Swim Workout - Springtime Speed

By Stacey Kiefer, Masters Swimmer

May 12, 2014

Swim Workout Description:

Varying distance speedwork primes you to rock your Summer season.

Shorter Workout*

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Warm Up:
300 choice, easy
300 IM - 25 kick/25 drill/25 swim of each stroke
100 alternating 25 scull/25 super-stretched out stroke focusing on perfect entry and finish
700 yards

Main set:
200 back, breast, or IM, hard - :45 rest
100 free, hard - :30 rest
4 x 50 pull with buoy, paddles, and swimmers snorkel or breathing every 5th stroke, focusing on a long stroke - :10 rest
500 yards
1200 cumulative yards

100 fly kick on back (no fins) - :15 rest
100 free kick on side with fins - switch the side/top arm with each 25 - :15 rest
200 yards
1400 cumulative yards

1 x 500 freestyle - increase speed with each 100 - the 5th 100 should be really fast
500 yards
1900 cumulative yards

4 x 75 choice, completed as 25 pull moderate with buoy (no paddles) - drop the buoy and go right into :10 of hard kicking while hanging on to the wall, then finish with a build down 50 (start really fast but slow down as you go) - :15 rest
300 yards
2200 cumulative yards

4 x 75 - one of each stroke, completed as 25 swim moderate/25 scull/25 sprint - :15 rest
300 yards
2500 cumulative yards

4 x 25 all out sprint, your choice of stroke - take as much rest as you need to recover
100 yards
2600 cumulative yards

200 easy

Longer Workout*

   Download PDF Version

Warm Up:
400 choice, easy
400 IM - 25 kick/50 drill/25 swim of each stroke
200 alternating 25 scull/25 super-stretched out stroke focusing on perfect entry and finish
1000 yards

Main set:
12 x 25 - 4 fly, 4 back, 4 breast, completed as 3 moderate/1 fast - :15 rest
300 yards
1300 cumulative yards

200 IM, hard - :45 rest
100 free, hard - :30 rest
4 x 50 pull with buoy, paddles, and swimmers snorkel or breathing every 5th stroke, focusing on a long stroke - :10 rest
500 yards
1800 cumulative yards

100 fly kick on back (no fins) - :15 rest
200 free kick on side with fins - switch the side/top arm with each 25 - :15 rest
100 fly kick on back (no fins) - :15 rest
400 yards
2200 cumulative yards

200 back, breast, or IM, hard - :45 rest
100 free, hard - :30 rest
4 x 50 with paddles and fins, focusing on a quick kick and strong pull - :10 rest
500 yards
2700 cumulative yards

2 x 500 freestyle completed as:
#1 - increase speed with each 100 - the 5th 100 should be really fast - 1:00 rest
#2 - 200 moderate/100 as hard as possible/200 recovery - 1:00 rest
1000 yards
3700 cumulative yards

6 x 75 choice, completed as 25 pull moderate with buoy (no paddles) - drop the buoy and go right into :10 of hard kicking while hanging on to the wall, then finish with a build down 50 (start really fast but slow down as you go) - :15 rest
450 yards
4150 cumulative yards

4 x 75 - one of each stroke, completed as 25 swim moderate/25 scull/25 sprint - :15 rest
300 yards
4450 cumulative yards

6 x 25 all out sprint, your choice of stroke - take as much rest as you need to recover
150 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.