Weekend Swim Workout: Mix and Match
Looking to mix it up in the pool? This weekend's swim set is full of fun.
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Now is a great time to incorporate new things into your training. One example: swim drills. Adding drills into your sets can allow you to break down certain parts of the freestyle stroke and ultimately help you become a more efficient swimmer.
Swim Drills
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.
Mix and Match Swim Set
A:
10 min choice swim warm-up
6 min kick (:40 easy, :20 HARD!, repeat)
16×25 on :30 (2 drill/2 build to FAST!)
2 x [4×25 IM on :30
3×50 on :45 (25 FAST!/25 easy)
4×100 on 1:25 (50 FAST!/50 easy)
5×150 on 2:15 (100 FAST!/50 easy)]
6×25 w/:10 rest (1 feet-first/1 underwater/1 Frog drill, repeat)
150 cool-down
*4200 total*
B:
10 min choice swim warm-up
6 min kick (:40 easy, :20 HARD!, repeat)
16×25 on :40 (2 drill/2 build to FAST!)
2 x [4×25 non-free on :40
3×50 on :60 (25 FAST!/25 easy)
3×100 on 2:00 (50 FAST!/50 easy)
3×150 on 3:00 (100 FAST!/50 easy)]
6×25 w/:10 rest (1 feet-first/1 underwater/1 Frog drill, repeat)
150 cool-down
*3300 total*
C:
10 min choice swim warm-up
6 min kick (:40 easy, :20 HARD!, repeat)
12×25 w/:10 rest (2 drill/2 build to FAST!)
4×25 non-free w/:10 rest
4×50 w/:15 rest (25 FAST!/25 easy)
4×100 w/:20 rest (50 FAST!/50 easy)
4×150 w/:30 rest (100 FAST!/50 easy)]
6×25 w/:10 rest (1 feet-first/1 underwater/1 Frog drill, repeat)
150 cool-down
*2400 total*