Quick Set: Frogs, Sharks, And Pop-Ups

Learn three new drills — frog drill, shark drill, and pop-ups — with this week’s quick set workout.

A:

3×500 warm-up (#1 swim, #2 pull, #3 50 swim/50 kick)
6×150 pull on 2:20 (50 shark drill/100 build)
500 swim (5 Pop-ups, 100 swim, repeat)
8×50 w/:10 rest (25 Frog drill/25 Sailboat drill)
5×100 swim @ 1:30 (descend 1-5)
8×25 w/fins w/:15 rest (underwater kick)
300 cool-down

*4300 total*

B:

3×500 warm-up (#1 swim, #2 pull, #3 50 swim/50 kick)
4×150 pull @ 3:00 (50 Shark drill/100 build)
400 swim (5 Pop-ups, 100 swim, repeat)
6×50 w/:10 rest (25 Frog/25 sailboat drill)
4×100 swim @ 2:00 (descend 1-4)
6×25 w/fins w/:15 rest (underwater kick)
200 cool-down

*3550 total*

C:

3×300 warm-up (#1 swim, #2 pull, #3 50 swim/50 kick)
4×100 pull w/:15 rest (50 Shark drill/50 build)
400 swim (5 Pop-ups, 100 swim, repeat)
4×50 w/:10 rest (25 Frog drill/25 Sailboat drill)
3×100 swim w/:20 (descend 1-3)
4×25 w/fins w/:20 rest (underwater kick)
100 cool-down

*2400 total*

Frog drill:

Sit on a kickboard and use your arms to move forward with a breaststroke pulling motion. This is a great social activity because you can chat with your lane mates as you move down the pool. You will feel the muscles in your forearms and upper back getting a good workout!

Sailboat drill:

Hold a kickboard between your thighs. Make sure half of the board is sticking below your body when you swim freestyle. Use your core muscles to control your hip rotation (while the board tries to prevent rotation).

Shark drill:

Use a pull buoy or a kickboard between your thighs. After the finish of each stroke, reach back and tap the part of the buoy that is above water. This drill emphasizes finishing your stroke all the way to mid-thigh.

Pop-ups:

Face the wall and place both hands on the top of the edge of the pool. Push up and out of the water until your arms are fully extended and then drop back down into the water. This will be harder or easier depending on how high the edge of the pool is in relation to the surface of the water.