These workouts are designed for an amazingly diverse group of swimmers and swim goals. Keep in mind that workouts are a great way to not only work on your own goals but help others in the lane acheive their own goals, just by you being there. :) Please let us know if you have some favorite sets so we can be sure to repeat them as the training cycles move through the season.
For each season, training cycles are designed to help all swimmers get a great workout and individuals achieve specific goals. These cycles are set up as Macro (seasonal), Meso (monthly) and Micro (1- 2 weeks)cycles. As we all return from quarantine of the past year do not worry about the last time you swam or what your previous training times were. It is a good time to start a new slate. At the start of long course season for example, June (a Meso cycle) is a great time to make sure everyone has great technique and find your base times either short course or long course meters. Weekly workouts (micro cycles) will have specific focus based on swimmers in the water, and seasonal goals or events on the calendar. If you miss a workout, or just want to repeat one, it is as easy as clicking on the calendar. If you are training without a coach - keep in mind I write workouts by cycles and seasonally - check back in the calendar for a similar time of year or month to see what that might mean.
If you are not sure what some of our "coaches language" means, check swim vocabulary section for clarification :)
As we begin the swimming outside we build up distances and work to balance your stroke to help prevent injury as you train for summer events (open water swims, triathlons, or just simply life). Be sure to ask if you are not sure what my notes reference.
Be sure to swim your workouts with intention - what are your goals long term and short term :)
Workout vocabulary:
Workouts are typically written with the distance, the number of times to repeat that distance, and what actions to do during the distance. For example:
3 x 100 swim @ cruise pace.
Each lane has it's own particular pace and interval, feel free to change lanes as needed, to get the workout you need. (sometimes the coach may disagree with you, but that allows conversation :) )
Cruise pace is about 80- 85% effort. You should be in the aerobic zone, not out of breath on a cruise.
"Perky" pace (coach Ellen's new favorite pacing word) is about 85 - 87.5% effort :). This will mean you are out of breath by the 3rd repeat at least.
T-pace is typically all out, the coach will clarifying your rest interval, which is set and training dependent. Which translates to this - if all out for you is 1:35, then you may be asked to swim the set on 1:40 pace with a :15 sec rest interval, to increase your speed and endurance potential.
Interval training: when a coach writes @ :20R it means take 20 seconds rest between distances; 50 free @ 1:15 means that you have 1 min and 15 seconds to complete a 50 free and rest included before you leave again.
Perfect streamline - hold tight body line past the flags, start to kick, and lastly breath (but not on first pulling arm); keep your core tight as you begin to swim to keep up your speed.
Kicking practice is always a great plan to help keep your body in balance and add power to your strokes; Pulling increases over the summer, due to the types of events some of our swimmers will participate in.
Drills to improve your Freestyle:
Catch-up - hands touch at the top of each stroke, sometimes done with the infinity bar. (helps improve your timing, rotation, and so much more)
OK drill - slow arms and more kick than you think you would like to do (coaches love it when you kick)
Triple switch - primarily a side balance drill ( 4-6 kicks on lead arm with face in the water, turn head to breathe for 4 kicks, opposite arm recovers and body rotates for 4-6 kicks with face in the water)this is to help improve your timing/breathing and balance.
Polar Bear: essentially freestyle with underwater recovery; it will help improve your catch and early vertical forearm (all of which means more power).
Motor Boat: lead arm kicking on your side, face in the water (until you need to breath); your up arm swims in short (enter between wrist and elbow, exit at hip) with rapid pulling action. (accentuates early high vertical forearm, and side balance)
Sculling - a motion of moving hands with perpendicular propulsion off the palm of hand. (your fingers stay pointed to toward the bottom of the pool; and your palms face your feet) Can be done head first on belly of back, or feet first on back. Improving your sculling technique will improve your feel of the water with your hands, and power and efficiency in your pull of all swimming strokes.
Dolphin kicks off the wall: use your perfect streamline - then on any stroke except breaststroke add in 4 -6 fast dolphin kicks before surfacing.
Breakout strokes: an any stroke except breaststroke, after streamline add in 4-6 fast strokes before settling into your pace for the distance you are swimming.