This weeks swim set is back to focusing on our technique, and in particular the front of the stroke.
This is a nice and simple technique set that aims to get you feeling the water, moving through a pattern of sculling and focused movement exercises to improve the catch and pull. Todays full set is 3km, but please adjust it down to suit your experience and timing restrictions.
You can see all these exercises and more using the www.swimsmooth.guru and for individual help with your swimming check out our Video Analysis page and book in for your session or Join our weekly squad sessions for some productive swim sets hitting all areas of your training week.
Warm Up
400m Easy FC – using a breathing pattern of B3,B4W,B5,B6W per length (i.e. your first length will be breathing every 3, second length breathing every 4 to the weakest side etc, after 100m return to B3)
2 x 100m Round the world kick – Perform this drill as a length of Kick on side right, length of Streamline kick, length of Kick on side left & length of Kick on back. Focus on alignment, body position and a strong kick generated from the hip.
3 x 100m Front Crawl Build – Try to maintain body alignment focus gained in the previous exercise, build from easy to fast each 100m
Main Set
We are going to use three main drills, Scull 1, Scull 2 and Doggy paddle. We are not racing through these but hitting each with a real mental focus and gaining a feel for the water.
Recommended Kit : ideal paddles to use are Finis Freestyler or Finis Agility, we also recommend the Finis Axis Pull Buoy.
200m Pull boy and Paddles Swim – Nice easy swim trying to focus on the catch and pul of the stroke, and a nice aligned entry.
4 x 50m – Performed as 1 length Scull 1, returning in a nice and focused front crawl. Use a pull boy between the thighs
4 x 50m – Performed as 1 length Scull 2, returning in a nice and focused front crawl. Use a pull boy between the thighs
4 x 50m – Performed as 1 length Doggy paddles, returning in a nice and focused front crawl. Use a pull boy between the thighs
2 x 100m – Performed as quarter combo, perform scull 1 for half a length and then move to scull 2 position, return on the second length using doggy paddle for half a length then into Full Front crawl, perform the next 50m of the set as focused front crawl.
Repeat the Above but using a pull boy held between the ankles, this is where the axis buoy comes into its own as it is designed for this purpose. You will need to maintain a good core and body position with the pull boy in this position. Ty to avoid your legs snaking down the pool in either the drill parts or the swim.
Technical Cooldown
Try to put the feel you obtained from all of the above drills and swims into your stroke by performing some FC swim at various speeds
3 x 100m FC as: 1st set FAST, 2nd Set Moderate, 3rd Set Easy. No training aids at all, just pure swimming. Ensure you come off of each turn in a streamline / torpedo position and really focus on your catch, bending from the elbow to engage the water and press it backwards.
