Drillers — Drills can be inserted anytime that you want. These swims are designed to give you ideas for building more continuous swimming into your programs.

Non-IMers — you can use water polo for fly and then do your best with the back and the breast (swim free if you really can't swim these strokes, however, if you are merely slow then that's okay).

All — Remember to stay relaxed, particularly through your face, jaw and shoulders.

Endurance and Strength Swim

Warm-Up with 6-1000, every 3rd bk (every 4th if swimming SC)

Main Set is 3-6 x [100, 200, 200]

• 100s are IM, steady on 10s RI
• 200s are fist progression -- 50 fist, 50 half fist, 100 swim, easy on 10s RI, with pull buoy
• 200s are free, steady on 15s RI

Technique Set

• Lungbusters 2-5 x 200, with pullbuoy
• Breathe by 50, 3/5/7/9
• If you can't do 7 or 9 stroke breathing then try 3/7 and 3/9 breathing
• Pace should be very easy
• Goals for this set is to learn to swim relaxed when under a bit of "breath pressure"
• It also gives you a chance to work on your off-side arm mechanics as you are breathing less often
• Cool down with 200 easy mix of strokes

Endurance and Strength Swim

Warm-Up with 6-1000, every 3rd bk (every 4th if swimming SC)

Speed Set

• 8x100 done as 25 fast and 75 DPS on 20s RI
• Strong swimmers can alt between Fly and Free for the 25s, all 75s should be Free
• 75s should all be easy pace

Kick Set with Fins

• 2-5 x 200s continuous
• First 100 with board alt by 50 free / fly
• Second 100 on back no board alt by 50 back / fly
• When on your back, aim for an excellent streamlined position

Pull Set with Pull Buoy and Paddles

• Strongest swimmers can use a band
• Swimmers that are new to a proper catch, no paddles and no band
• If using paddles then small ones to encourage good stroke speed and hip drive
• 1-6 x [400, 2x50]
• 400s are easy to steady pull on 10s RI
• 50s are fast (pads only or swim) on 10s RI
• The longer swims are a perfect time for you to work on stroke mechanics
• If you have trouble with your stroke endurance then use 2x200 instead of the 400
• If you do 2 or 3 sets then make sure that the last set is done swim only with no gear
• If you do 4 or more sets then you can alternate between gear and no gear (stronger swimmers can use pads for all 50s if they want) Cool down with 200 easy mix of strokes.

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High Volume Tapering

Question:
By the way, I've got a question -- I'm curious to know if the traditional approach to doing a taper before an A race changes if an athlete is doing epic volume work. I know that there have been two traditional schools of thought on taper: one four weeks out, the other two. Plus, some have been in favor of increasing intensity while reducing volume during the taper period. But, how does lots of volume change that? Or does it?

Answer:
You might check out this thread... http://www.coachgordo.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=25046

I think that athletes need to be careful with intensity in the taper period. Many athletes blow themselves up with intensity and forget that it was aerobic training that got them to the level that they are at. Athletes have a wide range of tolerance for high intensity — "going hard" is not a requirement for IM success.

Regardless of volume, I think that the "taper/peaking" principles would remain the same.

While epic volume appeals to everyone, it's only appropriate for a small percentage of athletes. Athletes need to be careful with it.

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From My Mailbag

I went from 218 in August to 184 this morning by training frequently and following your eating guide. Six months ago (or so) I thought your diet was extreme to say the least. And unattainable for most people.

At that same point in time I really needed to make a few changes to my own diet as I was out of pants that fit me. I started small, making just a few really simple changes — like not have three DQ blizzards every week. I had great success and lost a few pounds. I have found that about every 10 pounds I plateau. At that point I have just made a few small adjustments and broken through to the other side. Cheese went, and butter, and lots of other things that I used to like.

I was thinking this morning what changes I can make to get through the 180 hurdle and it dawned on me that the changes you guys made to your diet were over a period of time, just like I am. I am now a lot closer to where you are and don't think your diet is that extreme anymore. It was just a change that seemed too big to make in one step, but if you make thousands of little ones it seems easy. Sort of like frequency in workouts I suppose. I only point this out as it may be a barrier to lots of people changing their eating habits. It does seem overwhelming in one step.