Geordies Plan

To help in your planning here is Geordie's seasonal plan. Your season will feature 32 weeks but there are some extra weeks below. Every week look at how your swim went and tweak your plan as you learn. Your plan should be a living document.

Periodization:

• Fall starts with some freestyle technique work but then moves into all strokes. The unspoken goal is to have everyone swim a 100m IM in December. The variety of movements, including turns, help the swimmers to gain greater agility in the water and also build strength. It also provides a sense of variety as the rest of the year is majority freestyle.

• Winter is about freestyle technique along with a more focused build of fitness using that stroke.

• Spring is time for the hard yards. The drill segment is the first to go followed soon after by the kick set. These element step aside to allow for longer main sets and sometimes double main sets with a break between. The program builds to peak fitness in May.  In late May a couple workouts featuring open water skills can bring a fun change.

• Note: Warm up and cool down are always the same, alternating 25s of front, back, breast. I find this allows swimmers to get going right away while others are arriving.

Legend

Act: muscular activation exercises

Wu: warm up

RTR: rest to recovery

MS: main set

OA: one arm

SSHU: side swim head up

Alt: alternate

PE: perceived exertion

SR: stroke rate

TT: time trial

': minutes (ie 8' means eight minutes)

": seconds (ie 30" means thirty seconds)

DPS: distance per stroke

RI: rest interval

PB: pull buoy

PBPB: pull buoy paddles band

Cont: continuous

2bt: two beat kick

Hypox: hypoxic (holding breath)

1. 

• Your workout - rest as often as you need - starting slow and build - shoulders

• Goals: fun - health - better swimmer (take your skills to the next level)

• Act

• Wu

• Intro: volume will start ~1200 build to 200+

• Fin Kick, rtr

• Etiquette: keep the T clear

• Fin Superman kick, scull breath, hand depth

• One arm, hand depth lead arm and stroke

• Open turns: back/side/full

• MS 10’: 50s front/PE 6/rtr

• Stretch

2. 

• Act

• Wu

• Fin kick back: glance at rope/flags for positioning, eyes up, knee submerged, straight recov

• Fin superman 50/OA 50, rtr

• SSHU

• OA off side: Lead arm, 3 tap to check bob

• MS: 50s/pe6/rtr min 10”

• 50s/rtr/6 focus extension

3. 

• Act

• Wu

• Fin alt flutter 50/one leg 50 (intro: big, slower, half dolphin, rock butt)

• Back stroke (BK):

  • Safety: flags and watch lane rope

  • Explain head position, shoulder, entry exit

  • Kick on back, face up, bottom arm extended/pinky down, shoulder up, switch lead at half, slightly on back

• 10’ Super slow backstroke, focus recovery, entry, along with head/shoulder

• 10: BK turn and underwater

  • Breathe out through nose or tongue on roof sinus pressure

  • Away from wall, get flat in back, rotate around hip, sit back in a recliner

  • Hop, pause, push

  • Arms past chest

  • Not too deep

  • Dolphin

• 10’ BK 50s, PE 6, RTR

  • Determine your stroke count flags to wall

  • Come to wall on side

• Explain hockey stick side pull (power and efficient) vs deep pull (good for mobility)

  • Crouch and do back stroke walk backwards playing with pull 

• Main: Front 25/back 25, rtr, work in turn

• Stretch

4.

• Act

• WU

• 8’ Kick fins: alt 50 flutter, 50 one leg (big and slow, hip driven)

• 5’ Front to back turns, back to front turns

• 10’ 50s Bk/6/rtr - head, shoulder, flags/rope

• 8’ OA drill: lead depth, head bottom goggle

• 20’ 100s alt 25 front 25bk/pe6-7/rtr

5. 

• Act

• WU

• 8’ Kick fins: alt 50 flutter 25 one leg 25 dolphin

• 5’ breast arm motion: infront, stir the pot, recover up the middle

  • Standing first, out front not beneath chest

  • Next stroke with easy fin flutter fins, some with head down to watch

• 5’ Breast Kick

  • Whip vs Frog (bottoms of feet, knee risk) Like a Plie

  • Fins on hands to demo and sitting on deck demo

  • Option: On back with board on chest or over knees, keep knees submerged

  • Focus on glide with feet together

• 10’ Breast Stroke (BR) 50s/pe6/rtr

  • Timing: kick > glide > pull

  • Don’t pull past chest

  • High elbow

• 5’ Breast Turns: 

  • Push > glide > dolphin 

  • + double pull 

  • + b kick and pull to surface

• 100s alt 50 front + 25 back + 25 breast > review turns

6.

