Sample Swim Session 1

Here is a sample session plan to incorporate the sculling drills in the previous blog. In the video you will see the first three drills. The fourth sculling drill is performed by pushing off the wall with your arms at your sides. Bend one elbow to 90deg allowing your wrist to flex (bend) then straighten your elbow and extend your wrist so that you thumb brushes your thigh and you finish with your fingers pointing to the bottom of the pool. As one elbow bends the other straightens. Hard to picture? Think of a duck's foot as it swims through the water. Works for me anyway!

If it looks too hard you could reduce the main set to something more manageable. For those of you who find it difficult to put your face in the water, get some well-fitting goggles and just try doing the sculling drills while calmly breathing out in the water and then lifting your head to take a breath when you need it by performing a few breaststroke strokes. Put your face back in the water and repeat for 25m. Then just perform breaststroke for 25m.

Warm Up:

• 200m FC, RPE 12 (easy).

Technique set:

• 4x100m Sculling drills 1-4, perform each drill for 25m then FC 25m and repeat x2 (=100m), RPE 12.
  
• 2x50m FC, perform 25m with a closed fist then 25m with an open hand, RPE 12. How many strokes did you take for the first 25m versus the second 25m?

Main set:

• Novice - 3x200m FC, RPE 13-14 (somewhat hard to moderately hard), 40sec recovery.
• Intermediate - 5x200m FC, RPE 13-14, 40sec recovery.
• Advanced - 8x200m FC, RPE 13-14, 40sec recovery.

Cool down:

• 50m FC, 50m BrS, 50m FC, 50m your choice. RPE 12.
  

Abbreviations: FC = Front Crawl, RPE = Rating of Perceived Exertion, BrS = Breaststroke

Let me know what you think of the session by leaving a comment if you like.

Enjoy! Tim (LFTC Coach)