02/24/05 CCB Masters Catch & Release

OK, Dave, I know you don't like patterns, so you can stop reading now. But...I happen to really like the pattern of:25 Drill50 Drill/Swim75 Drill/Swim/Swim100 Swim/Swim/Drill/SwimFor swimmers, this pattern lets you work on a certain aspect of your stroke (in the drill), and then IMMEDIATELY incorporate it into your stroke (on the swim). As a coach on deck, I find that this pattern lets me give TONS of feedback, because the swimmers are stopping fairly often, but it doesn't feel like a typical drill session or teaching session because the swimmers get to swim more often. And they get to integrate the drills into the swimming. The other fun thing about this pattern is that there are ENDLESS variations.WARMUP: 400400 your choice, on your ownMAIN SET: 2000/1750Swim 7 to 8 rounds of the following, depending on how much time you have. Don't worry too much about sendoffs. Just decide within your lane when it's time to go again. Also, I was giving lots of feedback, so this sometimes gave the swimmers more rest. Our fastest lane went on approximately :30 base per 25. 25 Drill50 Drill/Swim75 Drill/Swim/Swim100 Swim/Swim/Drill/SwimRound #1:Swim is Freestyle. Drill is Early Catch & Release. I.e., keep the hands moving at all times. This means that you may not extend the hand as far forward as usual, and you want to take the hand out of the water earlier than usual. Experiment and exaggerate. Round #2:Swim is Freestyle. Drill is Extended Catch & Release. Just the opposite of the above drill. Extend a little further with the lead hand, and push back a little further for the release.Round #3: With fins.Swim is Butterfly or 2L/2R/2 Whole-Stroke Fly. Drill is Head-Lead Body DolphinRound #4:Swim is Breaststroke. Drill is Breast with an Extra Kick. Focus on streamlined hands and getting the hips up and over on the second kick.Round #5: Your choice of drill and your choice of stroke. PS: They don't have to be the same stroke.Round #6: With fins.Swim is Freestyle. Drill is Early Catch & Release...or Extended Catch & Release -- whichever felt better or more interesting to you in Rounds #1 and #2. Or, you can combine, e.g., Extended Catch and Early Release.Round #7:Swim is your choice of stroke or drill. Drill is your choice of stroke but FAST. (Our fastest lane decided to do the FAST lengths (the "drill" lengths) in IM order, with EZ freestyle for the swim lengths .)Round #8: With fins.Swim is your choice of stroke or drill Drill is your choice of stroke but FAST. (Our fastest lane decided to do the 25 as FAST Fly...the 50 as FAST Back/EZ Back...the 75 as FAST Breast/EZ Breast/EZ Breast...and the 100 as EZ Free with a FAST Free on the 3rd length.)WARMDOWN: 100 EZAt least 100 EZ swimdownTotal Yardage: 2250/2500