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Swim sets
scott298
Posts: 122
in General Chat
Has any one had trouble staying in the pool?
I mean you get in and don't know what to do other than just swim up and down and get bored!
Sometimes I make up my own sets that are quite good but never know if they are helping me.
has any one used sets from swim4tri?
I mean you get in and don't know what to do other than just swim up and down and get bored!
Sometimes I make up my own sets that are quite good but never know if they are helping me.
has any one used sets from swim4tri?
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Never used Swim4tri. Would like to see if someone has got a swim training session that could be used.
I tend to alternate swimming sessions between all drills and sets with just straight endurance sessions.
My favourite drills/sets are -
Breathing sets, so 2 lengths of each breathing pattern
every 2 - all on one side,
every 2 alternating sides
bilateral every 3, then 5, then 7.
Swimming golf drill sets, so each length concentrating on a different aspect of the stroke, high elbow, reduced kicking, increased roll etc.
have a pen and paper at the end (does get quite wet!, to write down the results!)
This all helps me analyse my stroke technique, and find ways to increase stroke length and speed.
If I get bored of drills I just alternate strokes, without butterfly though as I can't do it!
I cannot recommend the swim for Tri 'On your Own' (OYO) training program enough. Last October I signed up for 6 endless pool sessions and complimented them by signing up for the OYO sessions as well.
http://www.swimfortri.com/oyo.asp
Now every week I get sent a varied program that keeps me interested. I usually print it off at work and laminate it so I can have it poolside without it falling to bits. The variety is endless and when you have to cover 120+ lengths it helps to break it up a bit. The SFT lot are complete drill fiends so there's plenty of that incorporated in the OYO sessions as well.
You'll be hard pressed to find anything better from a value and content perspective.
Fergal
My swim workout has kind of appeared over the years, as I've learned more and got more ideas. I like sharing swim workouts... sometimes it is hard to keep interested. I've been using this workout for a while now and not got bored yet, probably because I can vary it and it is an all-rounder. I'm sure some people will criticise, some may agree. BTW I'm not a coach (but I have one!) and I'm not the fastest (400m in 5:42) but I get by.
Anyway, we have 32 lengths warm up, 48 lengths drills, 36 lengths power building main set, 20 lengths of speed work. All as follows:
Warm-up: 8 x 4 lengths, 20s rest. Count your strokes to see when you are dropping in efficiency. Build the pace up slowly over the whole warm-up. This is where I stretch out, calm down, get focussed and establish my ownership of the lane [:D]
Drills: 12 x 4 lengths, either 2 lots of 6 x 4 lengths, or 3 lots of 4 x 4 lengths. I vary this quite a lot, often taking a cue from my coached session.
Examples: 6 x 4 of left-arm, right-arm, catch-up, full stroke, 6 x 4 of (Fins ON!) front torpedo, front fly kick, back torpedo, full stroke.
Examples: 4 x 4 full stroke with paddles, 4 x 4 of 3 lengths fists, 1 full stroke, 4 x 4 of scull, doggy paddle, head-up, full stroke.
(Perhaps mix some other strokes in here, particularly back-stroke, although 'fly is always good)
20s rest between sets, take a recovery rest between drills ie 1 minute.
Power-building: All full stroke. Bit complicated, but you'll get the idea. In this set you are building your pace and increasing the demand on your body. You should finish this set feeling utterly defeated!
8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. 30s first 2 rests, then 20seconds, 10 seconds for the last two. From 6 you should sprint the last length. Oh sod it... I'll write it out:
8 lengths, 30s rest
7, 30s rest
6, sprint last length, 20s
5, sprint last, 20s
4, sprint last, 20s
3, sprint last, 10s
2, sprint last, 10s
1 sprint.
You'll see how the rests get shorter, and the recovery between those sprints gets less. Ouch. Sometimes I swap this set out, and do a straight 40 length swim. This happens more as I get towards my big races, as a confidence builder]
Speed: 10 x 2 lengths at MAXIMUM pace off 1 minute, for example (so swim + rest totals 1 minute). This sounds like a lot of rest, but you really need to concentrate on excellent form here - if this is too fast/slow then adjust, but the key is to choose an interval where you can swim max pace without slowly losing your form. For example, I do this off 1 minute, at 35s pace... so swim 35s, rest 25s.
Total: 32 + 48 + 36 + 20 = 136
Cool Down: whatever you would usually do. 14 lengths is nice as it rounds the total up to 150 lengths! Chuck some backstroke in here to stop you becoming a freestyle hunchback.
Change distances as required, shorten, lengthen, take bits out, criticise, ignore or enjoy! Mostly enjoy!
Thats what does it for me after that long winter of pool swimming. Really craving for some lake swimming by the time is there (warm enough).
It gets boring, so practically no pool during summer.
I signed up to swim4tri OYO own sets! thanks fergal!
there so good! time goes so fast whilst just concentrating on it bit by bit!!!
Will definitely give you the discpline to complete a good 45 to 60 minute session in the pool!!
Cheers
The link doesn't work ,small error in it. try this: http://www.swimplan.com/
cheers,
Benny
Cheers