• Act

• Kick with fins: Alt 25 flutter/25 dolphin

• OA no fins, paddle option: focus on DPS

• Back: fins on, 25 back tilt kick then fins off repeat 75s backstroke SLOW SR

  • Review: nose, exit, entry, rotation, pull

• Breast: 25 kick with board (glide head down) then 75s breast SLOW SR

  • Review: kick - glide - pull, add head position option, deck/board option for kick

• Front: fins on 25 SSHU then fins off and repeat 75s swim SLOW SR

  • Focus on DPS, count

7.

• Act

• 5’ Kick with fins: Alt 50 flutter, 50 dolphin

• 5’ One Arm: alt 25 with flutter, 25 with dolphin

• 8' Turns

  • Front - side, tuck, arm over, streamline, dolphin

  • Back - side, tuck, submerge, streamline, angle, dolphin

  • Breast - open, dolp/dbl pul/breast

• 8’ 50s front crawl, PE 7, RTR - head, rotation, extension

• 8’ 50s back stroke, PE 7, RTR - head, rotation, timing

• 8’ 50s breast stroke, PE 7, RTR - glide, head

• Cool down choice

8. 

• Act including adductors

• 5’ breast kick with board: 

• 5’ fins kick alt 25s flutter, dolphin, back

• 5' OA dolphin and fins

• Turns

  • Front to back

  • Back to breast

• Main Set:

  • 100 IM: one arm fly > back > breast > free

  • PE 6, RTR

  • Focus on keeping PE low, don’t go hard

• Dives

9.

• 50s OA paddles no fins

• 50s back, 25/pe6, 25/pe8, RTR

• 50 fly (oa option), pe6, fins lane 1

• Activate adductors > 50s BR, pe6, rtr

• 50s free, pe8, rtr (focus on streamlining and power, not SR)

• Starts/Dives: depth, angle up, # dolphin kicks

9.1

• 8 Kick: 25 frt/25 back/50 breast

• 8 Drill: push off wall, underwater dolphin, 25 free/25 OAfly/PE 6/rtr

• Main: 

  • 8 100s free/pe7/rtr min 10”

  • 8 100s back ”

  • 8 100s breast “

10.

• Act including adductors

• WU

• 5' cont ez/hard 25s

• Tips: quick turns, streamline off wall, kick and SR

• Send off each group 5" gaps

• 50/TT/2’

• 100/TT/2’

• 5' cont BK-BS 25s/6/2’

• 100IM/TT/2’

• 10' Continuous swim alt 25s 6/8

  • Review passing/uturns

• Dives

Meet:

• Wu

• 75m FC build last 25

• Time your buddy

• Good turns, streamline 

• 100 FC

• 50 BK

• 50 BR

• 100 IM

• Relay 4*25

-Christmas break-

11. Easing back in, challenging our balance and streamlining

• Kick superman

• OA drill, focus DPS, RI 15 or rtr

• FC 50s, RI 10/20/30 or rtr, count strokes, try to lower, compare time/strokes

  • Option: swim golf (time+strokes) or just focus on strokes

  • Ice skate explosive gather and push

  • Matt Biondi story

• Now deal with fatigue, drag force

• 100s/6/ri 60-75-90 or rtr, count 1st and last, DPS 

  • Get time

  • Slow SR, like riding bike slow

  • Milk recovery

  • Arms move slow (including recovery) but never stop

12. 

• Act

• WU

• Kick superman 25 + OA back focused on front end

• Pb: 100s/pe7, 30-45-1, head balance, fish tail, keep legs arrowed, rails, slow SR, Power NOT frequency

• 50s, sr30 out feel water, natural Sr back, count

• MS 20’: 50s, pe8, ri 1:1 minimum 30”, swim well!, long power strokes

• CD

13.

• Act

• Wu

• 8' Kick fins: fltr down, 1 leg back

• 10’ Scull fins 25 half catch and half mid-pull + 25 OA change arms half way 

  • Soft hand cue, don’t swim muscly way, feel

• 10' PBPB: 50, pe 7, ri 10-20-30

  • Focus: rails despite increase in intensity, catch/gather/throw

• 20' MS: 100, 25s hard8/ez6, ri 30/45/60

  • catch/gather/throw

  • Elevator head - harder kick=higher head

14. 

• Act

• Wu

• K/fins: 2bt down real 2b option, one leg back

• 10’ PBPB: 100s/7/R10-20-30 > focus feel/catch/throw, patient out front

• 10’ OA 50s/6/R10-20-30 (dolphin kick option) > same focus

• 100s/ri 30-45-60, slow stroke count: 12.5 hard kick, 12.5 2-beat (kill engines)

  • Try mod 2bt at least when inhaling, both hips if possible

• Etiquette and cloud count, passing/Uturn

• 10’ cont swim (work on 2 beat) > kick is 40% less efficient, when people can’t swim long it’s almost always because they kick too hard

15. 

