Swimming Set of the Week - September 23, 2008

 Now that you're a few weeks into a new season, your shoulders SHOULDN'T be hurting but, in case they are, here's an IM kick set that will give them (and only them) a rest.  This one's worth trying even if your shoulders are fine.

This set calls for several pieces of equipment:  fins, kickboard, Swimmer's Center-Mount Snorkel, and Tempo Trainer.  None of these is absolutely essential, but the kickboard, snorkel and TT will add intensity, while the fins will make the dolphin kick go a lot easier :)

This set calls for a mix of kicking -- sometimes with arms at your sides (excellent choice for when you have shoulder soreness) and sometimes with arms extended.  When it calls for arms extended, you could extend only your "good" (unsore) arm and keep the other arm at your side.  When you get to breaststroke kick with a kickboard, choose a small board (such as the Finis Alignment Kickboard) so that you can keep your face in the water as you kick.  This position is less stressful on the shoulders than kicking on a board with head and shoulders out of the water.

Re Sendoffs:  On the 100s, pick a sendoff that gives you approximately 30 seconds rest.  This is a bit more rest than on a standard kick set, but it should allow you to descend time, which is important.   On the 25s, pick a sendoff that gives you approximately 20 seconds rest.  Again, this is more rest than usual, but these 25s should be REALLY INTENSE kicking.  Give yourself enough rest so that you can BLAST each 25.

OK.  Enuf talk.  Time to go swim.

3 X 100 dolphin kick on your stomach with fins and snorkel, alternating 25 head lead/25 hand lead.  Descend time 1 to 3.

4 X 25 Head-Up Dolphin Kick on your back, looking at your feet and making as BIG a bulge as possible with your kick (AKA:  INTENSE)

3 X 100 flutter kick on your back with no equipment, alternating 25 head lead/25 hand lead.  Descend time 1 to 3.

4 X 25 flutter kick on your back with fins, and with Tempo Trainer set at :20 (5 kicks per second...AKA INTENSE)

3 X 100 breast kick on your stomach with kickboard and with face in the water.  Descend time 1 to 3.  If you have a Tempo Trainer, set it to beep faster on each 100 (e.g., 1.80...1.75...1.70).

4 X 25 breast kick any position and with no board, kicking at as fast a cadence as you can handle and still finish each kick.

3 X 100 flutter kick on your back with fins, alternating 25 head lead/25 hand lead.  Descend time 1 to 3.

4 X 25 flutter kick on your back with NO fins and with Tempo Trainer set at :20 (INTENSE)

4 X 25