Please read the "Block 1 Overview" above.

This block will focus on the concept of "Head Lead" in swimming, building upon the concept from the SoL, and 1-arm freestyle drills. It will also contain a review of the drills from the first 4 weeks of Finding Freestyle basic course, a technical focus on speed pulling, speed control, and some challenging aerobic workouts.

We will also be doing a considerable amount of work on swimming and pulling with large numbers of strokes between breaths. The intent of this work is NOT to cause oxygen deprivation, and thus, you should reduce the number of strokes between breaths if you feel yourself beginning to be oxygen deprived. The desired outcome of this, however, is to prompt you to reduce your intensity level, relaxing your muscles and thus reducing the amount of oxygen that your body consumes such that it reaches a sustainable level. When you have enabled yourself to easily perform these lengths with 5 and even 6 strokes between breaths you will find that you have a great deal of time to become aware of the position of the head as it "leads" you continually through the water.

Video: Leading with the Head
https://youtu.be/vvmmBKBMSRE

WARM UP
1 x 300 ALT 50 CHOICE / 25 SWIM w/1BT
REST :20
4 x 100 BR 2-3, 3, 3-4, 4 by 100 on: 20 REST
8 x 25 KICK in SoL POSITION, WITH NO PULLING on :10 REST

TECHNICAL FOCUS
8 x 25 HEAD-LEAD SWIM on :10 REST

MAIN SET
4 x 75 done as 25 3-6 SoL / 25 PULL / 25 SWIM FAST on :10 REST
4 x 25 SWIM, BR EV 6 or 7 (EASY!) on :20 REST
4 x 100 ALT 75 SWIM, BUILD / 25 HL SWIM
on :15 REST
4 x 25 SWIM, BR EV 6 or 7 (EASY!) on :15 REST
4 X 125 HL PULL, DES 1-4 on :10 REST
4 X 25 SWIM BR EV 6/7 (EASY) on :10 REST

DRILL DOWN
4-8 X 75 KICK, DES 1-4 (FINS OPTIONAL) on :15 REST
1 X 200 ALT 25 F&P / 75 CHOICE

Total 3,100 - 3,400

The week 1 high-density workout features a "pre-fatiguing" fast-kicking set. The set presents
3 x 150's with a variety of activities that ask you to essentially increase your effort from #1-3, pre-fatiguing your body, then following up with an all out 100 kick. We hope you enjoy it!

WARM UP
1 X 300 ALT 25 CHOICE / 25 SWIM w/2 BT REST :20
3 X 50 PULL, BUILD (PADDLES/BUOY OPTIONAL) on :15 REST

MAIN SET
3x through
1 X 150 SWIM w/1 BT ALT SIDES BY 25
REST :15
1 X 150 SWIM w/6-6 PULSE (CHOICE)
REST :15
1 X 150 SWIM FAST REST :30
1 X 100 ALL-OUT KICK REST 1:00

SWIM DOWN
1 X 100-400 EASY, ALT 25 3-6 SoL / 25 CHOICE

Total: 1,650-2,500

Basic Pacing
This workout is a bit of a sandwich, where we do a pull/kick blend of 50s before beginning the main set, and then repeat the same blend during the warm-down. It is another view on "restricted breathing", which as you well know by now is just a tricky way to explore head-lead.

The main set is a very basic pacing strategy exercise "descend & hold", where we descend a set of 3x100s to our fastest speed, and then attempt to hold that precise speed (give or take 1-3 seconds) for the remaining 3 more 100s. At first, you may find this very difficult, and being anywhere from 5-10 seconds may be challenging (especially if you are also trying to recover or develop your fitness at this moment).

We repeat this set (for a total of 2, 3 or 4 iterations), and you will no doubt find that fatigue becomes a distinct factor -- so regard this as an opportunity. Do not be tempted to give up the ship after the main set, stay in and revisit the kicking/breathing blend, and then finish it off with a full warm down.

