show you how fast to swim for different training distances in order to be swimming at actual “race pace.” Try it out, and if you have any questions, let me know how I can help.

Click here to download the Excel file to easily create your own SCY Pace Card.

Click here for the LCM version.

Click here to download brief instructions on how to use your Pace Card.

We use these cards frequently at practice. Click on the “race pace” label at right to see workouts that put this powerful knowledge to use.

Strong Set for Fly Speed and Rhythm

Posted on November 7, 2014February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA

Liked this butterfly set to help us maintain our rhythm while getting some speed work in.

The Sprinter’s Dozen

Posted on March 12, 2013February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan

SCY
P100 = 100 yd race pace. We performed the first one of each set from a dive and the rest from a push.

The Sprinter’s Paradise Pyramid

Posted on February 5, 2013February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan

Like the Pyramid of Pain, but a more appealing set with a more appealing name. Swimmer must have 15m and 25 goal times before beginning the set. Everyone begins with Step 1: Dive 25, try to beat 100 pace
If a swimmer succeeds, he or she moves down and to the left in the chart. Fail- move down and to the right. Three rounds, 200 ez after each round. It sounds easy, but you will quickly find out who has real front-end speed and who doesn’t.

3-part Sprint Challenge Circuit with @GAswim

Posted on January 16, 2013February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Rob Bond
Head Senior Swim Coach
Glenbrook Aquatics
Follow @GAswim
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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.

Get In Yo Face Race Pace

Posted on December 27, 2012September 17, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan

After an extended warmup, we performed the following set to work on maintaining our race pace under fatigue. We are quite skilled at repeating race-pace swimming for repeat 50s. Throwing in the 100 fast swim (where we asked swimmers to approach P200) more closely mimicked actual race-like fatigue. We saw some excellent results, particularly on the third round.

SCY

4 x 50 at P200 @1:00

1 x 100 all out @1:40

300 easy

2 x 50 at P200 @1:00

1 x 100 all out @1:40

2 x 50 at P200 @1:00

300 easy

1 x 100 all out @1:40

4 x 50 at P200 @1:00

300 easy

Saturday at USC Trojans’ Practice

Posted on December 16, 2012February 4, 2018 by rdwoodruff

Dave Salo
Follow @SprintSalo
Saturday morning final set.
(also notice the interesting reflection)

Sprint Freestyle Set with Kicking and Breath Control

Posted on December 3, 2012 by rdwoodruff

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan
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This set mixes kicking with some breath-control sprinting. We are looking for the sprint 25s to be within about 1.0 seconds of 100 yard race pace.

4 rounds (Round 1 no equipment, round 2 paddles only, round 3 fins only, round 4 fins and paddles);

100 surfer kick (flutter kick, hands in front, head out of the water), sprint the turns @1:50 on rounds 1 and 2, 1:30 on rounds 3 and 4

4 x 25 sprint free 2 or fewer breaths @:20

100 surfer kick @1:50/1:30

3 x 25 sprint free 1 or fewer breaths @:25

100 surfer kick @1:50/1:30

2 x 25 sprint free NO BREATH @:30

300 archer drill (6-ct) #1,#2,#3 by 100

(3300 yards~52 minutes)

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