Weekend Swim Workout: Swim Technique Focus
Improving on the various aspects of freestyle swimming can feel overwhelming, which is why part of this workout allows you to focus on one thing at a time.
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This week’s swim technique workout comes from Tom Manzi, a USAT Level II coach with Bolton Endurance Sports Training. Manzi uses this workout with many of his athletes, who range from newbies to elites.
Swim Technique Focus
Warm-up: 300 easy swim
Drill Set: 4x[8×25] at a moderate pace, with a focus on one technique for each of the sets. Take 15–20 seconds rest between each 25.
| Set | Focus | Directions |
|---|---|---|
| Set 1: | POSTURE | Focus on head position, looking down to raise your hips. |
| Set 2: | DIRECTION | Focus on hand entry equal with shoulder, don’t crossover—think “swim like a penguin walks.” |
| Set 3 | LENGTH | Focus on extending your hand and arm as far as you can above the water, trying to enter with fingertips first. The longer you extend, the better you will rotate. |
| Set 4 | CATCH | Focus on fingertips entering water first, with a locked wrist. Keep wrist locked with fingertips pointing to bottom of pool for entire catch phase. |
Main Set: 10×25 fast with 20 sec rest. Only go as fast as you can hold good form. Focus on what you did in your drill set. Count strokes and time each 25. What was your average stroke count and average time?
Cool-down: 200 easy
= 1550 total