Silver Lining

Swimming:  SCY
Training Group: NLSC Silver

300 CH

5 x 100 Free on 1:40
5 x 100 IM on 1:55

10 x 25 Fly on :40

10 x 50 Breast/Free on 1:00
focus on body line and early catch

3 x 200 FK, FAST on 6:00

10 x 25 Fly on :40

Battle of 5 Armies

SCY - Silver Group

10 x {50 Jump Ropes
        {20 Tricep finishes (stretchcordz)
        {20 Swimmer pulls (stretchcordz)
        {:30 second wall sit
        {5 perfect pushups

300 rev IM DKS

20 x 50 DK/FL SLOB w/fins
5 on :55; 5 on :50; 5 on :55; 5 on :45

18 x 25 Fly
6 on :30 w/fins; 6 on 1:00 w/o fins; 6 on :30 w/fins

Breaststroke technique work

8 x 50 Breast; technique focus on 1:10

5 minutes of vertical kick with DragSox

Unlock the Door!

400 rev im

15 x 50 dk/do with fins on :55

8 x 25 fk sprint with dragsox on :45
Take sox off after 4

20 minutes breast technique work

13 x 25 Fly with fins on :30

Free time

Rainy days and Mondays

300 CH

5x100 Bk on 1:40

5x100 Fr on 1:30

5x100 Fr w/paddles on 1:30

5x100 k w/fins on 1:30

5x100 Fr w/fins&paddles on 1:20

10x50 Fr w/forearm fulcrum on :50/:40

8x50 Bk/Brst on :50

6x50 Scull/Brst on 1:00

4x50 Build MDPS on :45

2x50 Sprint on :40

4300 yds 

Did my time, took my chances. Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet

NLSC Gold - PM
SCY

Equipment - paddles, kb, swim mirrors

300 rev IM dks

watch Brendan Hansen GoSwim.tv video

12 x 50 Free/brst on 1:00
swimming over mirrors to watch head position

8 x 50 on1:15 scull/brst
focus on head position on Brst and holding water on scull

8 x 125 on 2:00
odds IM dbl Brst
evens 50Fr/50Brst/25Fr

20 x 50 on 1:00 EN2
brst kick/fk

Somebody save me. Let your waters break right through

NLSC Gold Boys - AM
SCM

Equipment - cp, snorkels, tennis balls, paddles, fins

15 x 100 EN1
1-5 cp and snorkel on 1:35 EN1
6-10 tennis balls and snorkel on 1:45 EN1+
11-15 paddles and snorkel on 1:25 EN2

9 x 25 sprint medley on :45 SP3

5 x {3 x 50 on 1:05 EN3
      {BPA fins and paddles
      {3 x 100 on 1:45 EN1
      {kick w/ fins

5 x 50 CH on 1:05 REC

Shallow End:

7 x {5 incline push-ups, 12.5 sprint no breath, 12.5 EZ  on 2:30 SP3

Finis Swimmer Snorkel in Butterfly

I have used the Swimmer's Snorkel, by Finis, for many years as a breath control and stroke technique device.  I have used it mostly in Freestyle, a little in Back and Breast, but very little during Fly.  Last week I observed on of my college swimmers using one for an entire set of fly.  I had to ask her about it afterward to see what her thoughts were.  She said it allowed her to swim more fly through a set without breaking down.  I however, noticed something more, but thought I would give it a more thorough try with a larger group...my senior boys.

Last Friday I gave a set of 25's Fly with snorkels and fins.  Throughout the set I encouraged the boys to keep their stroke profile, there stroke undulation, as tight as possible.  I really wanted to encourage them to engage their core more in the process of each stroke cycle.  When you have the snorkel on, you don't have to recover up to get a breath, but it also encourages a shallower downward motion as the hands are driving forward.  Undulate too deep, and your snorkel fills.  Recover to high, and you may as well not have on a snorkel because your face will be out of the water.

It was a real challenge for some of the boys to tighten up that body undulation.  However, once they got the hang of it, they began to use there core muscles (abs, lower back, upper legs) more in during each stroke cycle.  They were using there heads and arms less, and using their core more.  The result was more forward velocity in each stroke and fewer strokes per length.

I am sold on using the snorkel for fly, and encourage you to give it a try.

Fly Side Breathing

Side breathing as performed by Christine Magnuson

Side breathing during butterfly is nothing new.  However, I remember watching Mel Stewart winning the 200 Fly in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.  It was something new to me then, but it just now that I am starting to see why it might be a good thing...at least for some swimmers.

Since Mel's success there have been many to imitate his side breathing technique.  For some swimmers, I believe, it may be the best option for their fly stroke.

Reason #1:  There is an imbalance in the recovery between the right and left side.  Some swimmers "lean" to the right or left during the recovery of their arms.  This poor balance could be corrected by breathing to the correct side.  For instance, if a swimmer's right arm recovers a bit higher than their left, breathing toward the left side might tend to draw that right arm down a bit.

