Aug. 8-28, 2011

Aug. 8-28, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down: 

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.

The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed.

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.
• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.
• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.
• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.
• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.
• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.
• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.
• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.  These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it.  Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).
• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).
• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.
• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

 

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25  :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)
6 x 25  :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)
6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)
4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)
Cool down 150
Total:  2200

WORKOUT B

Warm up: 400 choice
Main set:

6×75 w/:15 rest (kick/drill/swim by 25)
4×50 pull w/:15 rest (descend 1-4)
4×75 swim w/:15 rest (descend 1-4)
4×100 pull w/:20 rest (descend 1-4)
4×125 swim w/:20-:30 rest (all strong)
Cool down: 100
Total: 2300

WORKOUT C

Warm up: 10 minute choice
Main set:

6×50 w/:30 seconds rest (25 kick/25 swim)
4×100 pull w/:20 rest (descend 1-4)
4×50 swim w/:15 rest (25 FAST!/25 easy)
50 easy recovery
4×100 pull w/:20 rest (descend 1-4)
4×50 swim w/:15 rest (25 FAST!/25 easy)
50 easy recovery
6×50 pull w/:15 rest (descend 1-3, 4-6)
Cool down: 100
Total: 2300

WORKOUT D

Warm-up:  200 Choice/2×100 Kick/4×50 Drill
Main Set:
2 x [200 Pull/Broken 200 as 50 FAST/50 ez/100Fast!]
300 Fins
-100Kick/100Swim
3 x 100 Fast (30 rest b/w each)
6 x 50 all FAST (20 sec rest b/w each)
-2 Swim/2 Kick/2 Swim
8 x 25 Choice SPRINT (20 sec rest b/w each)
Cool down:  300 EZ Pull

July 18-Aug. 7, 2011

July 18-Aug. 7, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down:

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.

The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed.

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.
• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.
• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.
• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.
• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.
• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.
• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.
• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.

These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it.  Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).
• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).
• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.
• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25  :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)
6 x 25  :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)
6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)
4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)
Cool down 150
Total:  2200

WORKOUT B

Warm-Up: 250 swim with paddles and pull buoy, 150 swim, 100 kick with fins

Intervals: The key to each of these interval sets is to be steady. Try to avoid going out too fast and having your speed drop off! In the case of the 100′s make sure your hard efforts are at least five-seconds faster than your reduced effort 100′s.

4 X 500, :15 rest. Intervals 1 & 3 (odds) are without fins. Intervals 2 & 4 with fins.

6 X 100, :10 rest between each 100. Swim all ODD 100′s at Level 8+. All evens are Level 5-6.

Cool down: 200 pull-200 pull with paddles.

WORKOUT C

Warm-up: 12-minute continuous swim

Intervals: 6 x 125 swim, :15 rest, 4 x 150 swim w/fins, :15 rest, 4 x 200, :20 rest. Do the first two 200′s without fins and the final 2, 200′s with fins.

Finish with a 200 kick w/board. NO fins, please!

WORKOUT D

Warm-Up:

200-swim w/pull, 200-fins, 200 swim

200-swim w/pull, 200-fins, 200 swim

Intervals

500 swim Half or Full I/man pace, :30 rest

400 swim Olympic pace, :30 rest

300 swim Olympic pace, :30 rest

5 x 100 Sprint pace, :10 rest

Cool down:  200 pull with paddles

June 27-July 17, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down:

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.

The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed.

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.

• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.

• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.

• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.

• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.

• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.

• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.

• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.

These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it. Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).

• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).

• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.

• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25 :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)

6 x 25 :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)

6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)

4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)

Cool down 150

Total: 2200

WORKOUT B

Warm up: 300- to 500-yard continuous freestyle swim.

200- to 400-yard kick

200-yard swim alternating between freestyle and drills per each 50 yards.

Main Set:

900-yard steady swim

600-yard swim of 3 x 100 drills and 3 x 100 freestyle.

pull 400 yards with paddles

pull 200 yards using pull buoy without paddles.

6 x 50 yards of backstroke

Cool Down: 100 to 200 yards

TOTAL: 2,400-yard

WORKOUT C

Warm up: 200

1 x 50 @ 1:00

1 x 100 @ 2:00

1 x 300 @ 6:00

1 x 400 @ 8:00

1 x 300 @ 6:00

1 x 200 @ 4:00

1 x 100 @ 2:00

1 x 50 @ 1:00

Total 1,700 yards.

WORKOUT D

Warm up 1 x 300

increase speed through set 2 x 50 @ :45 – 1:00

Kick 1 x 100

Main set: feel strong steady pace 5 x 200 @ 3:00 – 4:00

Cool down: 1 x 100 Total: 2,200 yards

June 6-26, 2011

June 6-26, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down:

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.

