Building Speed and the ‘Goldilocks’ Amount of Rotation (not too little..not too much)
Swim Workout Thursday, January 9, 2020
Build
Begin swim slow and relaxed focusing on good form while gradually increasing effort and speed. Because you finish the distance at a sprint, these will be difficult. So if the set is 2 x 100 Build, start slow on first 25 establishing a good stroke, then make each subsequent 25 faster. The last 15 yards to 25 should be an all out sprint. You restart your “build” with each swim of the set. So in the example of 2 x 100 Build, begin the 2nd 100 slow and relaxed again gradually building to spring at end.
Rotation focus
Use how far you turn your head as a guide to the amount of rotation. When you turn your head to breath attempt to get the top eye completely out of the water while keeping the bottom goggle or eye underwater. Your whole body rotates together. Imagine a skewer the length of your spine so that hips and shoulders turn together the same amount.
200 Choice Warm Up
4 x 25 Build (20 seconds rest between 25s)
Freestyle - Build Freestyle:
Group 1: 4 x 50 on 2:00 - Build
Group 2: 8 x 50 on 1:15 - Build
Group 3: 5 x 100 on 1:45 - Build
4 x 25 (20 seconds rest between 25s) - notice if goggles are above/underwater
Keep bottom goggle under and the top goggle above water when breathe. Keep hips and shoulders in line with each other:
Group 1: 4 x 50 on 2:00 - Freestyle - notice goggles
Group 2: 8 x 50 on 1:15 - Freestyle - notice goggles
Group 3: 6 x 100 on 1:40 - Freestyle - notice goggles
Endurance Freestyle – Long and strong stroke. Feel the power but keep a relatively slow stroke turnover. (relatively means compared to sprint stroke turnover at end of build swims)
Group 1: 2 x 100 - 30 seconds rest between 100s
Group 2: 1 x 300 - 1 minute rest then… 2 x 200 - 30 seconds rest between 200s
Group 3: 1 x 500 - 1 minute rest then… 1 x 400
Cool Down - Choice 5 minute swim
Distance before 5 minute cool down:
Group 1 1,000 yards
Group 2 1,900 yards
Group 3 2,400 yards