Swimming Set of the Week - September 28, 2012

When you're not working on speed and instinctual response... you should be working on technique and THINKING about what you do.  This week's set is the thinking type of set, working on fast hand exit for backstroke and getting some length into your freestyle.

For some great visuals of the drills, check out the highlighted links.

WARMUP:  400 on your own

BACKSTROKE DRILL SET:  400
8 X 50 (fins recommended but optional)
Odd 50s:  25 Left-Arm Wave Drill + 25 Right-Arm Wave Drill
Even 50s:  Backstroke, thinking about ONE of these focus points:
*  Thumb exits first for a clean hand exit.
*  Straight-arm recovery
*  Lift the hand out of the water with a bit of SNAP or umph

FREESTYLE DRILL SET:  400
8 X 50 (fins or pull buoy optional)
Odd 50s:  "Position 11" freestyle (similar to the standard "catch-up" drill, but your hands don't touch)
Even 50s:  Reach full extension (lead arm to trailing arm) on EVERY stroke

MAIN SET:  1500
4 X 100 freestyle, no equipment; first 25 of each 100 is drill (extend front to back on every stroke); descend time on 3 & 4

3 X 50 backstroke; first 50 is wave drill; 2nd and 3rd 50s are regular backstroke, but focus on fast hand exit

4 X 100 freestyle pull, but as before (drill the first 25 of each 100)

3 X 50 backstroke as before

4 X 100 freestyle with fins, but as before

WARMDOWN:  200