Swimming

What’s your weekly training micro cycle for your group?

Training Micro Cycle: A Closer Look at Our Weekly Routine

Okay, what we normally do? Just dip as a little bit within the three different groups that we've got. We've got a distance group. We've got a middle distance group. We've got a Sprint group, essentially the same, but a little bit different. Obviously, the distance athletes are at, certainly doing a lot more volume than everyone else. But the, the sequencer what we do is very similar. Monday morning is normally like anaerobic descending typeset. The sprinters might do five kilometers, the middle distance, six, the distance, my Seven Monday afternoon will be like a heart rate typeset, you know, with the swimmers are working through a main set for the sprinters. It might be 1200 meters for the diddle middle-distance athletes. It might be two and a half kilometers for the distance. It might be between 3 and 4 km where their heart rates are sitting up between 160 and 180 Beats. Tuesday more they'll do gym as well on Monday morning, Tuesday morning. Everyone does a 30-minute bike cardio session together as a group. No matter what some of you are. Everyone comes in for that Tuesday. Morning session is normally fairly aerobic with a little bit of speed spiked in there. In preparation for the lactate lactate production. Removal type work we do on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning is normally a recovery session where we go. Mainly aerobic work, on the back of that. Everyone. Does Jim for between about an hour, an hour and a quarter Wednesday. Afternoon is off for everyone. Thursday morning is bike again for 30 minutes before we get in the pool and those bike sessions are done by a physiologist or a gym coach. Sometimes does them as well, you know, they reasonably challenging those Like sessions. And on the Thursday, the Sprint middle distance in the morning, do a bit of a power circuit with harnesses, some underwater stuff, some shorts printing, work, getting ready again for the afternoon. The Thursday, afternoons of quality based session for everyone, whether they're Sprint, middle distance, or distance Friday morning is normally recovery based as well, Friday afternoon. Only the distance swimmers try Rain, the middle distance, and the Sprint. Guys are off. They do gym after the session on Friday morning. So 3gm, Monday Wednesday Friday, morning to bike Tuesday and Thursday morning. And then Saturday morning is normally broken swims or descend work. I change. It ran might be a test set to finish off the week with a nice strong session. So we normally do mostly long course, but there's two short course sessions that we do each week normally on a Friday morning. And on a Saturday morning to finish off the week. We're more we do short, cut short course, work.

For swim practice, we do anaerobic descending sets on Monday mornings, heart rate sets in the afternoon, 30 minute bike cardio sessions on Tuesday mornings, aerobic sets on Wednesday mornings, power circuits with harnesses and underwater work on Thursday mornings, quality based sets on Thursday afternoons, recovery sets on Friday mornings, test sets on Saturday mornings, and broken swims or descend work on Saturday mornings. We also do two short course sessions each week, usually on Friday and Saturday mornings.

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Our weekly training microcycle for the group is structured differently based on the three groups we have: distance, middle distance, and sprint. While there are variations, the overall sequencing is similar.

On Monday mornings, we focus on anaerobic descending typesets. The sprinters might cover five kilometers, middle distance six, and distance seven. In the afternoon, we shift to a heart rate typeset, with varying distances for each group, keeping their heart rates between 160 and 180 beats.

Tuesday mornings begin with a 30-minute group bike cardio session, followed by an aerobic session with some speed elements to prepare for lactate production and removal work in the evening.

Wednesday mornings are dedicated to recovery sessions with mainly aerobic work, followed by an hour to an hour and a quarter of gym training. Wednesday afternoons are off for everyone.

Thursday mornings start with another 30-minute bike session before getting in the pool. The Sprint and middle distance groups engage in a power circuit with harnesses, underwater work, and short sprints to prepare for the afternoon's quality-based session, which is common for all groups.

Friday mornings are recovery-focused, while the distance swimmers train in the afternoon. The middle distance and sprint groups have the day off, but they do gym training after the Friday morning session.

Saturday mornings typically involve broken swims or descend work, sometimes including test sets. We primarily train in long course, but we incorporate two short course sessions each week, usually on Friday and Saturday mornings.

This training microcycle provides a general overview of our weekly schedule, tailored to the specific needs of each group.

How do you coach "even splits" for a 200 m or 400 m? Could you share an example set?