• WU

• Kick with fins/board: Vertical

• Scull 25 change mid/OA 25

• PBPB: 100s/6/R30-45-60

  • focus hi elbow pull and fish tail, rails, count strokes, streamline

• Main 25': 100x 5/Ri 1’ don’t pace set, only even pace each 100, pace = hard, level high effort but declining speed/time slower

• Finish with: alt bk 50/breast 50/fc 50, ri 20/30 bet each 50, PE7

• CD back and breast

16. 

• WU

• Kick Side swim, change sides every 5 seconds

  • Head up one side, head down other, no bob, power stroke

• OA cont. fist/palm, demo high elbow position, rtr

• PBPB continuous 8’, balanced rot, high elbow, rtr

• Main 25’: 150s=50/8+50/6+50/8, RI 30/45/60, additional 1’ rest every 3

• CD

17. 

• Wu

• Kick: alt flutter/1leg then flutter/dolphin 

• Drill: fins, Side swim, scull with lead arm 12.5 then one arm offside 12.5

• PBPB: swim golf 50s, alt with PB and without (measure of kick efficiency)

• Main 25’: 200s: 25s build 6-7-8-9, RI 60/75/90

18. 

• Wu

• Kick: flut/dolph pe6, rtr if required

• Drill: high elbow dog paddle 25 (standing intro)/one arm 25

  • Short, quick, infront like scull, high elbow, turn pedals with hands, head up

• PBPB: continuous 8’

• Main: 50s pyramid: PE 7-8-9-8-7/ri 10-20-30 + additional 30 or 60 after pyramid

  • Define exertion levels

  • Delineate sr, kick, power

19. 

• WU

• Kick with fins: grave stone 25/back 25

• Drill: mid lane flip and build

• PBPB: 100s alt 25s 6-9/R 15-30-45

• 100m to find pace, rest 30”

• Main: 200s/8, ri 30-45-60, Pace: double 100 and add 30, 20 or 10

• CD

20. 

• Wu

• Kick: 25s ez flutter, hard flutter, Dolphin

• PBPB Sr 30, balance, rotation

• 30' Main: 5 x 100 (ri 1’) + 2’ rest + ez back

  • 50s at 9, 30-45-60 rest

• CD

21. 

• WU 5': alternate 25s of front/back/breast (standard warmup done automatically)

• Kick 7': (fins) alt flutter - vert 30 - dolph

• Pull buoy paddles band 7': 100s/PE6/R10-20-30, count strokes

  • Accelerate midpull, like skate

• Main 30': 50s ladder, 7-8-9-10, RI 10/20/30”, extra 1:30' rest after each PE 10, focus sr especially on 10 (90spm), guage kick+power+SR

• CD 4': alt 25s of back/breast

22. 

• WU

• Kick with board: alt 25s flutter no board, belly superman/back (titanic arms point up when on back)

• PBPB - 50 pb, 50 no pb focus on rotate through hips

• Main: 150s: 50/9, 50/6, 50/9, RI 30-45-60”

  • Extra 90" evert 3

  • Stroke rate overcompensate, later find sweet spot

  • Head position changes

• CD: bk, brst

23.

• WU

• Kick: fins,  swim w/ slow SR (30-40), vary kick each 12.5 from max to 2bt but same SR and power

• Main1 20’: 200s - 25/9, 175/8, RI 60-75-90’, pace on bubble

• Main2 10’: 25s, 10” ri, 60-75-90’ ri after 4, count rest in head not clock

• PBPB: pe6 cont, no touch turns, how to turn: like buoy, wide pull/head down/wide approach, no paddles, rest to change direction after 150

• CD

24. 

• 50m warm up

• 15’ cont: no feet on bottom, tactics, a) u turns, b) toe tap pass mid or at wall..accelerate mid lane or to the wall if clear, 2 beat, cloud count, aggressive, cooperate

• Kick no fins, alt flutter/dolph, less able do halves (ie 12.5m)

• Main with PBPB: 100’s, ri 10-20-30 (additional 30" after pyramid), 78987, no pads for 9

25.