Reason #2:  The upper body is recovering too high out of the water.  If a swimmer recovers too high out of the water, asking them to breath to the side may help lower their head position.  By asking them to breath to the side and keep their lower cheek on the surface of the water, they may be able to keep their head lower on the breath.

Whether it is the 1st or 2nd reason, the result is the same, a tighter undulation during the stroke.  Such a body motion would encourage a swimmer to engage their core throughout the stroke, instead of just throwing their upper body up and down during the stroke.

Tomorrow I have another idead for encouraging a more core strength during the undulation in butterfly.

Accept the risk and then reap the rewards

NLSC Gold Boys - AM
SCM

equipment: catch paddles, paddles, fins, snorkels

20 x 75 Free with catch paddles and snorkels EN1-EN2+
1-10 on 1:15, 11-17 on 1:10, 18-20 on 1:05

7 x 100 on 1:35 free with paddles EN1+
focus on distance per stroke

6 x 25 on :45 Sprint Medley SP3

21 x 50 on BPA  EN3
1-7 Free on 1:00, 8-14 Stroke on 1:05, 15-21 Free on 1:10
fins and paddles

7 x 50 on 1:00 CH EZ  REC

Ultimate

Manikins for swimming demonstration

I have recently been working hard to convey a specific skill to my swimmers.  I have used video, demonstrators, multiple ways of describing the skill, but was still not quite reaching them.  Then I remembered my assistant Woody.

Woody is a 12" wooden manikin that I originally purchased about 6 years ago.  I was inspired while at a USA Swimming Select Camp in Colorado Springs.  Former Resident Team Coach, Jonty Skinner was using one to demonstrate various body positions and techniques.  It worked great for me.

Since then I have found that I can usually count on Woody to lend yet another visual tool for the swimmers to see the skill in 3D.  When standing on deck it is not always possible to adequately describe or even demonstrate the skill you are trying to convey.  The simplest example I can think of is turns.  It is simply not possible to demonstrate a complete turn while standing on deck.  However, pull out your wooden manikin, and you can do it with ease.

Try showing your swimmers proper body roll in freestyle and backstroke while standing vertically on deck.  With the manikin, you can demonstrate the roll in the proper orientation for the swimmers to better see what it is you are describing.

Manikins of various sizes are available for about $10 on amazon.com and are light enough to keep in your coaching bag...right next to your stop watch.  It's like having an extra coach in your bag.

I have even recently ordered a manikin head to keep at the pool.  I plan to put a team cap and goggles on it and use it for my learn to swim and novice swimmers.  I think it will be a great way to help kids learn the proper head positions in each stroke.  A coach or instructor can hold the manikin head in the proper position and still be able to talk to the swimmers.  These are also available on amazon.com, but are not really the right size for your coaching bag...you will probably want to keep it at the pool.

NLSC Gold Boys - PM

SCM

10 x 75 on 1:30 DKS EN1

no 2 consecutive 75's same stroke

9 x 25 on :30 SP3

Sprint Medley, at least one cycle kick

3 x 300 on 5:00 EN2

Free, Back, IM by 100's

12 x 50 MOP on 1:10 EN2-SP3

crisp turns: when in doubt stretch it out, be small at the wall, no breathing off free turns

50 medium speed focus on form

50 medium-fast speed increase velocity while maintaining form

50 fast, put it all together

5 x 150 on 3:00 EN2

50 brst or dolphin kick

50 scull w paddles

50 breast w paddles

Shallow end for remainder of practice:

10 minutes of block start practice

40 x 25 on :30/:40 EN2

odds are Fly swim

evens are DK SLOB

4,850 meters

Back in the Saddle

1 minute rest between sets

1 x 300 on 5:00 rev IM D/K/S REC

5x{1 x 200 on 3:15 Free/Back EN1
{3 x 50 on :55 Swim/FK SLOB EN1

10 x 50 on 1:00 Free EN2
[10 kicks on side every 3 hand hits]

4x{5 x 100 on 1:30 [75 Free/25 short axis CH] EN2
{4 x 25 on :45 DK SLOB [under H2O as far as you can go] HYP

20x{1 x 25 on :30 Fly (or DK SLOB) EN2
{1 x 25 on :30 Back (7 DK's off wall) EN1

3 x 50 on 1:00 CH EZ REC

5,600 Yards

Don't look back....you've been there.

1 minute rest between sets

1 x 300 on 5:00 rev IM D/K/S REC

8 x 50 on 1:00 IMO/free EN1

12 x 75 on 1:20 25brst/50free EN2
drill the odds/MDPS the evens

10 x 100 50back/50free EN1-EN2+
odds on 1:40/evens on 1:25
work exits off of all walls

relays

2,600 Yards