Weekend Swim Workout: Pop-Ups, Tennessee Tumblers, and Sailboats
Learn about a few new drills and then try them out with this swim set from coach Sara McLarty.
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With no racing for the foreseeable future, now is a great time to try new things—like swim drills. This weekend’s swim workout features three unique drills. Read the descriptions and then find the set that fits your skill and fitness level below. The A set is based on intervals of 1:20–1:30 per 100. The B set is based on intervals of 1:50–2:00 per 100. The C set is 2,000–2,500 yards/ meters total and based on a rest interval. Happy swimming!
Drills
Tennessee Tumblers:
Push off the wall and swim to the flags near the opposite side of the pool. When you swim under the flags, dive underwater and kick into the wall. Stay under the water as you perform a flip turn or open-turn. Push off and streamline kick until you are past the flags. Pop up and continue swimming back to the wall you started at. This is a very challenging breath-control set and helps swimmers get comfortable with being underwater and holding their breath.
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.
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).
A:
500 choice
6 minute kick (30 sec easy, 30 sec hard, 3x(10 sec easy, 10 sec hard), repeat)
500 snake swim (every 4th 25 non-free)
300 swim (5 pop-ups every 50)
500 pull (build by 100)
300 IM (kick/drill/swim by 25)
5×100 on 1:45 (25 FAST! kick, 50 FAST swim, 25 easy sailboat drill)
6×50 on :55 (Tennessee Tumblers)
500 swim (as 5×100 IMs)
300 cool down (50 choice/100 swim, repeat)
*4000 total*
B:
500 choice
6 minute kick (30 sec easy, 30 sec hard, 3x(10 sec easy, 10 sec hard), repeat)
400 snake swim (every 4th 25 non-free)
300 swim (5 pop-ups every 50)
400 pull (build by 100)
300 free (kick/drill/swim by 25)
4×100 on 2:15 (25 FAST! kick, 50 FAST swim, 25 easy sailboat drill)
4×50 on 1:10 (Tennessee Tumblers)
400 swim (50 free/50 non-free)
300 cool down (50 choice/100 swim, repeat)
*3400 total*
C:
400 choice
6 minute kick (30 sec easy, 30 sec hard, 3x(10 sec easy, 10 sec hard), repeat)
300 snake swim (every 4th 25 non-free)
200 swim (5 pop-ups every 50)
300 pull (build by 100)
300 free (kick/drill/swim by 25)
3×100 w/ 20 sec rest (25 FAST! kick, 50 FAST swim, 25 easy sailboat drill)
4×50 w/ 20 sec rest (Tennessee Tumblers)
200 swim (50 free/50 non-free)
100 cool down
*2500 total*