Mastering Even Splits: A 400m Training Set That Delivers Results

Hey, [? Petroz. ?] An example of a 2 meter set that we use reasonably often that tries to teach even splits or negative split. The set would be something like two 25s walk back from a dive. We do those on 130 just to activate and open them up at the start. Then working into eight 50s on a cycle of 60 seconds, at 200 pace plus 2 with a low stroke count. So if the 2 meter pace is 26 seconds, I've got to go 28s for their repeat 50s on the minute with the lowest stroke count that I can, straight into four 100s on 2 minutes. One, the first one at back end speed, plus 6. The next 100, back end speed, plus 4. The third 100, back end speed, plus 2. Then the last 100, right on back end speed. But all the hundreds have to be even split. So for an example, for a top class tournament of freestyler who's trying to come back in 53 seconds on the back 100, on those four 100s on 2 minutes long course, they'd go 59, 57 on the second, 55 on the third, 153 on the fourth, 100. But it had to be even split, otherwise we wouldn't count them. Two 100s recovery after that on whatever cycle. Then to finish off the block, a 200 PB plus 15. So 145 long course 200 freestyle has got to swim 2 minutes. And the back 100, that 200 to be done is a negative split in the back 100. Their goal is split plus 2. So if they're aiming to come home in 53, I'd like to try and get them home in about 55 at the back end. So a 145 swimmer, 15 over their best is two minutes. They'd have to swim the first 100 in this training set at 65. And then the second, 155, once again, even splitting. So we would go through all of that, do maybe a 500 easy at the end. And we might go through that whole block two times.

A 2 meter set we use often to teach even splits or negative split consists of two 25s from a dive, eight 50s on a cycle of 60 seconds at 200 pace plus 2, four 100s on 2 minutes with back end speed plus 6, 4, 2 and then 0, two 100s recovery, and a 200 PB plus 15.

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An example of a set that can help coach even splits or negative splits for a 200m or 400m race is as follows:

- Start with two 25m swims, walking back from a dive, to activate and open up the swimmers. These are done on a cycle of 130 seconds.
- Move into eight 50m swims on a cycle of 60 seconds, at a pace slightly slower than the target race pace (e.g., 2 seconds slower for a 200m race). Focus on maintaining a low stroke count.
- Transition to four 100m swims on a cycle of 2 minutes. The first 100m is swum at a pace slightly slower than the target race pace plus 6 seconds, the second 100m at target race pace plus 4 seconds, the third 100m at target race pace plus 2 seconds, and the final 100m at target race pace. The key is to evenly split each 100m swim.
- Take a 100m recovery swim after the four 100m swims, using any cycle.
- Finish the set with a 200m swim at a pace 15 seconds slower than the swimmer's personal best time for that distance. For example, if a swimmer's best time is 1:45, they would aim to swim the 200m in 2 minutes. The goal is to negative split the back 100m, so if the target is to come back in 53 seconds, the swimmer should aim to finish the second 100m in about 55 seconds.

The set can be repeated or followed by an easy 500m swim. This set helps train swimmers to maintain even splits or negative splits during their races, improving their pacing and endurance.

How do you politely convince a non-talented swimmer that hard work isn’t sufficient enough to win at the highest level? 

Unlocking Success: The Keys to Winning at the Highest Level in Swimming

I think to win at the highest level, there's a whole bunch of things that you've got to be doing really. Well, the ability to work hard. I think is a huge part. So I think if they're taking that box, that's something that's very, very positive. But as well as that it's you know, technical having great technique having great skills having that good work ethic which it sounds like they've got being a consistent worker is also very, very important race strategy. How well they recover. How coachable is that? Some of there's a whole bunch of different things, but I think you need to be discussing this with a man in a non-threatening manner. So it's just, you know, pulling to the side and having a conversation and letting them know what they're doing. Really, really well? And perhaps maybe one or two things that they need to work on a little bit more in order to keep progressing.

To win at the highest level, you need to have a good work ethic and great technical skills, as well as race strategy, recovery ability, and coachability. It's important to discuss this with them in a non-threatening manner and let them know what they're doing really well and one or two things they could work on.

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To excel at the highest level in swimming, there are multiple factors to consider beyond just hard work. While a strong work ethic is essential, other aspects such as technique, skills, race strategy, recovery, and coachability also play significant roles. It's important to have a respectful and non-threatening conversation with the non-talented swimmer to discuss these factors.

Start by acknowledging their dedication and hard work, as that is a positive attribute. Then, gently highlight the areas where they excel and the specific things they are doing well. Finally, kindly mention one or two areas where they could focus on improving in order to continue progressing.