WARM UP
1 X 400/800 ALT 100 SWIM / 100 8-8 PULSE (1 BT/SWIM) REST :30
12 X 25 HL PULL, DES 1-3 on :10 REST
6/12 X 50 on :15 REST
ODD - KICK, BUILD
EVEN - EASY SWIM BR EV 4 or 5

MAIN SET (options give 1,200/1,800/2,400)
2-4x through:
3 X 100 SWIM, DES 1-3 on :10 REST
3 X 100 SWIM, hold #3 PACE on :10 REST

WARM DOWN
6/12 X 50 on :15 REST
ODD - KICK EASY
EVEN - EASY SWIM BR EV 5
1 X 100/400 EASY SWIM OUT

Total 2,300-5,100

Speed Pulling

This introduction to fast hands is very stripped down indeed, featuring 25 yards of sprint pulling in between a ladder/pyramid of moderate level swimming. The goal is for you to push the boundaries of this fast pulling, so that you are going to, and perhaps over the line of where your arms are moving so fast as to make your form sloppy. People who tend to "place their hands" into the water at the front of the stroke will find this very challenging, as well as very beneficial. The objective is to learn to "let go", if your body is operating with good synchronization of head, torso, arms and feet, you will have little need to guide the hands into the entry point of the catch - it will simply "just happen". Make sure that you save enough energy during the swim portion of the ladder so that you can really excel at making your hand speed fast on the pull. The overall distance of this workout is not particularly great, however, what you miss in quantity should be made up for in quality -- these fast pull are an essential aspect of this workout, put it out there and see how fast you can sustain during this workout.

T-turn swim video:

WARM UP
300/500 ALT 50 SWIM / 25 F&P REST :30
6/10 x 75 on :10 REST
ODD - 25 SWIM / 25 3-6 SoL / 25 HL SWIM
EVEN - SWIM, BUILD-UP
6/10 x 50 “T-Turn” 50s (flip over at T, so that feet don’t touch the wall) on :10 REST

MAIN SET
Shorter Option - 1,200
Longer Option - 1,750

Short:
1 x 200 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 175 SWIM on :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 150 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 125 SWIM on :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 100 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 75 SWIM on :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 50 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL :10 REST
1 x 25 SWIM :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST

Long:
1 x 250 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 225 SWIM on :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 200 SWIM :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 175 SWIM :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 150 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 125 SWIM :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 100 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 75 SWIM :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 50 SWIM on :15 REST
2 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST
1 x 25 SWIM :15 REST
1 x 25 FAST PULL on :10 REST

FINISHING UP
10 x 25 on :15 REST
ODD - SoL 3-6
EVEN - HL SWIM, BUILD
1 x 300 ALT 25 KOB / 25 EASY SWIM

This week we introduce a couple of variations on the "head-lead" swimming that we introduced last week: "Head-lead F&P", and "Head-lead pull". By using these two pulling variation with the pause and distinct head lead, we will further stimulate your awareness of the relationship between the head and the torso. Even more, without the influence of the kick, you will begin to feel how your body reacts to the motion of the head, in both positive and negative ways.

Finally, we have you breathe every 5th stroke, using either a 2 or 6-beat kick, whichever gives you more trouble. Breathing every 5th allows you to explore the steady head position. For those of you who have had difficulty with either of these kicks (or both!), removing the breath can be very effective.


In the main set, you alternate straight swims breathing every 2 strokes, with a set of 50s pull, breathing every 5th. On the first straight swim you should breathe every 2nd strokes on your "weak" breathing side (if you have one), then on the 2nd straight swim you can breathe every 2 on your better side. Then the 3rd straight swim we go back to the weak side, trying to swim a bit faster. Finally, the 4th swim is back to the good side, with a goal of being faster than the previous good-side swim. In between each of these swims, we use 50s breathing every 5 strokes to remind us of our stroke symmetry and to serve as an active recovery -- really strive to match your effort on these 50s with your oxygen intake.

