Saturday Swim Session: Paddles & Pull Buoy

Using tools like paddles and the pull buoy is a great way of developing your stamina and strength for swimming.

Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, most weeks I will load three options up for you to do. Option A is for swimmers who are after a workout between 1,000 & 2,000 metres. Option B is for swimmers who are after a workout between 2,000 & 3,000m and Option C will be greater than 3,000m.

Option A

• 200m WU;
• 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
• 4x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
• 4x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 4x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
• 4x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 200m CD (1,600m)

Option B 

• 600m WU;
• 8x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
• 8x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
• 8x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 8x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
• 8x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 200m CD (2,800m)

Option C

• 600m WU
• 12x 50m (25m Drill/25m Swim);
• 12x 50m Paddles 20sec RI;
• 12x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 12x 50m Paddles & Pull Buoy 20sec RI;
• 12x 50m Swim 20sec RI;
• 200m CD (3,800m)

Start the workout with a Warm Up covering of 200m (Option A) or 600m (Options B and C). During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

Next up are eight (Option A & B) or twelve (Option C) repetitions of 50m Drill/Swim, where you do a drill for the first 25m of the repetition and then normal swimming for the next 25m swimming. Feel free to use fins whilst doing the drill/swim set. Do the drills below twice (Options A and B) or three times (Option C) through:

1. Kick On Side (KOS) left side 
2. Kick On Side (KOS) right side 
3. 6/1/6 
4. 6/3/6

I wrote an article about Swimming Drills last week. Click here to read and watch it.

The next set involves four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps of 50m swum wearing hand paddles. After each rep take a 20-second Rest Interval (RI). Hand paddles increase the surface area of your hands and increase the resistance of swimming, which will make your shoulders stronger. It is important to not overdo the amount of swimming you do with hand paddles as you can easily develop a painful overuse injury in your shoulder.

The following set is also of four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps 50m reps, with a Rest Interval (RI) of 20 seconds but this set is straight swimming without the use of any swim toys like hand paddles.

The next set also involves four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps 50m reps with 20 seconds Rest Interval (RI) between reps, but for this set, you will be wearing both hand paddles and holding a pull buoy between your legs. The pull buoy prevents you from kicking and requires you to swim with your upper body even more.

The following set is also of four (Option A), eight (Option B), or twelve (Option C) reps 50m reps, with a Rest Interval (RI) of 20 seconds but this set is straight swimming without the use of any swim toys like hand paddles.

Then it is time for a 200m Cool Down (CD). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the cooldown (like the warm-up) can be any stroke you wish to swim.  You can also stop and rest after any length.  I encourage you to stop and stretch during the cool-down.

If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.

I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi Coaching.

I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.

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If you enjoyed this workout, I published a similar session 12 months ago.

Saturday Swim Session: 150 KPS

Coach Ray is the author of the successful 12 Weeks to an Ironman Swim PB – Swim Faster with Smart Training eBook.