UNCONVENTIONAL - Med-Ball Pass

Tired of the same old 10 X 50 kick on a minute sendoff? Try 5 minutes of Med-Ball Pass instead.

Why Do It:
Med-Ball Pass is a fun way to get in a really tough kicking set. It works the legs, the arms and wrists, and the lungs. It� a good way to break up a long swimming set because it� different, it� social, and it encourages good teamwork. If you are a coach, Med-Ball Pass comes in handy if you have a lot of swimmers and only limited lane space. You can organize two or perhaps even three groups in a single lane.

How To Do It:
1. Organize a group of two, three, or four or more swimmers.

2. Send the group to the deep end and have them form a circle while treading water.

3. Throw a 4- to 8-pound medicine ball to one of the swimmers in the group. Tom Drum� Back-It Balls are excellent for this drill. They DO sink, which adds to the toughness (and fun) of the drill.

4. One swimmer holds the ball above the surface of the water while all the other swimmers count out loud�1-2-3-4-5. On �5,� the swimmer passes the ball to the next swimmer and everyone counts�1-2-3-4-5. Etc.

5. Continue to count and pass the ball for 5 minutes. Coach can change the type of kick every minute or so, if desired, using breaststroke kick, flutter kick, eggbeater kick, or dolphin kick.

6. After the time is up, swimmers pass the ball back and forth as they move as a group back to the shallow end.

How To Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
1. Try holding the ball WAY over your head, instead of just above the surface.

2. Try tossing the ball to the next swimmer rather than passing it.

3. After a minute or two, add a second med ball to the circle.

4. Finish your kicks!