Training Week Jan 19th

We are in week two of a 16 week training cycle leading up to the April swim meet.

Here's the walkthrough video:

Welcome to this week’s workout plan. Subscribe to the site to speak with me! Coach Nadi, your real-time coaching agent! Time to jump into the pool!

We are in week two of a 16 week training cycle leading up to the April swim meet.

Our strength development, mechanical reinforcement, and technical skill segments will further improve the body’s streamline position on the surface and under the water. Psychological sustainment will continue with athletes learning the balance of mental, emotional, and physical stressors that affect performance. As always, these four skills complete the quadruple reinforcement model for swimming.

In week two of the general conditioning cycle we should have a good idea of the pace we can sustain during the VO2max sets. Maintaining a consistent pace, within a 1-2 second variation, for the complete set means we can make a slight change this week. If you took breaks within the set your goal this week is to complete 10-12 repetitions before a rest. Use the week 1 plan again and you may need to slow your pace a little.

If you completed at least 12 repetitions last week we are going to put a little more pressure on the cardiopulmonary system by lowering the rest by 5 seconds. Maintain the same pace you locked in last week but understand you may not get as many reps in before you miss your pace time. The cardiopulmonary energy system will adapt the fastest so get into your positive mindset and mentally lock in for this week!

This week we will add two additional exercises that focus more on conditioning the posterior muscles in the shoulders and lower back to improve your streamline body position endurance.

The single arm overhead walk conditions the shoulders and lower back to support a long and efficient streamline that will lead to a stronger pull initiation. Begin with a light weight that you can easily place in the overhead position and walk smoothly and quickly in a straight line. The walking movement simulates a flutter kick motion and the upper body must counteract that motion with the weight overhead. Walk for 15-20 steps then switch arms.  

The top-half back extension develops the muscular endurance of the lower back. Lower back fatigue will decrease the efficiency of streamline in all strokes. Attempt to keep the feet on the ground while only lifting the upper body. Beginners should place their elbows to the sides of the head. Increase the exercise difficulty by extending the arms as far in front of the head as possible until you can replicate a full streamline glide position. Advanced athletes may hold a light weight with fully extended arms to further increase the exercise difficulty. 

Here is a new mechanical reinforcement drills that we will focus on this week in addition to the two drills last week. Continue to refine and reinforce the body position with the head calibration drill and the pitch drill while adding the underwater spear drill to your workouts:

The Underwater Spear drill - While pushing off the wall, change the angle of the hands to feel the dynamic pressure of the water and identify the optimal angle to maintain streamline momentum leading to a fast breakout or breaststroke pulldown. You can use fins for this drill to maintain speed off the wall. Feel how the hands lead the rest of the body. Change the angle downward to feel the drag of the water then angle the hands and wrist upward to feel the pull to the surface. Try kicking slowly while the hands drag down then increasing your kick tempo as the hands angle up to accelerate to the surface for the breakout.

Balance in the context of mental, emotional, and physical well-being is essential for optimal performance in swimming and sports. An athlete who achieves balance can navigate the pressures of competition and training more effectively. 

Mental well-being involves cultivating a positive mindset, focusing on self-talk, and developing resilience. This can lead to improved concentration during races and practices. Emotional well-being is just as crucial. Recognizing and managing emotions—like anxiety or frustration—can help swimmers maintain composure in challenging situations. Techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing, and visualization can promote emotional regulation, allowing athletes to perform at their best, even under pressure. Physical well-being encompasses not only the development of strength and skill through training but also maintaining proper nutrition, hydration, and rest. A well-rounded swimmer pays attention to their body’s needs, which contributes to overall performance.

Here’s the week 2 conditioning plan. The warmup will incorporate 3 MRDs. You may use fins for the MRDs but only beginners should use fins for the breakouts. In the breakouts, kick hard and fast as you push off the wall and angle towards the surface. Remember the new streamline positions from the MRD work and try to get farther before hitting the surface. The first set will be at the same pace as last week but with less rest. The second set will focus on increasing reps up to 20. The third set may be difficult at the end so aim for 8 reps but shoot for 12-16 if you are feeling strong and have the time.

Have a great swim this week, you’re building strong foundations for the harder weeks ahead!