The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed.

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.

• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.

• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.

• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.

• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.

• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.

• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.

• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.

These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it. Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).

• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).

• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.

• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25 :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)

6 x 25 :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)

6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)

4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)

Cool down 150

Total: 2200

WORKOUT B

200 swim, 50 kick, 50 swim……..300 yds

500 swim; 400 pull;

300 kick; 200 swim; 100 pull. ……1500 yds

200 swim down ….easy .200 yds

Total………………….2000 yds

WORKOUT C

300 easy

10×100 alt breathe every three strokes (10s rest) / breathe every five strokes (15s rest)

100 back easy

4×50 build on 20s rest

4×400 swim w/30s rest

100 easy

3,300 meters

WORKOUT D

400 free

6×50 alt “25 side kick / 25 swim” with “25 drill / 25 swim” easy on 15s rest

3×200 done as steady 10s rest, mod-hard 20s rest, hard 30s rest – repeat

100 back4x300

• #1 – 200 hard, 100 steady – 30s rest

• #2 – 150 hard, 150 steady – 20s rest

• #3 – 100 hard, 200 steady – 10s rest

• #4 – 50 very hard, 250 steady

Note that the pace of the second part of the 300 is steady, not easy. The goal is to slowly reduce the oxygen debt while swimming at a steady pace. Should take at least 100m before you feel comfortable. The first 50 will feel uncomfortable, we want you to get used to that sensation.

100 easy

2,700 meters

May 15-June 5, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down: 

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.  The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed.

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.
• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.
• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.
• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.
• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.
• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.
• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.
• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.  These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it.  Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).
• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).
• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.
• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25  :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)
6 x 25  :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)
6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)
4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)
Cool down 150
Total:  2200

WORKOUT B: Build Muscular Endurance     

Warm up: 400 yard
12 x 25y DPS (distance per stroke), 15-second rest interval

Beginners (repeat this set twice, 1:00 rest between rounds):
10 x 75y (1-5 build; 6, 8, 10 fast; 7, 9 easy), 15-second rest interval
400 pull

Advanced (repeat this set twice, 1:00 between rounds):
10 x 75y (1-5 build; 6, 8, 10 fast; 7,9 easy), 15-second rest interval
800 pull

Cool down: 100 free/back

Total distance:
Beginners: 2700 yards
Advanced: 3100 yards
WORKOUT C

Warm-up	200 Free 100 Kick
Main Set	10 x 100 fast w/10 sec. recovery 10 x 75 fast w/10 sec. recovery 10 x 50 fast w/10 sec. recovery
Kick Set:	250 kick 4 x 100 on the 1:00 or at least at your fastest consistent 100’s
Cool Down:	200 backstroke

WORKOUT D

Warm-up	100 free; 100 kick
Warm-up	4 x 25 count your strokes; get streamline
Kick Set	4 x 50 Kick
Main Set	4 x 75 Pull w/5 sec. recovery
Main Set	4 x 100 fast Swim w/10 recovery
Main Set	4 x 75 Pull w/10 recovery
Kick Set	4 x 50: 25 front, 25 back
Warm-Down	4 x 25 (Underwater) w/20 sec. recovery:  stay streamline underwater as long as possible before taking the first stroke.
Cool Down	200 Free

April 25-May 14, 2011

Incorporate the following drills for your warm up and cool down: 

These drills, which focus on pull, recovery and feel for the water, can be part of your warm-up or cool down and if done consistently, definitely make a difference.

The more efficient you are in the water, the less energy you’ll expend, leaving more energy for the bike and the run. Developing your feel for the water, or learning how to optimally position your body, is a process of teaching your muscles and nerves to adapt by repeating specific actions over and over. The winter is the perfect time to work on these adaptations because they’ll be fully engrained when spring rolls around and it’s time to once again focus on developing speed. 

