Tough Shoulders

By Stacey Kiefer, Masters Swim Coach

October 10, 2012

Swim Workout Description:

This workout focuses on building shoulder strength. It also works on perfecting the flipturn and finish.

Shorter Workout*

Warm Up:
300 freestyle easy
200 - 50 back/50 breast easy
100 IM drill
4 x 25 build - mix up the strokes
700 yards

Main Set:
Pull with paddles and buoy - freestyle - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
50 - :10 rest
50 backstroke easy (no paddles/buoy)
1 min rest

Pull with paddles and NO buoy - freestyle - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
50 - :10 rest
50 backstroke easy (no paddles/buoy)
1 min rest

Swim freestyle OR backstroke - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
50 - :10 rest
50 backstroke easy
1050 yards
1750 cumulative yards

Kick with fins and board:
4 x 75 (25 easy, 25 moderate, 25 fast) - :15 rest
300 yards
2050 cumulative yards

25’s from the middle of the pool with specific focus for each round - mix up the strokes - :10 rest:
4 x 25 - working on the turn approach - swim hard into the wall, hard flipturn, then swim easy to the middle of the pool

4 x 25 - working on the push off - swim easy to the wall, hard flipturn with hard push off, streamline, breakout, and swim (still hard) to the middle of the pool

4 x 25 - working on the finish - swim hard to the wall, super hard finish, open turn and easy back out to the middle of the pool
300 yards
2350 cumulative yards

2 x 75 IM = 25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast (no freestyle) - :10 rest
2 x 75 stroke (pick 1 stroke, no freestyle) - :10 rest
300 yards
2650 cumulative yards

200 easy

Longer Workout*

Download PDF Version

Warm Up:
300 freestyle easy
100 IM drill
200 - 50 back/50 breast easy
100 IM drill
8 x 25 build - mix up the strokes
900 yards

Main Set:
Pull with paddles and buoy - freestyle - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
200 - :10 rest
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
2 x 50 - :10 rest
100 backstroke easy (no paddles/buoy)
1 min rest

Pull with paddles and NO buoy - freestyle - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
200 - :10 rest
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
2 x 50 - :10 rest
100 backstroke easy (no paddles/buoy)
1 min rest

Swim freestyle OR backstroke - build up speed as distance gets shorter:
200 - :10 rest
150 - :10 rest
100 - :10 rest
2 x 50 - :10 rest
100 backstroke easy
1950 yards
2850 cumulative yards

Kick with fins and board:
6 x 75 (25 easy, 25 moderate, 25 fast) - :15 rest
450 yards
3300 cumulative yards

25’s from the middle of the pool with specific focus for each round - mix up the strokes - :10 rest
8 x 25 - working on the turn approach - swim hard into the wall, hard flipturn, then swim easy to the middle of the pool

8 x 25 - working on the push off - swim easy to the wall, hard flipturn with hard push off, streamline, breakout, and swim (still hard) to the middle of the pool

8 x 25 - working on the finish - swim hard to the wall, super hard finish, open turn and easy back out to the middle of the pool
600 yards
3900 cumulative yards

4 x 75 IM = 25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast (no freestyle) - :10 rest
300 yards
4200 cumulative yards

4 x 75 stroke (pick 1 stroke, no freestyle) - :10 rest
300 yards
4500 cumulative yards

200 easy

*Kiefer swim workouts are designed to inspire productive training with gratifying results. But, as you should with any workout program, please consult with your healthcare provider before you begin training.