Minnow workout: long course prep
This workout is designed to prepare you for long course swimming when
you can only train in a short course yards pool. There is a strong emphasis
on stroke counting.
1. Warm-up
- 200 swim easy
- 200 alternating 50 kick and 50 pull
- 200 fist drill
- The FIST DRILL is when you swim
freestyle with your hand closed in a fist, forcing you to use your forearms
rather than your shoulders
- 25, right arm only
- 25, left arm only
- 50 stroke & glide (hold both arms out in front much longer than
normal, accenting the glide phase of freestyle)
- 100 swim with open hands
2. Warm-up sprints
- SWIM GOLF -- Par 84
- To get your score, add the number of strokes you take for 50 yards
and add your time in seconds (39 strokes + 45 seconds = par 84); get good
extended reach, pull all the way through touching your thigh with your
thumb before starting recovery; emphasize quality rather than speed
- 3 x 100, alternating 50 easy kick and 50 swim
3. Main set
- 2 x 175 on 3:30, descending
- because long course meters is longer than short course yards, this
set has you doing "overdistance" swimming; pay attention to stroke
count; when you descend, you should get more rest
- 100 (50 kick easy, 50 swim)
- 2 x 125 on 2:30
- 100 easy
4. Choice
- 4 x 75 on 2:00; build; count strokes (breast & fly should be on-half
of your freestyle count and back should be about the same
- easy 50 kick
- 4 x 50 on 1:30; descend, focus on stroke count, stay streamlined, 100%
effort
5. Warm-down