Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
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
Ryan Woodruff
To test your speed for long course swimming, do some 35m sprints off the blocks regularly. Using the Goal Pace Spreadsheet for LCM, determine the swimmer’s race-pace time to 35m for the 100m distance of each stroke. The 35m mark should be easy to spot (same as the 15m mark from the turn end). Time to the swimmer’s head crossing the line. 35m is a manageable distance for most swimmers to hold their 100m race pace in training. Strive to swim at your race pace as often as possible, and check your speed regularly with these 35m sprints!
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
The Tag Relay is a fun challenge for your team that can help develop teamwork and flat-out speed.
If you are in a SCY pool, space out 4 to 8 swimmers along the lane in a circle-swimming pattern. For LCM you will need a few more (maybe 12-18). The first person will dive in, sprint to tag swimmer #2, who sprints to tag swimmer #3, and so on. You can do this for any distance and any stroke. Try having them go in medley order for fun. You will be surprised at how fast they can go when they touch hand-to-foot and get to practice it a few times. Try to break the national age group, American, or World records.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Here’s a set to help your athletes sustain that killer kick you are looking for at the end of the race. We performed it 6x at 6:00 per round:
3 x 50 swim at P200
#1 @ 1:00
#2 @ :50
#3 @ :40
1 x 75 all out kick w/ board for time
1 x 125 easy swim with perfect technique
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Testing our ability to hold race pace:
4 x 200 75@P200 + 50 ez + 75@P200 @ 4:00
8 x 100 Descend 1-4 and 5-8 to P500 or P400IM or P200+5 @ 1:30
12 x 50 odd ez even @P200 @ 1:00
16 x 25 odd ez even @ P100 to a foot touch
Chris Webb, SwimMAC Carolina
Goal of set is promote sprint power/endurance and to bring it all together with measurable data at the end of the set for 100 speed. Using real stroke #'s and kick counts from meets are encouraged. Training at race #'s and speeds can really help athletes take ownership. Using this set and variations ( or different equipment) during heavy volume periods can prevent losing touch with relevant speed and measure fatigue.
60×25 on 1:00 fr/bk/or fly as follows:
4×25's build to overspeed!
4×25's w/T-shirt MAX sprint
4×25's w/T-shirt & paddles MAX sprint
8×25's running dive MAX sprint no equipment focus on carrying speed to surface and your length of stroke
12×25 underwater Body dolphin (dolphin kick) w/fins MAX sprint
8×25 running dive 12.5 – 15m underwater BD then swim MAX sprint
20×25 ideal BD off each wall with a stroke count and time CPT (concentration, precision, and Technique) (you must know your kick and stroke #'s)
Ryan Woodruff
@WoodruffRyan
You can use this set to build up race habits and teach the desired race pattern. We put a watch only on the 4th 200, 100, and 50.
4 x 200 @ 3:30
#1 – 50 fast/150 ez – make the 2nd turn as good as the first
#2 – 100 fast/100 ez – hold tempo steady from 1st to 2nd 50
#3 – 150 fast/50 ez – work the 3rd 50 faster than the 2nd
#4 – 200 for time – put it all together!
100 easy
4 x 100 @ 2:30
#1 – 25 fast/75 ez – work breakout and hit the first turn dead on
#2 – 50 fast/50 ez – work 2nd turn as fast as the first
#3 – 75 fast/25 ez – strong kicking on the 3rd 25
#4 – 100 fast for time
100 easy
4 x 50 @ 1:30
#1 – 15m fast – work on the breakout
#2 – 25y fast- be aggressive into the turn
#3 – 40y fast then cruise to a perfect finish
#4 – 50 fast for time
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
This is a good straight-forward quality set to challenge your swimmers. Every swim is race from a dive except the last 3 x 25s (go from a push)
1 x 200 @ 4:00 Goal: within 12 sec of personal best
2 x 100 @ 2:00 Goal: within 6 sec of personal best
3 x 50 @ 1:20 Goal: within 3 sec of personal best (free) or within 1 of P100 dive split
4 x 25 @ :40 Goal: at P100
Use the Determining Race Pace Spreadsheet for SCY to determine your goal times for the 50s and 25s.
