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Workouts

Workouts to Improve Strength, Conditioning, and Swim Technique

This cycle of Frogman workouts will build strength and conditioning while also improving your swim technique.

Hannah Caldas

Written by Hannah Caldas Last updated on May 18, 2015

Week 1, Day 1

Hold 3 minute Plank
Swim 100m
Rest 10 seconds while holding breath

Swim 200m
Rest 10 seconds while holding breath

Swim 100m

Week 1, Day 2

100x 4 count Flutter Kick
Kick x50

100x 4ct Flutter Kick
Swim 50

100x 4ct Flutter Kick
Push Plate under water for distance

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 2, Day 1

Swim 50m
1 min max Sit Ups
Underwater Carry 50m
Rest 5min

Repeat with:
1 min max Push Ups
1 min max Air Squats

Week 2, Day 2

A.

10 rounds:
30 second Vertical Kick
Immediately after: 50m Swim
Rest 1 minute between rounds

B.
5 rounds of Underwater Farmers Carry
After each round complete:
10x Push Ups
10x V Ups

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 3, Day 1

For 20 minutes:

  • 50m Swim
  • 5 Air Squats
  • 50m Swim
  • 10 Air Squats
  • 50m Swim
  • 15 Air Squats

Increase by 5 air squats every time until the end of the time.

Week 3, Day 2

Swim 200m
Hold Plank 1 min
Swim 100m
Hold Plank 2 min
Swim 50m
Hold Plank 3 min
Swim 200m

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 4, Day 1

5 Rounds:

  • 8 Sumo Deadlift High Pull with kettlebell
  • 100m swim
  • 25 4-ct Flutter Kick while holding the kettlebell up

Finish with 100m KB bottom walk, counting the number of times you had to breathe.

Week 4, Day 2

500y Freestyle for time

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 5, Day 1

Tabata Vertical Kick
8 Rounds:

20 seconds Vertical Kick

10 seconds rest

Finish with 8 x 50 Freestyle with 10 seconds rest, average the time for the 8 reps.

Week 5, Day 2

Swim 100 and note time

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 6, Day 1

5 Rounds:

  • Swim 50m with Slam Ball
  • Slam Balls x 10
  • 50m Push Slam Ball on bottom (underwater)
  • Slam Balls x 10

Week 6, Day 2

5 Push Ups
50m Kick
10 Push Ups
50m swim
20 Squats
50m Pull
30 Sit Ups
50m Swim

Rest 2 min and repeat

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 7, Day 1

200 Swim
Rest 1 minute
Max Burpees in 1 minute
Rest 1 minute
200 Swim

Week 7, Day 2

500 Swim for time

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 8, Day 1

50 Underwater Farmers Walk

4 Rounds:
Swim: 50
Get Up from pool: 10x
Sprint: 25

Week 8, Day 2

10 x 100 Swim
Rest 1 min between each 100
During the rest time, perform a number of push-ups equivalent to the rep number of the swim. For example, if you’re on your 5th rep, do 5 push ups.

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 9, Day 1

3 Rounds:

  • 5 Kettlebell Thrusters
  • 25 Scull
  • 20 Sit Ups
  • 25 Kick
  • 5 Kettlebell Thrusters

Rest 3 minutes

Max Double Unders in 1 minute

Week 9, Day 2

Swim 50m and note time

Swim 8x50m with 15 seconds interval. Only reps within 2 seconds of original 50 count towards the 8.

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 10, Day 1

Drill 200
100 4-count Flutter Kick
Swim 200 with paddles
100 4-count Flutter Kick
Swim 200 w/no breathing – 2 strokes before and after each wall

Week 10, Day 2

50 Kettlebell Swings
500 Swim
50 Lunges with Kettlebell (25 per leg)

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 11, Day 1

With fins:

  • 200 kick on your back (dolphin kick preferred but flutter okay)
  • Rest 1 min
  • 200 swim with fins (note time)
  • Rest 3 min
  • 200 swim no fins, all out for time

Burpee penalty of 5 burpees for every second over the time with fins.

Week 11, Day 2

Warm up with 200 of mixed swim/drill/kick
Swim 50 – count number of breaths
Repeat for 8 rounds as follows:

  • Round 1: Add 3 breaths
  • Round 2: Add 2 breaths
  • Round 3: Add 1 breath
  • Round 4: Same number of breaths
  • Round 5: Subtract 1 breath
  • Round 6: Subtract 2 breaths
  • Round 7: Subtract 3 breaths
  • Round 8: All out

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 12, Day 1

10 x 100 Swim

Rest 30 seconds

The goal is to stay within 1 second of the first repetition. Work on consistent pace.

Week 12, Day 2

500 Swim for time

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Hannah Caldas

About Hannah Caldas

Since returning to swimming in 2010 after an 8 year retirement, Hannah Caldas has claimed FINA masters world records in 3 different relays and USMS National Records in the 50m Breaststroke and 50 and 100m Freestyle. She was awarded USMS 2010 and 2011 Pool All Star, earned All-American status in over 20 individual events, and was ranked as the fastest masters female swimmer in the world over 30 by FINA in the 50 and 100m Freestyle in 2011.

In 2012, Hannah was an Olympic hopeful for Portugal in the 50m Freestyle, but fell short of the qualifying time for London by 0.3s. She made a debut in Open Water Swimming in the Maui Channel Crossing Race, as a member of the Mixed Relay team in 2011.

Hannah started CrossFit in the summer of 2011, and in 2012 competed in the CrossFit Open and Southwest Regionals while simultaneously training and competing in swimming. She swims 4,000 meters per day, 2 hours per day, 6 days a week, and CrossFits 5 days a week, with one active rest and one full rest day.

In addition to her impressive athletic background, Hannah served as Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Wake Forest University from 2006 to 2010. Since leaving academia, Hannah has lived in Phoenix, AZ, where she devotes her time to being a full time athlete. More recently, she has started applying her knowledge of functional fitness to help other swimmers and triathletes.

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