Even if you only swim Freestyle (or Front Crawl), there is still immense benefit to incorporating the other strokes into your training. By practising and developing the other strokes you will enhance both your feel for the water and the catch phase of you stroke. These are important skills to enhance as you advance your capabilities. This session is great for open-water swimmers and triathletes of all distances.
Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, and most weeks I will load three options up for you to do. Option A is for swimmers who are after a workout between 1,000 & 2,000 metres. Option B is for swimmers who are after a workout between 2,000 & 3,000m and Option C will be greater than 3,000m.
Read this article here for an explanation of Swim Intensity.
Option A
- 25m F/S / 25m Kick / 25m F/S;
- 25m Br / 25m Kick / 25m Br;
- 25m Bk / 25m Kick / 25m Bk;
- 25m B/F / 25m Kick / 25m B/F;
- 400m F/S (timed);
- 200m (alt 25m Bk/25m F/S);
- 200m (alt 25m Br/25m F/S);
- 5x 50m Sprint on 3:00;
- 12x 25m B/F on :45sec;
- 150m C/D (1,800m)
Option B
- 25m F/S / 25m Kick / 25m F/S;
- 25m Br / 25m Kick / 25m Br;
- 25m Bk / 25m Kick / 25m Bk;
- 25m B/F / 25m Kick / 25m B/F;
- 500m F/S (timed);
- 300m (alt 25m Bk/25m F/S);
- 300m (alt 25m Br/25m F/S);
- 5x 50m Sprint on 3:00;
- 12x 25m B/F on :45sec;
- 150m C/D (2,100m)
Option C
- 25m F/S / 25m Kick / 25m F/S;
- 25m Br / 25m Kick / 25m Br;
- 25m Bk / 25m Kick / 25m Bk;
- 25m B/F / 25m Kick / 25m B/F;
- 25m F/S / 25m Kick / 25m F/S;
- 25m Br / 25m Kick / 25m Br;
- 25m Bk / 25m Kick / 25m Bk;
- 25m B/F / 25m Kick / 25m B/F;
- 800m F/S (timed);
- 400m (alt 25m Bk/25m F/S);
- 400m (alt 25m Br/25m F/S);
- 6x 50m Sprint on 3:00;
- 16x 25m B/F on :45sec;
- 200m C/D (3,100m)
For the Warm Up (WU) start with four (Options A & B) or eight (Option C) reps. Each rep is 75m in distance and varies slightly with the strokes involved each rep. Start with 25m Freestyle, then 25m Kick on Front, then a further 25m Freestyle. For the second rep swim 25m Breaststroke, then 25m Kick on Front, then a further 25m Breaststroke. For the third set swim 25m Backstroke, then 25m Kick on Front, then a further 25m Backstroke. For the fourth set swim 25m Butterfly, then 25m Kick on Front, then a further 25m Butterfly. If you are not proficient enough yet with Butterfly, this is your opportunity to improve your Butterfly. Start each rep swimming as far as you are capable of with Butterfly prior to reverting to Freestyle. For those doing Option C complete all four reps a second time through.
Next up is a timed effort over 400m (Option A), 500m (Option B) or 800m (Option C). Record the time it takes as a benchmark for future attempts on this session.
Next up are two reps of 200m (Option A), 300m (Option B) or 400m (Option C). For the first rep alternate between 25m Backstroke and 25m Freestyle. For the second rep alternate between 25m Breaststroke and 25m Freestyle.
Next up is a sprint set with five (Options A & B) or six (Option C) reps of 50m sprinting as fast as you can. To ensure you start each rep as fresh as possible you’ll get maximum rest. Start each rep three minutes after starting the previous rep. For example if you swim the 50m in 60-seconds, you will get 2:00 rest. If you swim it in 42-seconds you will get 2:18 rest.
The final set is a Butterfly set. Complete twelve (Options A & B) or sixteen (Option C) reps of 25m Butterfly. Start each rep on 45-seconds. If it takes you 35-seconds to swim the 25m, you will get ten-seconds rest. As with earlier, if you are not proficient enough yet with Butterfly, this is your opportunity to improve your Butterfly. Start each rep swimming as far as you are capable of with Butterfly prior to reverting to Freestyle.
For the Cool Down (CD) swim 150m (Options A & B) or 200m (Option C). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the Cool Down (CD) (like the Warm Up (WU)) can be any stroke you wish to swim. You can also stop and rest after any length. I encourage you to stop and stretch during the Cool Down (CD).
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi Coaching.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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