OHCC SWIM & WELLNESS CLUB

Some Considerations for Preparing Your Own Swimming Workouts

by Kenneth J. Krueger c 1981,

revised 2016

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The main ideas in this paper may be adapted easily to any sport - cycling, running, cross country skiing, etc.

When starting or recommencing (after a layoff) a training program, always go easily and build duration and intensity over a period of time. It's always good to consult a physician before embarking on a training program.

Fitness swimmers should swim a minimum of a half an hour at 70-80% of their maximum heart rate (see 3L), not including warm up and down. Workouts filled with variety keep the swimmer or any athlete eager and stimulated. Don't do the same workout twice in one week. However, every few weeks it is good to swim the same series, e. g. 10-100's on 1:30 to see your improvement.

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1. WORKOUTS

Drink little sips of water before, during, and after workouts. Always warm up and loosen down at least 5-10 minutes each. Always include some kicking.

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EARLY SEASON: QUANTITY e.g.; single shot distance - 3000 or 100's, very short rest

MID-SEASON: QUANTITY and QUALITY More stroke work about 40%; Sprints at end of all workouts

LATE SEASON: QUALITY Broken swims, more rest, shorter distances, Starts, turns, relays

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2. VARIABLES

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1. Number of rounds: 1-1500, 60-25's 

2. Rest: 5 seconds - 10 minutes; 3-10 breaths 

3. Distance/round: = 25; 1500

4.   Time Standard: e.g., l:00 or better for 100s on 2 minutes

5.   Types: 

a. Pulls - w/wo paddles; w/wo buoys; w/wo rubbers 

b. Paddles - w/wo wrist strap 

c. Kicks - w/wo board; hands forward, hands back, (touch w/breast) on sides, on back, dolphin too

Fins - should kick as fast as would swim the stroke

d. Japanese crawl - (overlapping hands, continuous kick) watch underwater stroke, legs, hypoxic

e. Double arm backstroke - (continuous kick, head up) - Concentrate on bent-arm pull

f. "Rocky" swim - (closed fist)- feel forearm

g. KRLS - Kick, Right arm (w/kick), Left arm (w/kick), Swim-concentrate on stroke-1/4 of swim per KRLS

h. SKIPS -Swim, Kick, Pull, Swim 1/4 of swim per. Count strokes per lap, try to increase efficiency.

3. SETS

a. Straight series - 100's leaving on 2 minutes

b. Pace - 10-100's all same time and interval, e.g., 1:15/2 min.

c. Descending -10-100's, same interval, times get faster e.g., 1:20, 1:18, 1:16 / 2 min.

d. Distance - straight 800, 1500, 3000

e. Pick-ups - 4 laps - each lap faster than the other e.g., 100-17,16,15,14 sec.

f. Broken swims - e.g., rest at each 1/4 of distance 8-4 X 100, 10 sec. between 100, 1 min. @ 400

g. Pyramid - e.g., 50, 100, 150, 200, 150, 100, 50 w/same rest 30 sec. or pyramid rest.

h. Hypoxic - breath less than normal, but regularly e.g., 100, breathe every 3 strokes lap 1; 5 lap    2; 7 lap 3; 9 lap 4; OR No breath 25's

i. Speed Play (Fartlek) e.g., 1 lap easy, 1 lap fast, I easy 2 fast; 2 easy, 1 fast; keep good stroke

j. Repeat 75's under your 100 best time

k. Strokes -fly, back, breast, free, individual medley, inverted IM - (free, breast, back, fly)

1/2 - 1/2 kick 1/2, swim 1/2 (50k, 50s = 100) 

l. Sprints: 12 1/2 yds, 25 yds, or 50 yds. all out with long rest (a minute or more)

PUSLE RATE - immediately after repeat, count pulse for 6 sec. X 10 = 1 minute. When pulse gets to e.g., 80% (70% lowest) start next repeat. e.g., 35 year old man heart rate = 220-35 = 185 X 80% = 148, therefore when pulse hits 15/6 sec. start repeat.

4. STRENGTH Always keep proper form (e.g., high elbows)

a. Push-ups, thumb touching, elbows close to sides

b. Half, Half, Halves= 1/2, sit-up, 1/2, leg raise, 1/2, twist

c. Back push-ups - lie on stomach, keep hips and legs on ground, push up arching head and back.

d. Free weights may be used for: Strength (Universal) high weights, low reps; or Endurance low weight, high rep, short rest

e. Nautilus: 10-14 reps, maximum weight

f. Surgical tubing approximately 8' X 1" X ," use at home or in the office during slow time 

 

ALWAYS KEEP  PROPER FORM!

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Warm up well, stretching, etc. Don't be too Macho.

Loosen down well.

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SAMPLE WORKOUTS

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Early Season

Warm up 16-50’s: 4 round the horn/1:00 (fly, back, breast, free); 4 free/45s.; 4 specialty/1:00 (not free);

4 free/45s

3000 free; 3:00 rest

500 kick with fins, 1:00 rest

500 kick without fins, 1:00 rest (may be specialty)

500 inverted IM. (200 free, 150 breast, 100 back, 50 fly)

Warm down 4-100/1:00 free, back, IM. free

Total 5700

Mid Season

Warm up 500 free

4-400 Skips/7:00 2 with paddles, 2 without

4 X 4-100 IM., 4 per 2:00, 1:50, 1:40, 1:30, 1 minute extra between sets

4-200 specialty, 4:00 16-25/45s., No breaths Loosen down 500 free

Total 5400

Late Season

Warm up 5-100/1:30, breathe every 3,5,7,9 (per 25).

10-100 specialty/2:00 descending

10-50 kick (flutter/specialty)/1:30

5 X 4-50 specialty 5 sec./50, 5 min./200 (mix specialties OK)

8 25/1:00 specialty/free No breaths, except breast, Dive series 500 Warm down

Total 3700

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Ken Krueger was a National Champion and All-American at the University of Southern California.  He taught “Nutrition and Exercise” and Health for twenty years at the college level and has been a United States and Swiss National Team Nutritionist.  He Has worked with Olympians 1968-2000, anorexic to obese and homemakers to Olympic champions. Mr. Krueger is retired!

 

 

 

Foster Faith, Family, Freedom, and Friends!

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