Strength session in the pool

— by Lauren Brandon

Time to engage those lats and concentrate on your pull. To think more about how to pull properly, it is best to take away as many factors as possible. What do I mean by this? If you want to focus on your arms completely, then we can put a snorkel on so that you do not have to think about breathing and put a buoy on so that you do not have to think about kicking. The following workout has a variety of sets in it where you will focus on your upper body.

Warm Up

400 swim (every 4th lap no freestyle)

4×100 (50 kick/50 swim) rest 10 seconds between each 100

Drill Set

4×50 rotation drill (fins and snorkel- step by step instructions below)

4×50 underwater pull (fins and snorkel- step by step instructions below)

4×50 regular freestyle thinking about keeping your core tight, driving your hips towards the bottom of the pool, and engaging your lats with each pull

Main Set

Equipment Progression (use snorkel if you have one so that your focus is only on body position and pulling): 10-15 seconds rest in between each 100

3×100 band only (cut an old tire tube long enough so that you can tie it around your ankles)

3×100 band and buoy

3×100 band, buoy, and paddles

3×100 band and buoy

3×100 band only

100 easy

3×100 Fast- paddles only (this is a time to use your paddles so that you can really feel the water, but also incorporate your regular kick and breathing pattern

200 easy

Total: 3500

Rotation Drill:

1. Start in neutral position, body flat and hand by your side
2. Begin to kick your legs, small and fast
3. Engage your core and drive your right hip towards the bottom of the pool (your shoulder will also rotate)
4. Next, switch sides and drive your left hip towards the bottom of the pool
5. Slowly continue to rotate from side to side, keeping your core tight, and body as streamlined as possible.

 Underwater Drill

1. Start in a neutral position, body flat and hands by your side.
2. Begin to kick your legs and rotate your body just as you would when swimming but with your hands by your side.
3. Slowly reach up with one arm so that you are in a position with one arm reaching all the way forward towards the other side of the pool and the other arm is still by your side. You will also now be on your side, but with your face looking down (body is rotated). If you have ever done 6-10 kick switch drill, this is the position you are now in.
4. Now simultaneously, your forward arm now starts the pull phase while your other hand now slowly reaches up.
5. Your arms never come out of the water; you are only working on your pull. As one arm is pulling the other one is sneaking up and getting in a position to pull. It will take a while, but you will get into a rhythm.
6. You want to try to focus on your pull- the initial catch, engaging your lat in pulling, and then pushing the water all the way through past your hip.