Swimming Set of the Week - May 31, 2013

This week’s set gives coaches a chance to coach and swimmers a chance to hone certain skills and then see how well (and for how long) they can implement those skills in some IM swims.  Kinda fits in with Glenn’s article this week called What Is Practice for…Really?.

WARMUP:  400 on your own

WARMUP FLIP-TURN SET:  2004 X 50Odd 50s:  25 Free + 25 Back, with mid-pool flip on first 25Even 50s:  25 Back + 25 Free, with mid-pool flip on first 25FOCUS:  Tight tuck…look for your knees

MAIN SET:  1500

• Fins are optional on any part of the main set.
• Instead of thinking about how fast you can swim today, think about how well you can execute all of your turns and how PRETTY you look while swimming.
• The flow of the set is that you’ll work on a particular transition turn for 6 X 50 on a sendoff that gives you plenty of rest, and that gives the coach time to critique the turns (roughly 20 seconds rest).   You’ll be focusing on the turn as well as the pushoff, underwaters, and breakout associated with the turn.  Try to establish some minimum standards on the 50s, e.g., no fewer than 3 dolphin kicks off each wall or not breathing on your first stroke.  After the 50s, you do an IM.  Try to incorporate your focus points (and your minimum standards) into the IM.

6 X 50 (Fly or Fly drill to the flags, then finish the length with whole-stroke fly; come back with Backstroke)Focus:  Hit the turn with arms extended and head down; elbow back and fall back on the turn; keep head low to water on turn; minimum of 3 dolphin kicks before backstroke breakout.

1 X 100 IM

6 X 50 (25 Back + 25 Breast)Focus:  Minimum of 3 dolphins at the start; be ready for the turn if doing an open turn (body slightly tilted and palm down); head low on the turn; maintain body integrity on pullout.

1 X 200 IM

6 X 50 (25 Breast + 25 Free)Focus:  Legal turn, but then get one hand off the wall quickly and get your feet to the wall quickly; minimum number of dolphin kicks into the breakout.

1 X 300 IM

WARMDOWN:  200