• Single arm: Keep one arm in front while you stroke with the other. Think about reaching over a barrel with a bent elbow in the beginning to initiate a powerful pull.
• Fist: Swim with your fingers closed into a fist. This drill helps promote elbow bending in the beginning of the pull.
• Catch-up: This is an alternating single-arm drill. Wait for your hand to meet the other in front before pulling (touch and go) with the other arm. This drill works on your pull and rotation.
• Finger-tip drag: On your recovery, drag you finger tips lightly across the water before entering for the next pull. This works on high elbow during the recovery. Scull: On your stomach, with arms stretched out, place your palms together and thumbs up. Rotate hands so that thumbs are down (with hands apart) and move your palms outward while pushing water out just past shoulder width. Rotate hands to thumbs up and push water back in (almost a figure 8.) Feeling the water pressure with your hands and arms should move you forward in the pool. Keep your face in the water during the drill, raising your head to breathe while kicking.
• Golf drill: This is a fun drill to do with stroke count and speed. Count the number of strokes you take over 50 meters and add that number to your 50-meter split time. Now, as in golf, try to decrease your score by either swimming faster or taking fewer strokes.
• Rotate to breathe: Place a tennis ball under your chin. Swim freestyle, but as you turn to breathe, keep your head down and try not to let the tennis ball pop up. This drill is difficult, but is very helpful for emphasizing proper rotation and breathing technique. Keeping your head down in order to keep the tennis ball in place emphasizes proper head positioning, particularly in the breathing phase of the stroke.
• Proper head alignment is key as our legs drop to counter-balance a lifted head, ultimately creating more drag and a slower swim split. By keeping the tennis ball tucked securely under your chin you will ensure proper head positioning and minimize any leg drag associated with lifting your head to breathe.
• Count your strokes: Work on increasing the distance covered per stroke to improve your feel for the water and your strength and stroke efficiency. Take as few strokes as possible from wall to wall and try to elongate each one. If you are at 30 strokes or above for 25 meters, try decreasing your stroke count by one or two per 25 each week. Decreased stroke count means increased efficiency, so a stroke count of 12 to 15 is far more efficient than a stroke count of 35.

The following drills not only help develop your kick, but improve your rotation and body position as well.

These drills are easily incorporated into your warm-up and cool down and should yield good results if done consistently. Remember, if good technique were easy to come by, everyone would have it.  Discipline yourself this season to make these drills a part of your regular swim regimen.

• Kick on side: Kick on your side with both arms at your side. Play with head position and see how that affects how your hips ride in the water. (Think “downhill” head pushing down and out and help your hips ride high).
• Kick on side with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick, roll to your other side, initiating the rotation with your hips and core (the shoulders and upper body will follow).
• Kick on side, arm out: Lie on your side and kick a length of the pool with the bottom arm extended and the top arm at your side. Concentrate on feeling long.
• Kick on side, arm out with rotation: Same as above, except after a six-beat kick take a complete stroke (one-stroke cycle) and roll over to your other side. Lead the rotation with your hips, not your shoulders.

WORKOUT A

This workout is a great all-around session utilizing kicking, pulling, drills, and speed segments to help improve all aspects of your swimming. It is designed to be a short but a beneficial swim session to help both your technique and full body swim strength in the water. The set-up of this workout allows you to take advantage of the 25’s to dial in technique through drill work. Immediately following the drill session you will apply that good technique to fast swim sets that build strength and speed in the water.

Warm up: 200 Swim

18 x 25  :10 seconds rest 6 x (2 kick, 2 drill, 2 swim)

4 x 100 freestyle swim w/:30 sec rest (Descend 1-4, getting faster on each 100)
6 x 25  :15 seconds rest (2 drill, 1 build)
6 x 75 w/:30 seconds rest 2 x (1 easy free, 1 drill, 1 FAST freestyle)
4 x 100 freestyle pull @ 2:00 (Focusing on Good Technique)
Cool down 150
Total:  2200

WORKOUT B: 

Warmup:  500 Freestyle
Main Set:

• 8 x 50–Slow/medium pace (1 minute interval)
• 8 x 50–Medium/fast (1 minute interval)
• 8 x 100–Freestyle (descending)
• 8 x 100–75 fast, rest 10 seconds, then 25 sprint
• 8 x 50–25 medium, rest 10 seconds, 25 sprint (1:10 interval)

Cool Down: 300 Freestyle
Total Yards: 3200
WORKOUT C

Warmup: 5 x 200 (50 drill, 100 swim, 50 drill)
Main Set:

3 x 400

• First 400: 100 build, 200 fast, 100 medium
• Second 400: 100 slow, 50 fast, 50 slow, 50 fast, 100 slow
• Third 400: 200 build, 100 fast, 100 slow

2 x 200

• First 200: Pull (100 stroke, 100 freestyle)
• Second 200: Kick (100 stroke, 100 freestyle)

Cool Down: 400 Freestyle
Total Yards: 3000

WORKOUT D

Warmup:  400 IM Drill
Main Set:

• 16 x 50–Alternate free/stroke drill (choice*) by 50
• 400 Kick (200 with board, 200 without)
• 400 Pull (200 Freestyle, 200 Stroke*)
• 5 x 100 Kick (choose swim or stroke, descending)
• 5 x 100 Pull (choose swim or stroke, descending)

Cool Down:  300 Freestyle
Total Yards: 3300

*Your choice of three strokes: butterfly, backstroke or breastroke. Try NOT to do freestyle when offered the choice. This will only make you a better swimmer.