Improving CV capacity in swimming

For Peter

This programme is aimed at Improvers to help with speed in swimming.

It's important to feel comfortable with good technique before you start sprinting so you don't reinforce bad habits. If there is something you find particularly difficult like keeping a straight leg kick, or a smooth hand entry, then drill yourself on it before attempting this short set.

Once warmed up:

8 x 25m front crawl with minimal breathing. Try the whole length with no breathing even if you can only do this once. Allow yourself 30 seconds rest after each one.

8 x 25m front crawl sprints with breathing. Allow 10-15 seconds rest after each one.

4 x 50m front crawl kick. 10 seconds rest

4 x 50m full stroke front crawl broken down as 25m sprint with minimal breathing and 25m normal breathing active recovery. 10 seconds rest.

That's simple 800m set which can be adapted for advance swimmers simply by doubling distance or repeating the set twice over. If your endurance is good, you can significantly reduce rest times BUT DO NOT COMPROMISE EFFORT IN SPEED.

Have fun!

PHA Training 2

Here's another PHA programme to get your muscles working and heart pumping hard!

Have a go at doing 3 sets with no rest between exercises and only a minute between sets. Do 15, 12, and 10 reps (where there's alternating sides, double the reps so each side gets the 15, 12, 10)

If you'd like to make it harder and YOU HAVE GOOD FORM then simply take put the minute rest between sets and perform the exercises with SPEED. 

Jumping squats

Start with a low squat, explosively jump into air and land light and low again, keep repeating with no pause.

Press up t-twist

After each press up, lift one hand off the floor and with a straight arm, rotate the body and arm around so the finger tips are pointing at the ceiling. Alternate between each side with a press up between each.

If you can’t yet do press ups, try normal press ups from the knees or from the feet with hands on raised platform or even leaning against the wall standing. The higher the hands, the easier the press up.

Lunges with knee lift on step

On a low step, place one foot on and leave it there for one whole set on one side. With the other leg, take a backward lunge. Press up on the front leg to drive the back leg off the floor and up to chest. To involve the arms, raise them to ceiling in the lunge position and bring them down on knee drive.

Dumbbell pull overs

Lay on a bench or step. Place feet firmly on floor and tighten abs to pull spine into step. Take a fairly heavy dumbbell in both hands and hold straight up directly above chest. With straight arms, lower the dumbbell so that the finishing position is behind the head. Keep core controlled as you pull the dumbbell back over your head to start position in air above chest.

Hamstring curls on Swiss ball

Lay on floor on back, arms flat by side. Bend knees and bring the feet in close to your bottom. Lift hips off the floor, squeeze abs and bottom and try to keep a straight line between the points of your shoulder, hips and knees.

If this feels okay, practise the same position but instead of feet on floor, put feel on a Swiss ball. If your balance is good at this point, you are ready for the hamstring curls. Without letting the hips drop (so squeeze tight) extend the legs to roll the Swiss ball out, and bend knees again to bring it back to start. Repeat this movement fairly quickly and you’ll really feel It on the hamstrings!

Tuck and pike on Swiss ball

With hands on floor and toes on Swiss ball, position into a plank. Keeping the hips as level as you can, roll the ball in towards your body to tuck the knees under chest. Roll out again then roll in with straight legs and push hips up to ceiling to form a pike. This is one repetition.

Sumo squats with heel lift

Ultra wide squat. Rather than repeatedly squatting, hold it in a static position and quickly alternate lifting your heels off the floor.

Plank single arm row

In a straight-arm plank position, holding the handles of light-medium dumbbells. Row one dumbbell at a time off the floor from under the shoulder to diagonally up and back to the hip. Squeeze back and triceps on the lift phase.

For extra balance, widen the legs.

ENJOY!