Other Race Pace Sets:
Another P200 Set
The Ohio Mile Set
The 25 x 50 Challenge Set
The P500 Challenge
#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
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.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
#17 – Racing A Teammate
You’ll need a teammate who is generally about the same speed as you. Do your 20 x 25 @ :30, swimming side-by-side and racing to the finish each time. The winner of #1 receives 1 point. The winner of #2 receives 2 points, and so on, all the way up to 20 points on #20. The winner of each 25 chooses the stroke for the subsequent 25, but must choose a different stroke than the length just completed AND the one before that. In other words, if you swim free on #1, back on #2, and swimmer A wins them both, then swimmer A must choose between breast and fly for #3. Done this way, there are a total of 210 points, so the first person to 106 points is the winner. For an extra wrinkle, allow each swimmer one “steal,” i.e. one occasion during the set where he can choose the next stroke even after losing the previous 25.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
20 x 25
Odd at P200 @ :30
Even just make it
#2 @ :30
#4 @ :25
#6 @ :20
#8 @ :15
#10 @ :10
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?
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.
Matt Hall, Rowan Aquatic Club
This is the main set only – takes about 90 minutes. First time through is freestyle, rounds 2 & 3 are choice stroke.
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3 X (10 x 100 SPRINT off of the blocks) |
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what to do |
within best time |
interval |
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2x kick |
20 seconds |
2:30 |
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2x 75 kick/25 sprint |
16 seconds |
2:40 |
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2x 50 kick/50 sprint |
12 seconds |
2:50 |
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2x 25 kick/75 sprint |
8 seconds |
3:00 |
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2x sprint |
4 seconds |
3:10 |
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200 EZ on 4:40 |
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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
Mary Young
Northwest NC YMCA Riptyde Swim Team
This workout comes from Paul Yetter’s days at NBAC
You will need all swimmers PB in 200 IM minus the fly split.
4x:
3 x 150 IM desc 1-3 . Interval should allow 20-30 sec rest. Their goal is to beat that split on #3 each time. Writing their #3 results on board as we go is big motivator.
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
Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA
Did this one the other day. It really seemed to set the kids up for success (swimming at P200). Works for any stroke.
60 x 50 SCY @ :50
done as 6x
1 easy choice
2 at P200 +2 seconds or faster
3 at P200 +1 second or faster
4 at P200 or faster
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Today’s set was written by NCAC Senior assistant coach Sean Quinn.
#15 – Free and Fly
20 x 25
4 Free @ :20
4 Fly @ :20
3 Free @ :25
3 Fly @ :25
2 Free @ :30
2 Fly @ :30
1 Free @ :35
1 Fly @ :35
Best effort on 4 x 25 fly, improve time & hold cycle count as the interval slows
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.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Lately, I have enjoyed reading “Reach for the Wall,” Washington Post writer Paul Tenorio’s blog about training with the Curl-Burke Swim Club and Coach Jeff King. As a coach, it is interesting to hear what the workout feels like from his perspective. Thursday he wrote about one of Coach King’s sets which I have written below:
Warmup 700 (100 IM order)
200 swim
200 kick
2 x 25 sprint swim
175 swim
175 kick
3 x 25 sprint swim
150 swim
150 kick
4 x 25 sprint swim
125 swim
125 kick
5 x 25 sprint swim
100 swim
100 kick
6 x 25 sprint swim
75 swim
75 kick
7 x 25 sprint swim
50 swim
50 kick
8 x 25 sprint swim
25 swim
25 kick
9 x 25 sprint swim
Thanks for sharing, Paul!
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
The concept here is similar to yesterday’s post – The Guessing Game. For a sprint or non-freestyle version of the Guessing Game, I like to do 50s, and have the swimmers guess within a 0.2-second range. They also have to be within a certain range (like 4 seconds) from P200. I use the same points system as in the regular Guessing Game.
I actually had a swimmer recently who guessed his 50 time to the one-hundredth of a second exactly on his first one. He was thus done with practice and the rest of his teammates seethed.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Don Swartz and Ken DeMont over at Swim Coach Direct had an interesting post Sunday on race splits and training for the 200. I highly recommend it.
Their post encouraged me to share with you a tool we use to help swimmers on our team establish race paces for training purposes.
Click here to download our Excel spreadsheet for determining goal paces.
Here are the instructions once you have the sheet open in Excel:
1. Type the swimmer’s name where it says ‘Name here.’
2. Enter a swimmer’s goal time in the C column. Do not use any punctuation. For instance, for a goal time of 24.99 in the 50 free, type 2499. For a 2:28.50 in the 200 breast, type 22850.
3. The sheet should automatically compute pace times for you. ‘Pace’ means the swim is from a push. ‘Start’ means the swimmers goes off the blocks (or from a start for backstroke). The sheet computes different pace values for different events based on what I deemed the most useful information. A 15m start time is of little consequence in the mile, but could come in handy in the 100 fly.
