Variety Kick Set

Ryan Woodruff
ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

The following kick set is good for overall lower body fitness while giving the athletes a specific goal to shoot for on the :50 kick for distance. Their individual goal distances were determined using the 15-minute kick test set.

SCY

200 kick @ 3:40

20 blastoffs @ :40

:50 kick for distance @1:30

200 kick @ 3:40

20 blastoffs @ :40

2 x :50 kick for distance @1:30

200 kick @ 3:40

20 blastoffs:40

3 x :50 kick for distance @1:30

200 kick @ 3:40

20 blastoffs:40

4 x :50 kick for distance @1:30

Age Group Set from Gwinnett Aquatics

Lucas Ferreira
Gwinnett Aquatics

Here's a set we did with our top Age Groupers (11-14) that worked really well:

(SCM)

4 rounds:

5x100 FR - 1:20 / 1:30 / 1:40

10x25 RACE - 0:40

- IM order per round, dive on Odds

Two things were important to make this set as good as it was for us:

1) The 100s were right at the kids' cruise interval (they had to work decently hard to get 2-3sec of rest only, nearly much playing wall tag the whole way). I would adjust those intervals likewise for a different group of kids or if we were swimming SCY.

2) Each kid had goal times for the 25s. Those were about 1sec faster than what they need to hold to make their goal 100s of each stroke this season, so they had to work pretty hard to make them.

It was a great way to get plenty of hard aerobic work, with a lot of fast swimming in the middle!

Mucho Kicking For Distance

Ryan Woodruff
ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

The set below uses timed kicks for maximum distance. Mixing in some kick-heavy drill, this set lasts approximately one hour. In total, this is 35 minutes of kicking at high intensity. We gave our swimmers specific distances to shoot for during each timed kick, dividing them up into two teams. The numbers at the very bottom represent the running points total from the team competition.

Speed set for taper time

Jack D. Roney
Assistant Senior Coach/YOTA Masters

Here is a set that I have found extremely beneficial as a great "Approaching Taper" speed set. It allows the swimmers to focus on quality of stroke while still trying to put in some speed as the athletes approach a taper meet.

500 Free on 5:30
16x25 (1-Smooth / 3-FAST) on :40
400 Free on 5:30
12x25 (1- Smooth / 2-FAST) on :40
300 Free on 5:30
8x25 (1-Smooth / 1-FAST) on :40
200 Free on 5:30
4x25 (ALL FAST) on :40
100 Free on 5:30
1x50 (For Time -- SPRINT)

**NOTES: The 500/400/300/200/100 should be all focus on technique. A bit more speed may have to be put into the first 500 depending on the level of swimmer you are coaching, but the 400/300/200/100 should become much "easier" to make the interval. Therefore, attention to detail in EVERY aspect remains high. Perfection swimming is the goal in all non-"FAST" swims.

As you get more rest, the FAST 25s should be as described (100% intensity) but with obvious focus on technique.

I made the athletes hop out of the water after the 300/200/100 and stretch for several minutes before the next set of 25s began.

Quality during the weeks leading up to a meet was the main focus when I was being coached, and is by-far the most important aspect in my workouts AS a coach for my athletes as we approach our taper meet.

Kick/Swim Set

Coach Erik Wiken

5X Through...

4 x 50 @ 1:00 #1 Stroke Kick, Descend 1-4, #4 is Sprint

1 x 100 @ 2:30 50 Kick Oriented Drill 50Sprint Swim

Rationale:

-The idea was to make the kick the primary focus of your swimming.

-Kick oriented drill was put after the 50s to focus on body position and kick technique in a taxed state and then have the kick be fresh in your mind and the focus in the fast swimming.

-Intervals vary depending on ability:

+50s were to get about 15 seconds on the 1st 50 and about 25 on the 4th for this particular group.

+Longer rest during the 100 to account for rest between rounds to make sure focus stays on kick, not just survival.

#1 Stroke Kick position had two options:

1. Streamline (Fly/Bk/BR @ Back, FR @ stomach with snorkel)

2. Kick in positions that also get an athlete to focus on the body.

Example:

Fly - Side Kick (bottom arm extended, no hula hands!)

BK - "Roller Coaster"

BR - Heel Check (arms down @ you back, heels to hands then big toes finish out of water)

FR - I prefer on stomach arms extended and hands at the beginning of the catch phase (kick in posture) or hands at sides, rotating. Rotating may make the interval tougher and may need to be adjusted depending on athlete.

Today's Kick Set

Ryan Woodruff
Head Coach, Parkland Aquatic Club
ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

This set uses performances from our 15-minute Kick Test Set to set goal distances for each swimmer. Total distance from that set divided by 10 gives the goal for each 1:30 segment below.

4 x 1:30 kick for distance @ 2:00200 easy swim
3 x 3:00 kick for distance @ 4:00
200 easy swim
2 x 4:30 kick for distance @ 6:00
200 easy swim

1000 yard Medley Relay Set

Ryan Woodruff

Head Coach

Parkland Aquatic Club

ryan.d.woodruff@gmail.com

This set works well with up to six swimmers (two relay teams) in a lane. Divide your group into groups of two or three- try to make even teams to give everyone a good race. Have them race a 1000 (or whatever distance you choose) medley relay. If your teams have three people each, swimmers swim the strokes in regular medley relay order. If you have only two swimmers, leave out one of the strokes. This ensures that swimmers don't swim the same strokes repeatedly. Swimmers complete a single 50 at a time...swimmer 1 does a 50 back, swimmer 2 does a 50 breast, etc. Use the starting blocks for some extra work climbing out of the pool every time, or just stay in the water and go from a push.

Exam Week at Carthage

Greg Earhart
Head Coach
Carthage College

Last week was finals week so we open up the pool and the guys train around their exam schedule.  I generally make the practices simpler (i.e. less thinking and stress) and give them a couple of options - more aerobic or challenging - depending on their own personal stress level.

I tried to inject a little fun into last week's and I've attached what I came up with.