Workout Wednesday: Swimming with Steelhead

It's never too late for a swim workout. Thanks to Steelhead Coaching for this week's Workout Wednesday!!

As we near race season, it’s important to be practicing more race specific skills, such as sighting.  We should also think about the race itself.  The start is crowded, we tend to go harder to get started and hopefully out in a good position.  After this we settle in to a good rhythm for the remainder of the swim.  I like to kick a little harder the last 50 yards of a swim to wake up the legs prior to the transition into T2.  With these specifics in mind here is a good swim workout to incorporate.

Warm Up (WU) – Always do a WU prior to the main set.  Relax going into it, breath  and get the body moving before you tackle the hard work.

• WU :  300 – 500 yards (you can break this up any way you want, 50s, 100s, etc., with a little rest in between each.  I like to add breast stroke and back stroke to my WU to move different muscles prior to the Main Set.(400)
  
• Drill:  I think it’s important to always do at least 100 yards of drill work.  There are many to choose from, one of my favorites as the 6 – 1 – 6 drill, google this for a good video of how to do it properly.

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 Main Set:

• 10 x 50 :20RI (RI = rest interval) – push hard the 1st 25 of each and settle into a more steady hold able pace on the 2nd 25. (250)
  
• 1:00 RI
  
• 3 x 200 :45RI – During these 200s, hold your steady race pace and practice sighting every 2nd 25.  Try to make it as smooth as possible, I like to lift my head on my breathing side and quickly look forward while slowly rotating it back into position in the water and taking in a breath at the same time.  There are numerous videos out there as an example.  As with everything, practice makes perfect. (600)
  
• 1:00 RI
  
• 4 x 100 :30RI – Steady race pace, but on the last 25, kick from the hips and little harder than your normal kick.  A should see a rise in the heart rate.  Take the :30RI to get your breath back and go at it again. (400)
  
• 1:00 RI
  
• 1 x 500 A steady endurance part of the workout.  Control your pace and breathing so that each 50 is similar in pace.
  

200 Warm Down (WD) – Mixed stroke and break up the 200 any way you want.