4. Print out the pace card and take it to practice!
A few other notes:
Enjoy – let me know how it goes!
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
Here’s a good set for working kick speed and endurance and some all out sprinting speed.
5x through:
1 x 3:00 Kick for Distance @ 4:00
100 ez drill @ 1:30
8 x 25 @ :30
Odd: Minimum cycle count
Even: Maximum speed with a great finish!
100 ez drill @ 1:30
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
10 x 25 Fly swim @ :30 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
10 x 50 Fly swim @ 1:00 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
10 x 75 Fly swim @ 1:30 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
10 x 75 Fly swim @ 1:20 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
10 x 50 Fly swim @ :50 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
10 x 25 Fly swim @ :20 Descend 1-4,5-7,8-9, 10 is fast
200 25 Fly drill/25 Free swim @ 3:00
Ryan Woodruff
Lynchburg YMCA
This workout is very similar to The Blind Goal Workout but has a single important difference: the athletes may see their respective coach-determined goals, but they do not get to hear their results. The coach may tell the group how many points they have achieved, but may not say who achieved them or what times the swimmers swam.
Follow the same format as in the Blind Goal Workout. It will be interesting to see how your group’s motivation ebbs and flows throughout the set. Steer them to being positive and supportive, then just watch what they can do!
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
#10 – The Race Pace Spectrum
This set will get you swimming at race pace using varying energy systems. Time these carefully to make sure you are getting it right. Figure out these paces ahead of time so that you have precise information. P500=race pace for 500, P200=race pace for 200, etc. All 25s end with a turn (put your feet on the wall) to ensure accuracy.
20 x 25 all @ :30 except P50s, which are @ :40
#1 – faster than P1000
#2 – faster than P500
#3 – faster than P200
#4 – faster than P100
#5 – faster than P50
#6 – faster than P500
#7 – faster than P200
#8 – faster than P100
#9 – faster than P50
#10 – faster than P200
#11 – faster than P100
#12 – faster than P50
#13 – faster than P100
#14 – faster than P50
#15 – faster than P50
#16 – ez swim
#17-#20 – all out, whatever you have left in the tank!!!
P1000 and P500 should be pretty easy for the athlete to attain. P200 and P100 are very doable, though P100 will be increasingly difficult for the higher-level athlete. P50 should be a significant challenge for sure.
Click below to read any of the previous 9 posts in this series:
#9 – Hypoxic Freestyle Speed
#8 – Backstroke Tempo & Kick
#7 – Individual Medley Speed
#6 – Improving Breaststroke Tempo
#5 – Dryland Strength and Aquatic Speed
#4 – Developing Devastating Underwater Kicks
#3 – Improving Breaststroke Distance Per Cycle
#2 – Race-pace Swimming for the 500
#1 – Improving Attention to Underwater Kicks
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
#9 – Hypoxic Freestyle Speed
The ability to swim fast while using little oxygen is a vital skill for sprinters. This set aims to improve that ability. For a little variety, do it with paddles and/or a buoy and fins. For a bigger challenge, do all max speed swims at your Threshold Tempo with a Tempo Trainer.
20 x 25
2x:
#1 – ez with 3 breaths or fewer @:30
#2 – max speed with 3 breaths or fewer @:20
#3 – ez with 2 breaths or fewer @:30
#4 – max speed with 2 breaths or fewer @:20
#5 – ez with 1 breath or fewer @:30
#6 – max speed with 1 breath or fewer @:20
#7 – ez no breathing @ :30
#8 – max speed no breathing @ :30
#9 – max speed unlimited breath @ :30
#10 – max speed no breathing @1:00
Disclaimer: Use caution when performing hypoxic restricted breathing sets. Do not push yourself too far or you risk blacking out. Do not hyperventilate in preparation for a swim. Only perform this set under the direct supervision of a coach trained in rescue techniques.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
#8 – Backstroke Tempo & Kick
20 x 25
Use a Finis Tempo Trainer and set it for your Threshold Tempo
4x:
#1- Backstroke, build tempo to threshold :25
#2- Fast backstroke swim at threshold tempo :20
#3- Backstroke spin drill at faster than threshold tempo :25
#4- Underwater streamline dolphin kick :25
#5- ez kick on back :30
Spin drill is sitting up “like in a chair,” with head still, very aggressive kick, and arms spinning at maximum speed. Don’t worry about holding water with your hands or moving quickly through the water. The entire emphasis is on tempo here.
The Swimming Wizard 