EDITOR'S NOTE: The Breaking Muscle Swimming Workouts are programmed by Jake Shoemaker, an elite athlete in his own right and highly experienced swimming, cross-country running, and triathlon coach.
The swimming workouts are designed for those whose swimming skills are bringing the rest of their game down. If you're a CrossFitter or triathlete, it's no longer acceptable if your swimming isn't up to par.
Swimming can also be used to condition all the systems of the body for endurance without beating it up the way some other modes of exercise can.
Note: Distances are in yards.
Week 3
Day 1
Warm up:
- 400 swim with kick mixed in
4x
- 50 free build @ :05 rest
- 2 x 25 kick fast @ :15 rest
- 2 x 75 free @ :10 rest descend each 25 so that last 25 of 2nd 75 is sprint
- 50 backstroke easy
Main Set:
3x
- 6 x 100 @ :05 rest - maintain pace that you can hold for 18 that causes you to work through fatigue but not to burn for #s 4 - 6 in each set
- 100 backstroke easy + :30 seconds rest after
12 x 25 @ :10 recovery as
- 4x
- 1 - 25 build to sprint by half pool, finish final 12.5 sprint
- 2 - 25 smooth with technique and pull focus
- 3 - 25 hard with overdrive kick
Cool down:
- 400 as (100 backstroke easy, 100 kick on back any style easy, 100 free smooth technique focus, 100 elementary backstroke)
Total: 4400
Day 2
Warm up:
- 2 x 300 as (100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 kick, 100 freestyle)
- 8 x 75 freestyle @ alternate :20/:05 as 75 - first 5 strokes of each 25 quick, rest relaxed; 75 - 50 streamline freestyle kick on back, 25 build freestyle
Main set:
- 3 x 500 @ :10 recovery as: 1 - steady for even 100s, strong for odd 100s; 2 - build throughout first 400 and cruise last 100; 3 - strong (beat time of previous two)
- 100 easy backstroke
- 3 x 300 @ :30 recovery as (same format as 500s)
Cool down:
- 100 easy
Total: 3700
Day 3
Warm-up:
- 5 x 100 @ :10 rest choice
- 16 x 25 @ :10 rest, IM order (swim, kick, drill, swim)
Main Set:
- 10 x 200
- odd @ :10 rest (100 free smooth, 50 backstroke, 50 free smooth)
- even @ :10 rest (200 smooth)
Cool down:
- 300 easy as 100 kick on back, 100 free, 100 back
Total: 3200
Day 4
Warm up:
- 300 swim choice
- 5 x 100 @ :15 (25 kick, 50 swim, 25 kick)
- 6 x 50 drill @ :15 rest
Main Set:
- 16 x 100 free
- 3 smooth @ :20 rest
- 1 fast @ :30 rest
Cool down:
- 200 easy choice
Total: 2900
Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you're in.