• WU

• 2 x 50, rest 20", with build in 2nd 25

• Pace the 100s, not the set

• PE9

• Even high effort across set, not even times

• Order, clear T, aggressive, mushy middle

• MS: test 5 x 100, ri 1’, turns, 3 then 2, 

• ***Learn to push, ignore the brain, new normal***

• PBPB one paddle, switch at 25

• repeat test set

• Results: first rep shows potential

• CD

26 

• 3' warm up, slow build stay aerobic, wetsuit

• Cloud, goggles, swim 50, cloud CT googs off each 25

• Intro: aggressive, contact apology, no feet down, u turn, turn on t, toe tap pass mid not wall, cloud

• 5' cont, alt 6/8, 

• Side x side start from here, as soon as first reaches flags all merge right

• 5’ cont, first 25 @9 hard, settle to 8

• Mental: mantra, meditate, self talk diff bet good and bad swim

• 5’ cont, first 25 9, then 8, but each 12.5 from start end at 9

• On the pace bubble, new train brain new normal, don't sacrifice streamline

• 5’ cont 8 out, count strokes back (no pe), is effort wasted?

• 5'-15' Red board/Blue board: PE 8 but vhard 25 when every you see Red board, blue board steady hard, challenge self, sight before flags not on turn

• 10’ cont blue red, move board location

• Cd: Toe tap in partners

27 

• Activate

• WU 

• 8' OA paddles with dolphin

• 8' PB ankles: feet together on turns, find balance, 6 hypox mid lane, symmetry

• Main: 30’ [200 (vo2m) + ri 15 count to self +  50 same + ri 60/75/90, send a clear message, lift ceiling

• CD: side by side same speed synched strokes 

28  

• WU

• Cont 10’ PBB: first 12.5 of every 50 is PE9 (or 5 cycles on whistle if full pool) 

• 5’ One arm fist palm

• Main 30': 50s, 7-8-9-10, RI 15-30-45, extra 1' rest after each PE 10 

  • Power then stroke rate, blow up on 10

• CD: draft in 2s or 3s

29 

• WU 

• 100m build

• Main: 5*100 test, RI 30

  • Focus on first 3

• Pull: hypox 4-6 mid lane

• Main II: 200-100-50-100-200/pe8, ri  30

  • All at pe9 but adjust pace

• CD: 8 strokes fc-bk-br each 25m, then try 7-6-5

30. 

• Activate

• WU

• 500 tt, first 25 pe9

  • No turns, tap instead

  • Get split

  • Fast turns

  • Cloud count

  • Do 50s same pace/ri 15 till all are finished500

• Alt 50, PE 6, sight ev 3rd breath, RI 10/20/30”, PE 9 no sight, same rest

• Pull 100, count strokes

• 200m tt OR snake swim (all into one lane then travel across all like Early Bird)

• CD

• Stretch

31. 

• Activate

• WU

• 10’ Draft feet, ev 50 mid lane pass while breast at halfs, pe6

  • Not off the wall

  • Keep tight

  • Look up under water, bubs

  • Look back

  • Get on feet not too late

• 15’ Settle: 100s, first 25 pe10, 75 pe8, 30”

• 10’ Sight: 100s, pe6, sight 3, on 1/115/130/2, 5” gaps, sight: add breath or skip, rhythm

• Side by side 25 sprints

• no touch turns, start turn with outside arm even if early, head down, use width

32. 

• No rope ows (must be set up week before with guards)

• Sight review

• Warm up down back sight ev 2 breath

• Ows: start, settle, sight, corner, contact, draft, cloud

• Expl lap, cloud, corners, passing

• Work body and brain

• Wu lap, explain half laps

• Corner to corner: eyes closed, breathe ev 2nd, 10 strokes, come back opposite corner, width to balance

• Lap sight ev 3-4 or 5

• Down and back (Db) sprint, shallow, deep start

• Db sprint, stand start no wall then deep from other end

• Laps: sight sprint ends, settle

• Db sprint: shallow/deep water start

• Laps, 6 draft hip, saves sight, conscious of other, vs feet, switch ev lap

• Db sprint: under water off wall start

• 10’ cont, diagonal direction change maybe, tell each swimmer, or whistle, site ev 8 count rhythm, sight

33. 

• Wu

• Pe talk, swim on bubble, ask self can I maintain

• 500 tt, ez swim after, ri 2’

• 200 tt, ri 2’

• 100 tt, ri 1’

• 50 tt

• Faster work back 50 to 200 till all are done first descent

• Fartlek 10 stroke hard after flags, active recovery

• Swim golf 25s, balance

34. 

• WU

• 200s build 50s 6789, ri 30

• 100s build 25s 6789, ri 20

• 50s build 12.5s 6789, ri 10

• Main: cont 6, uwater wall to flags, mid-lane flip, deep end deck up (to bum or stand and dive) mid flip

• Main II: cont frt 8/bk 7/brst 6

• CD 

Final

• Meet

  • Wu fbb

  • 100

  • 50

  • 100IM, record for relay

  • 200

  • Relay

    • Ave 100 time each lane

    • Time gaps, slowest first

    • Second gap x 1.5

    • Fastest x 2