Use Drills to help you Swim Qwiker

This is the second session as we build your fitness to a new 1,500m PB. Start with the previous session and then in three-four days time do this session, before continuing on with the session that will be sent through to you in a few days time.

This session will help you develop your technique by working on your distance per stroke, body posture whilst swimming, balance in the water, body rotation and a relaxed recovery, making you more energy efficient whilst swimming.

Session Two: Drills

• 400m Warm Up;
• 8x 50m Drills;
• 100m Easy;
• 8x 50m Drills;
• 100m Easy;
• 8x 50m Drills;
• 200m Cool Down;

Start the workout with a Warm Up covering 400m. During the warm up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

Swim 50m doing an appropriate drill prior to continuing on with normal freestyle swimming to complete 50m continuously. Pause prior to conducting the next repetition for a total of  eight repetitions. Do the drills in the following order (examples of how to do each drill can be found by clicking on them).

1. Kick On Side (KOS)
2. Kick On Side (KOS)
3. 6/1/6
4. 6/3/6
5. Kick On Side (KOS)
6. Kick On Side (KOS)
7. Broken Arrow
8. Popov

The pause referred to above is a stop of about 10 seconds. It’s a chance to grab a drink, review the programme and think about the next drill you will do. If you need 15-20 seconds or longer, you are welcome to take it because the rest duration isn’t physiologically critical to the aim of this set. Having a quick break is neurologically critical though, so make sure you don’t just roll straight from one rep to the next.

For the drill sets wear a pair of short fins. These will provide you with a small amount of momentum whilst you are focusing on what the upper body is doing. I recommend Finis Zoomers.

Do three sets of the drills separated by swimming an easy 100m in between the sets (make sure you remove your fins when you do the 100m easy).

Complete your workout with a 200m Cool Down. Feel free to pause and stretch when needed and/or include stretching as part of each break until the distance is covered.

If you would like further advice feel free to contact Coach Ray.

Coach Ray is the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.

Coach Ray specialises in assisting first timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. He can be contacted at  www.qwik.kiwi, ray@qwikkiwi.com and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up to his monthly informative newsletter.