Swim Workout - Long, Strong Arms

By Stacey Kiefer, Masters Swimmer

July 21, 2014

Swim Workout Description:

Focus: Pulling, push-ups, and dips build strong shoulders to make you a faster swimmer.

Shorter Workout*

  Download PDF Version

Warm Up:
300 free
200 IM drill of choice
100 scull
100 IM, build each length
700 yards

Main set:
3 x 200 pull with paddles, buoy, and swimmer’s snorkel (or breathing every 5th stroke) completed as:
#1 moderate - stretch out your stroke
#2 negative split (2nd 100 is faster than 1st 100) – :05 break at the 100 to check your time
#3 hard – stay strong with your pulling, keep a long stroke
600 yards
1300 cumulative yards

200 underwater kicking with fins, streamline position – surface when you need a breath
200 yards
1500 cumulative yards

6 x 75 choice of stroke completed as 25 moderate/25 fast/25 moderate – after each 75 do 10 dips (backside facing the wall, hands in gutter) and 10 pool push-ups (frontside facing the wall, hands in gutter) - :20 rest after the exercises
450 yards
1950 cumulative yards

10 x 25 kick with fins and board –3/4 length super fast, 1/4 length easy - :15 rest
250 yards
2200 cumulative yards

3 x 100 - completed in the below order - the middle 50 is always hard, outside 25’s are moderate - :15 rest:
25 free/50 fly/25 free
25 free/50 back/25 free
25 free/50 breast/25 free
300 yards
2500 cumulative yards

4 x 25 from the middle, swim as fast as possible from the middle to the wall, practice a perfect touch, then swim easy back out to the middle - :15 rest
100 yards
2600 cumulative yards
200 easy

Longer Workout*

  Download PDF Version

Warm Up:
300 free
300 non-free
200 IM drill of choice
100 scull
100 IM, build each length
1000 yards

Main set:
3 x 300 pull with paddles, buoy, and swimmer’s snorkel (or breathing every 5th stroke) completed as:
#1 moderate - stretch out your stroke
#2 negative split (2nd 150 is faster than 1st 150) – :05 break at the 150 to check your time
#3 hard – stay strong with your pulling, keep a long stroke
900 yards
1900 cumulative yards

200 underwater kicking with fins, streamline position – surface when you need a breath
200 yards
2100 cumulative yards

8 x 75 choice of stroke completed as 25 moderate/25 fast/25 moderate – after each 75 do 10 dips (backside facing the wall, hands in gutter) and 10 pool push-ups (frontside facing the wall, hands in gutter) - :20 rest after the exercises
600 yards
2700 cumulative yards

12 x 25 kick with fins and board –3/4 length super fast, 1/4 length easy - :15 rest
300 yards
3000 cumulative yards

6 x 100 - completed in the below order - the middle 50 is always hard, outside 25’s are moderate - :15 rest:
25 free/50 fly/25 free
25 free/50 back/25 free
25 free/50 breast/25 free
25 fly/50 free/25 back
25 back/50 free/25 breast
25 breast/50 free/25 fly
600 yards
3600 cumulative yards

6 x 150 with fins completed as 50 kick with board/50 drill/50 swim, build - :10 rest:
#1 free, #2 fly, #3 free, #4 back, #5 free, #6 breast
900 yards
4500 cumulative yards

4 x 25 from the middle, swim as fast as possible from the middle to the wall, practice a perfect touch, then swim easy back out to the middle - :15 rest
100 yards
4600 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.