Sharing ideas is key. most of these are established best practice. You can argue the toss, is it apacrophal that Michael Phelps has a double helping of MacDonlands after training? Maybe, some days … but he is burning a huge amount of calories.
And this:
Armed with a Kindle with the Swim Drills book loaded I was poolside teaching and coaching swimmers for three hours.
For the last year I have run programmes based on drills in ‘The Swim Drills Book’ and have relied on lesson plans and sometimes laminated print outs.
Today I took the Kindle
Never before have I found the swimmers so attentive, coming close to the side of the pool to look at the pictures.
Here is a great drill to develop streamlining
They start in what we call ‘Dead Swimmer’ then straighten up, arms first, then legs into the ‘streamline position.’ They then kick off, add a few strokes and continue up the pool.
They got, far quicker than my efforts to demonstrate and talk them through.
Simple.
The pictures say it all.
Is this mobile learning?
Whatever it is, this works.
Next step to blog about in my Swim Coach website http://www.thewellyman.wordpress.com.
We bought a dozen copies of the Swim Book.
Perhaps we need a dozen Kindles.
Could we have waterproof versions?
And perhaps A4 clipboard in size?
With a wireless link to a poolside whiteboard.
Better still, an LCD screen on the bottom of the pool!
REFERENCE
Guzman, R (2007) The Swim Drills Book
Skills Group
Dives and Transition in FC and BC
Fun warm up
Deep End
Dive
RELAYS
A versatile 45 mins to 60 mins aerobic session based on Breaststroke, with breaststroke progressions, starts and turns and some fun alternative activities.
WARM UP
2 x 100m alt FC into BC 200 5 mins r.15
2 x 100m alt BR into FC 200 5 mins r.15
Emphasis on streamlined drive off the wall in turns
4 x 75m as FLY, BC, BR. 300 8 mins r.10
Drive at start from the blocks.
BR 8 x 50m
2 x 50 BR kick r.10
2 x 50 BR extended glide r.10
2 x 50 as 2K1P (3K1P for higher grades)
1 x 50 stroke
SPRINTS
4 x 25m alt. 25m kick, 25m full stroke
Mini and Bronze 3 x 50
Mut be a whip kick into the glide getting the hips high.
STARTS AND TURNS
Dive, from 10m out, turn and finish x 4
Alternative Activities
Cannon Ball Roll
Cat and mouse
Tandem Swim
Pish of war
Relays
An one hour set for a mixed Training Group Session
This looks straight forward. T2 start off on 2 x 300, T3 start off on 4 x 100. This would work if the swimmers were in their groups, but a) there is a tendency for some T2 to swim with T3, and some T3 to swim with T2 and b) the groups divide four ways by ability, age and drive: T2/T1, T2, T2/T3 and T3(T4)
We ought to seed and re-seed them as their enthusiasm waxes and wanes.
T2
3 x 200
SET 1 FR + FINS ZIP UP – HIGH ELBOW
SET 2 CHOICE BK 4
BR 4.30
FLY/BK 4.15
SET 3 200 IM 4
600m
T3
4 x 100
SET 1 FR + FINS ZIP UP – HIGH ELBOW
SET 2 CHOICE BK 2.30
BR 3
FLY/BK 3
SET 3 100 IM 2.30
400m
ALL TOGETHER
8 x 50 Kick as 25 UW FLY / 25 BK + FINS
1 x 100 LOOSEN
500m
SPRINTS
50s / 25s
Typically 2 x 50 FC, 4 x 25, could be as an IM Lane Clear.
200m
Pyramid
Rest in turn 15, 30, 45, 60, 45, 30, 15 after each swim.
Pyramid T2
FLY 50
BK 100
BR 150
FC 200
BR 150
BK 100
FLY 50
800m
Pyramid T3
FLY 25
BK 50
BR 75
FC 100
BR 75
BK 50
FLY 25
400m
RELAYS
In teams, 4 x25.
Or 4 x 12.5m break-out to practice starts with long UW phase and swimming it out easy to the end.
SWIM DOWN
4 x 50 as 25 BK/25 BR
When addressing kids use FOUR words and use their language.
FC
As a puppet controlled from the ceiling
BC
Press the shoulder down
Catch as if popping your head over a garden wall
DOUBLE-UPS
Times achieved at lower distances must be achieved at longer distances.
On every break say what you need to say in 2 to 4 words
Every swimmer has a different make-up and body.
IDEAL FC
Shoulder not deep. Nose on the water to breathe vs shoulder too deep and mouth goes under water.
FC Kick Problems
So kick like a football
Hips always too low
Legs lazy
UW phase
Like going down a flume tunnel and follow the line
Surface like a submarine
FLY
Hand out
Head in neutral
No go zone in front of hands
Must push down to the waist
Breathe early
Palm up/thumbs in air
Squirrel Nutkin pose
Flick at back
FLY Kick
If they’re kicking as the arms go in the other kick will follow.
BR
The ‘do nothing glide’
GOLD / T1/T2 (SILVER) / [BRONZE] {MINI}
Differentiate between levels with turn around times.
T1+ T1 T2 T3
2 x 150 as 100FC/ 50 BC 2.30 2.30 2.45 3.004 x 50
FC Zip Up 0.50 0.50 1.00 1.15
500m 8 8 8 8
T1+ T1 T2 T3
2x 75 FLY 1.40 1.45 D (3×50) 1.50 D(3 x 25) R.15
6 x 50 BC/ BS 1.00 1.00 1.15 1.30
6 x 50 BS/ FC 1.00 1.00 1.15 1.30
1 x 100 IM 1.40 1.45 1.50 2.00
850m 20 22 23 25
T1+ T1 T2 T3
1 x 400 FC 6.00 400m 300m 200m
6 x 50 BS 1.20 1.20 1.30 1.45
2 x 200 IM/FC 3.00 3.15 3.30 4.00
2 x 100 DIVE BS 2.30 2.30 2.45 3.00
1300m 22
T1+ T1 T2 T3
Swim Down FC/BC SLO 5 5 5 5
2650m 55 60 MNS
Coaching and Teaching Swimming 