Head Lead F&P Video:
https://youtu.be/cC8b_SmlFg4

Head Lead Pull Video:
https://youtu.be/7O3p0BuyPcA

WARM UP
1 X 300 ALT 50 CHOICE / 25 PULL
REST :20
1 X 300 ALT SWIM, ALT 1 BT / 6 BT by 50
REST :20
8 X 25 1-12 SoL on :10 REST

TECHNICAL FOCUS
2/6 X 25 HL PULL, ALT BR ON R / L BY 25
on :10 REST
2/6 X 25 HL F&P ALT BR ON R / L BY 25
on :10 REST
2/6 X 25 HL SWIM ALT BR ON R / L BY 25
on :10 REST
2/6 X 25 SWIM, BR EV 5 w/2 or 6 BT KICK
on :10 REST
(WHICHEVER IS HARDER FOR YOU),


MAIN SET (options give 1,200-2,800)
1 X 200/300/400/500 SWIM, BR EV 2
REST :30
2/3/4 X 50 PULL, BR EV 5 on :20 REST
1 X 200/300/400/500 SWIM, BR EV 2
REST :30
2/3/4 X 50 PULL, BR EV 5 on :20 REST
1 X 200/300/400/500* SWIM, BR EV 2
REST :30
*THIS ONE SHOULD BE FASTER THAN #1
2/3/4 X 50 PULL, BR EV 5 on :20 REST
1 X 200/300/400/500* SWIM, BR EV 2 BEST-SIDE REST :30
*THIS ONE SHOULD BE FASTER THAN #2
2/3/4 X 50 PULL, BR EV 5 on :20 REST

WARM DOWN
1 X 150/300 ALT 25 KOB / 25 SWIM EASY

Total: 2,500-4,500

This weeks high density workout has one of the funnest activities known to humankind - swimming with a 2-beat kick whilst wearing fins! It may be challenging at first, but once you get the hang of it (hint - it will force you to really alter your cadence), you can surely fly.

We follow up the fin-swimming with some pulling, so that your legs can forget the luxury of the fins, then come back at them (and your need for "head-lead") with some SoL descending.

Challenge yourself to maintain the head-lead and kick continuity when doing these descending SoL's (you will see more of these in the future).

WARM UP
1 X 400 done as 25 SWIM / 25 FSBA / 25 F&P / 25 SoL REST :45

MAIN SET
3 X 200 SWIM w/FINS & 2 BT KICK, DES 1-3
on :20 REST
3 X 100 PULL, DES 1-3 on :15 REST
3 X 50 3-6 SoL FAST on:10 REST
1 X 100 SWIM EASY REST :15
3 X 25 SWIM, DES 1-3 on :10 REST
1 X 75 PULL EASY

WARM DOWN
1 X 100 6-6 PULSE CHOICE

Total: 1,800

This workout continues on our speed awareness and control theme. We start the main set with a 200 easy, but you need to get the splits for your first and second 100s, since you will use them later on in the set. Then you do 2 x 150 negative split, just make sure that you change speeds. Finally, the cycle finishes with 3 x 100 holding a single pace - and this pace must be is faster than the fastest 100 of your 200. The options are to repeat this basic set between 2 and 4 times. While that might seem a bit daunting, if you have the time, you will find it very useful, as you begin to gauge your efforts on your 200 such that you are ABLE to hold 3x100 faster than that pace. Experiment with different paces if you are easily bored, or just get in a groove and crank if you tend toward that mind set.

WARM UP
4 X 250 on :20 REST
#1 - ALT 50 SWIM / 50 HL PULL
#2 - done as 75 1-6 SoL / 100 SWIM / 75 SWIM w/ 2 BT
#3 - ALT 50 SWIM / 50 F&P FAST
#4 - 75 SWIM, BUILD / 100 KOB / 75 SWIM w/ 6 BT FAST

16 X 50 on :10 REST, BY SETS OF 4.
ODD SETS: 1-6, 3-6, 5-6, 7-6 SoL BY 50
EVEN SETS: PULL, DES 1-4

MAIN SET
2-4 X through
1 X 200 SWIM EASY, GET YOUR 100 SPLITS REST :20
2 X 150 SWIM N/S (GET TIMES) on :15 REST
3 X 100 SWIM on :10 REST
HOLD FASTER THAN FASTEST HALF OF 200

DRILL DOWN
4-8 X 100 KICK w/FINS on :10 REST
1 X 200 EASY SWIM OUT

Total: 3,800-5,800