Approaching the conversation in a supportive and constructive manner will help them understand that while hard work is important, there are additional elements to consider in order to succeed at the highest level.

What’s your favourite lactate set and what do you look for in them?

Lactate Sets: Overloading Volume, Lactate, and Speed for Optimal Performance

I think it depends on what group you're talking about, whether it's sprint middle distance or distance. I think if it's sprint, it will be totally different to what it is for the middle distance, distance people. But I'll give you an example of a middle distance set. It might be 12 or 16 50's where the base might be 130. So they're getting a good minute's rest between each. And I think they're getting an overload in three areas on this one. I think the volume of the set, if they're doing 16 50's, it's 800 meters. So for a tournament this summer, it's four times as long as their race. If they're a 400 meter, so it's twice as long as their race. So they're getting that first overload in volume. They're getting an overload in lactate. They're producing and dealing with more lactate in that set. Then there was my dog, sorry. They're dealing with more lactate in that set than they'll experience when they race, so they're definitely getting an overload in lactate. And what I like to see is the maintenance of speed with that lactate in them. And the third overload they're getting is the actual speed that they're swimming at. Hopefully, they're swimming at a speed that's faster than their race pace for both the 200 and the 400. So it's for those three reasons that I like either 12 or 16 or even 20 50's, working on a good rest so they're able to maintain and hold great speed, low-stroke count, relative, and nice, even stroke rates.

A middle distance set might include 12-20 50s with a base of 130. This provides an overload in volume, lactate, and speed relative to the athlete's race pace in order to help them maintain speed and low stroke counts.

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My favorite lactate set depends on the group I'm working with, whether it's sprint, middle distance, or distance swimmers. For middle distance swimmers, I find a set of 12 or 16 50-meter swims with a base time of 130 and a good minute of rest between each repetition to be effective.

This set provides an overload in three areas. First, it challenges the swimmers with a higher volume, such as 800 meters, which is four times longer than their race distance for a summer tournament or twice as long for a 400-meter race. Second, it creates an overload in lactate production and management, pushing them to deal with more lactate than they would experience in a race. Lastly, it focuses on maintaining speed while having lactate in their system.

Ideally, the swimmers should be swimming at a speed faster than their race pace for both the 200 and 400-meter distances. This combination of volume, lactate overload, and maintaining speed helps improve their performance.

Overall, I like sets that allow swimmers to maintain great speed, low-stroke count, and consistent stroke rates.

How do I structure my weekly training program with aerobic, threshold and anaerobic TP workouts? 

Optimizing Weekly Training: Balancing Aerobic, Threshold, and Anaerobic Workouts

I think my basic rule of thumb with coaching is that you're looking after and you're trying to develop three energy systems. The arriving system is one. So you're going to ensure, every week, that you've got enough aerobic work in the sessions that you're delivering to ensure that, that aerobic system is at a very good level. Threshold work, I think, is a very important part of what the 200 meter, 400 meter and up people are doing. So it's making sure that you're putting in amounts of that to your program. We tend to go, maybe, one of those a week. We normally do that on a Monday afternoon. A threshold or a heart rate type work. The aerobic stuff is there every session in varying intensities. Some of it's easy aerobics. Some of it's middle aerobics. Some of it's harder aerobic. And then, also, you've got your anaerobic power work. So with our group, I guess, we do four main sets a week. Monday afternoon-- to give you an overview. Monday afternoon, it's like a heart ratey type set, which you could classify, I guess, as a combination of aerobic and threshold. Tuesday night is some form of lactate work. It's normally a lactate production removal type set. Then the next main set's Thursday night, which is normally quality. So I'd call that, probably, lactate tolerance or lactate accumulation work. And then Saturday morning, based upon how they've gone through the week, it might be a test set, or it might be a descend set or we might go some broken swims or we might go some efforts on the Saturday morning. It just depends how the first part of the week has gone. So I guess I just try and make sure I'm ticking the boxes where I look at their aerobic development to make sure that aerobic development is there. And I think it's very important, early season, to make sure that aerobic system is really looked after and taken care of, because if you're shirking the work in that aerobic fitness, you're not able to do the high quality rep stuff that you're doing a little bit later in the season. So that's got to be looked after. The lactic system, I think, in terms of production removal and also lactate accumulation or tolerance. Whatever words you want to use, I think, are very important as well. And I think doing the broken swims and the descent work to finish the week off-- I'd like to see them finish finishing the week off quite strong. I think if you've put enough recovery into your weekly cycle, they should be able to hopefully finish quite strong on that Saturday morning.

