Weekend Swim Workout: Using a Backyard Pool Swim Tether
Have access to a play pool, but not quite sure how to use it to maintain swim fitness? Coach Sara McLarty is here to help.
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A backyard pool swim tether might just be one of the most important we triathletes came to own in 2020. After widespread pool closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your backyard pool—plus a swim tether—has likely never solved more problems for you and your swim fitness. We’ve all had to get extremely creative when it comes to keeping our swim workouts going, and purchasing a swim tether or making your own (a belt and some rope and/or bungee cord) has definitely been one of the better ways to do it. Kick the kids out of the pool, secure your swim tether, grab your swim bag, and get in the water. The video below shows how to set up and use a backyard pool swim tether, and then fellow Swim Like a Pro coach Misty Becerra demonstrates the workout.
Backyard Pool Swim Tether Workout
Warm Up
5 minutes of easy swimming & experimentation with the swim tether—it’ll take a bit of getting used to
3 minutes easy with a pull buoy
2 minutes easy kicking
Main Sets
*Only count one arm*
4 – 6 x [40 strokes FAST, 20 strokes easy, 20 strokes FAST, 10 strokes easy, rest :30]
3 – 5 x [100 strokes, build each 20 strokes (last 20 strokes are Sprint), rest :30]
Cool Down
3 minutes easy swim, some non-freestyle strokes
2 minutes “play” off the swim tether