Free Swimming Workouts, Sets, Ideas, and Dryland Exercises from Professional Coaches Around the World
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
The 300 is done with a stretch cord with belts on both ends. Each swimmer wears a belt and hangs onto the cord about eight feet from the opposite belt end. Swimmers drag each other a 25 at a time. Follow up with the FPA (Fastest Possible Average) swims. SCM.
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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
SCM. We got excellent results on the untethered swims after the 4 x 10 cycles resisted.
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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We used stretch cords on the first part of this set with a partner wearing a belt attached to each end of the cord. This allowed them to provide resistance for each other (one person at the wall while the other one swims) without climbing out or having to take off the belt until the 100s.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set using StrechCordz as assistance to generate faster-than-race speeds into turns and finishes.
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Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We used stretch cordz for this set. We don’t have power towers, so swimmers partnered up and one person supplied the resistance while the other swam. The real challenge of the set was to hold the stroke together at speed after the resisted sprint cycles.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set to allow us to swim more cycles consecutively than we usually get to do in our 25m pool. The 4 x 24 cycles are done with only the return to the wall as rest. We used stretch cordz held by a partner standing on the pool deck.
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff, Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set at the end of a long practice that included dryland that was heavy on the legs and a long kick set. The goal was to work some underwater power and then get some “lightning speed” underwater kicks at the end of each round. It worked well, with a few of our swimmers setting personal bests & team records at the 25m underwater kicking distance.
For the part written in green, one athlete wore the belt/cord and a partner stood on the deck and held the cord to provide the resistance.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We used this one as a little extra prep before our main IM race pace set.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We split the group into 3 stations for this one. Why 13 cycles 13 times? Because it was Friday the 13th, of course!
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We did the following set tethered to the starting block with StretchCordz. The cords were wrapped around the block so that the athlete experienced the resistance after 3-4 kicks off the wall. The 15m kick for time was done after unhooking from the cords.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lyncburg YMCA
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Stretch cord set. Do all steps consecutively. Switch places with partner when done.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
This set got good reviews from our breaststrokers. The stretch cord set had the cords tied off to the top of an 8′ tall fence about 12′ away from the edge of the pool. This allowed them to get a slight lift of the hips during the br swimming.
Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
Have a teammate stand on deck and gradually let out the stretch cord to apply steady resistance. Make them work for it, but don’t make it impossible to move forward!
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Ryan Woodruff
University of Southern California
Some “short sprint” backend cord work set below
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Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan
Head Coach
Lynchburg YMCA
We did this set as part of a three-station rotation at practice. This station had swimmers in pairs. One person out of the water (pulling the cord in on the assisted parts) and one swimmer in the water performing the set. Cords were tied to the blocks for the resisted parts. The first 12-cycle sprint is from a push off the wall and then the swimmer pauses where they finish the 12th cycle. The 50s start from there. Thus, when we did a “50” it was actually more like 30m total, 15m in to a fast turn and 15m back out. The finishing sprint was thus also about 15m.
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Coach Ryan Woodruff
Follow on Twitter @WoodruffRyan
The cycles of kick, pull and swim were done with stretch cords anchored 8 ft above the edge of the pool. 200s were regular swim breaststroke. We got some good times on the last round.
Additional info: The picture below shows how our cords are attached to the railings at the front of the balcony overlooking the pool. It is approximately 15 feet from the wall to the edge of the pool. I like this high-anchor position, particularly for breaststrokers as it forces their hips up slightly. Obviously, the cord at right is in use and the others are not.
Ryan Woodruff, North Carolina Aquatic Club
coachryan@ncacswim.org
It’s Alex Werden. Check him out… 7.4 seconds in the 25-yard butterfly.
Ryan Woodruff
As depth increases, so does water pressure. Having a feel for the subtle changes in water pressure can help a swimmer (particularly in fly and free) time the breakout stroke for maximum efficiency. This set is designed to help a swimmer “feel the surface” from underneath for better breakouts.
6 x 50 @ 1:00 with Stretch-Cordz Long Belt Slider
Swimmers should be encouraged to feel the upward “suck” of the surface as they approach the 1-foot depth. Noticing this feeling in a racing situation aids in breaking out at the proper depth.
3 x 50 @ 1:00 with Stretch-Cordz Long Belt Slider
10 x 25 @ :30