In coaching, it's important to develop all three energy systems. Aerobic work should be done every session in varying intensities, with threshold and anaerobic power work also included weekly. Monday afternoons are for threshold/heart rate work, Tuesday nights for lactate production/removal, Thursday nights for lactate tolerance/accumulation, and Saturday mornings for test sets, descend sets, broken swims or efforts. Recovery should be included in the weekly cycle to ensure that athletes can finish the week off strong.

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When structuring your weekly training program with aerobic, threshold, and anaerobic TP workouts, it's important to focus on developing and maintaining three energy systems. Here's a general guideline:

1. Aerobic Work: Ensure that you include enough aerobic work in each session to develop a strong aerobic system. Vary the intensity of the aerobic work, including easy, moderate, and harder aerobic exercises. This should be incorporated into every session throughout the week.

2. Threshold Work: For athletes specializing in events like the 200m or 400m, threshold work is crucial. Include one threshold or heart rate-based workout per week, typically on a Monday afternoon. This type of training helps improve the ability to sustain a higher intensity for a longer duration.

3. Anaerobic Power Work: Dedicate specific sessions to anaerobic power development. Aim for four main sets per week. For example, on Tuesday night, focus on lactate production and removal. On Thursday night, prioritize quality work, such as lactate tolerance or accumulation. On Saturday morning, based on the athletes' performance and recovery, consider a test set, a descend set, broken swims, or efforts to finish the week.

It's essential to prioritize aerobic development early in the season to lay a solid foundation. Neglecting aerobic fitness can hinder the ability to perform high-quality repetitions later on. Additionally, pay attention to the lactic system, including production, removal, and tolerance. Incorporating broken swims and descent work at the end of the week helps athletes finish strong.

Remember to allow for sufficient recovery within your weekly training cycle to ensure athletes can perform at their best.

What sets would you suggest for 100 m butterfly speed endurance?

Improve 100m butterfly speed endurance with these sets

I think there's a lot of different things you can do to work on speed endurance for the 100 fly. One example, might be 825 s butterfly on 30 where the athletes some of the best speed. They can for the a 25's, get them to count their Strokes. Once they've done the 825, sad the times up together, divided by 8, to get an average time for the 825 and over the course of the next three months, the objective is to Try and maintain stroke, count and drop the average. Time of the 825 is down. I think that's not a bad little set. Another one might be for 25, Psalm Thirty followed by 50 on the minute and 325's on 3050, on the minute 225s on 3050 on the minute. And then 125 on 30 followed by 50 and swim off. You can do that, you know, once through twice through whatever you like to to do but you know, I think the stroke count side of things is very important but looking at the X at the swimmers assuming you don't want them on the 425 for argument's sake, being at 12:5 and then the three dropping away to 13 5 and then 14 5 and then 15 5. What you're after is that maintenance of speed, you know, all the way through or as close to that as you can. And I think once they practice sets like that, over the course of time, you'll see them adapting and getting better in terms. Terms of what of what times are actually able to hole.

To work on speed endurance for the 100 fly, one example might be 825s butterfly on 30, counting strokes and trying to maintain a consistent average time. Another could be 25s, followed by 50s and 325s on 3050 on the minute, 225s on 3050 on the minute, 125 on 30 followed by 50 and swim off, aiming to maintain speed throughout.

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There are several sets that can be effective for improving speed endurance in the 100m butterfly. One example is doing 8x25s butterfly on a 30-second interval. During these 25s, athletes should focus on swimming at their best speed and count their strokes. After completing the 825s, add up the times and divide by 8 to calculate the average time for the set. Over the next three months, the goal is to maintain the stroke count while reducing the average time for the 825s.

Another set to consider is 4x25s butterfly on a 30-second interval, followed by 1x50 on the minute, then 3x25s on a 30-second interval, followed by 1x50 on the minute, and so on. This set can be repeated once or twice, depending on preference. The focus here is on maintaining speed and stroke count throughout the set.

The key is to pay attention to stroke count and observe how it changes over time. For example, if a swimmer starts with a stroke count of 12.5 on the 425s, the goal is to maintain that count or get as close to it as possible as the distance decreases (e.g., 13.5 on the 325s, 14.5 on the 225s, and 15.5 on the 125s). The objective is to maintain speed throughout the set and improve over time.

By incorporating sets like these into training, swimmers can work on speed endurance and see improvements in their performance over time.

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