Season Planning for Age Group Swimmers & Writing Workouts Guy Edson American Swimming Coaches Association

Your Age Group Team Improves by…?

Accident? Natural growth? New families joining the team? Or (my favorite) A goal based plan?

Where Am I Coming From?

Where are you coming from?

What is “Age Group”?

Your Brain…

You sit down to write age group workouts and you think about… what?

Michael Phelps Training Plan

It’s All Connected

Where Does a Goal Based Plan Come From? “Where were we… “Where do we want to be at the end of this

coming season?”

Kinds of Goals Goals are objective (measurable). Two types: Performance Goals Workout Goals Pave the way for above Test sets yardage

Tools for Writing Your Plan

Your Brain Dedicated time A very large eraser Pencils, rulers, blank paper Software?

Thinking About AG Workouts Age group swimmers are not

just little seniors

1. Forget about making yardage your primary objective

2. Focus on what it takes to develop age groupers into senior swimmers

3. Create “components” of a workout 4. Use your components for season planning and

for weekly workout planning.

Basic Components (Objectives) of an Age Group Workout Aerobic base, AB Awesome Kicking, K Learning to Race, R Challenge Sets, AO Free and IM Long Quality Swims ability, LQS Teaching Strokes, SW Teaching Starts and Turns, STW Sprinting, S Sanctioned Goof-off Time (games and relays)

Taking a Different Look at your Workout Time It’s not 90 minutes…

Points of Focus: Suggestions

Stroke Development, 4-6 weeks Aerobic Development, 6-8 weeks Race Development, 2-3 weeks LQS Development, 2-4 weeks IM Development, 4-6 weeks Championship Preparation, 2-3 weeks NOT a taper, because…

Next Slide – A Season Plan

Based on Objectives Based on Points of Focus Based on Changing Priorities The numbers represent blocks of time Don’t get stuck on the numbers… just get the

idea.

A Season Plan Cycle=>

Component SD AD RD LQS IM Champ

AB 8 12 12 12 12 10 K 5 5 5 5 5 5 R 0 1 3 2 2 2 AO/IM 0 3 2 1 3 1 LQS 0 0 0 2 1 1 SW 10 3 3 3 2 3 STW 5 2 2 2 2 4 S 1 3 2 2 2 3 G 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total 30 30 30 30 30 30

Use the Season Plan to Create a “Workout Model” for the Cycle Mon 4:00 AB

4:15 K

4:30 STW

4:45 R

5:00 AB

5:15 AB

Tue 4:00 AB

4:15 S

4:30 AO

4:45 SW

5:00 AB

5:15 K

Wed 4:00 AB

4:15 K

4:30 SW

4:45 R

5:00 AB

5:15 S

Thur 4:00 AB

4:15 K

4:30 AO

4:45 SW

5:00 AB

5:15 AB

Fri 4:00 AB

4:15 AB

4:30 STW

4:45 R

5:00 K

5:15 G

Workout Model for the Race Development Cycle

Components

AB -12

K – 5

R – 2

AO – 2

SW – 3

STW – 2

S – 2

G - 1 Example WO’s at End

Sample Workout TIME OBJ GROUP 1 OBJ GROUP 2 OBJ GROUP 3

4:00 AB 10 X 150 K 50 FLY-BK NO BOARD, SWIM ALT 100 FR/100 IM ON 2:50

AB 5 X 150 FREE ON 2:50 STW FLY-BACK TURNS

4:15 K CONTINUED FROM ABOVE STW FLY-BACK TURNS

K 8 X 50 ON 1:50 KICK, FLY- BACK BY 25, NO BOARD, DESCEND 1-4

4:30 STW FLY-BACK TURNS K 9 x 50 ON 1:45 KICK, FLY- BACK BY 25, NO BOARD, DESCEND 1-3

AB 5 X 100 IM ON 3

4:45 R 3 X B 100 IM BY 50, 25, 25 ON 2 GROUPS ON 1:OO/30/30

R SAME AB 600 FREE

5:00 AB 2 (400 ON 6, 300 ON 4:30, 200 ON 3, 100 ON 1:30) EACH SPLIT FASTER

AB 2 (300 FREE ON 6, 3 X 50 FASTER ON 1:30, 150 ON 3, 50 ON 1:30)

R 2 X B 100 IM BY 50, 25, 25 ON 2 GROUPS ON 1:OO/30/30

5:15 AB CONTINUED FROM ABOVE AB CONTINUED FROM ABOVE

AB 4 X 125 ON 3, THEN A FAST 50 FROM THE BLOCK

TOT 4100 2800 2250

Sample Workout TIME OBJ GROUP 1 OBJ GROUP 2 OBJ GROUP 3

4:00 AB 7 X 100 FREE DRILL ON 2 SW BREASTSTROKE RECOVERY K 8 X 50 ON 1:45 KICK FREE ROTATION TO KICK BACK, NO BOARD

4:15 S 8 X 25 FREE/ BK ON 3 GROUPS S SAME S SAME

4:30 AO 4 X 200 IM ON 3:30 AO 4 SETS OF: 200 IM ON 4:00 2 X 100 BACK ON 2:15

SW BREASTSTROKE RECOVERY

4:45 SW BREASTSTROKE RECOVERY AB CONTINUED FROM ABOVE AB 3 X 150 BREAST ON 4:30 EOF

5:00 AB 800 BREAST, MAX 8 STROKES PER LENGTH

K 8 X 100 BACK KICK WITH FINS ON 1:50 STROKE INTO THE TURNS AND FINISH

SW BACKSTROKE ENTRY

5:15 K 9 X 100 BACK KICK WITH FINS ON 1:40 STROKE INTO THE TURNS AND FINISH

AB 600 BREAST, MAX 8 STROKES PER LENGTH, REST 1 MIN, 100 BREAST FROM BLOCKS

AB 10 X 50 BACK ON 1:20 REST 1 MIN, 50 BK FOR TIME

TOT 3400 3200 1550

Writing and Running a Great Practice

20 Ideas

Now, Let’s Talk About…

My Personal… 25% “Rule”

1

Create Workout Groups

Make dynamic groups, YOUR groups (next slide)

2

Working with a Range of Abilities

You MUST have smaller workout groups each with their own unique workout More work for you, better for the athletes

SBL method or rearrangement of components method?

Use of assistant coaches and the pace clock The importance of OYO sets

Plan for Every Minute

- Run sets with 1 to 2 minutes between sets - Combine time blocks to make longer sets especially for aerobic training and kicking sets

3

Repeats Per Time Block – How many repeats at a given send off in 15, 20, 30, and 40 minutes send off blocks in minutes send off blocks in minutes interval 15m 20m 30m 40m interval 15m 20m 30m 40 0.30 28 36 56 74 4.00 4 5 7 9 0.35 24 31 48 63 4.05 3 4 7 9 0.40 21 27 42 56 4.10 3 4 7 9 0.45 19 24 37 49 4.15 3 4 7 9 0.50 17 22 34 44 4.20 3 4 6 9 0.55 15 20 31 40 4.25 3 4 6 8 1.00 14 18 28 37 4.30 3 4 6 8 1.05 13 17 26 34 4.35 3 4 6 8 1.10 12 15 24 32 4.40 3 4 6 8 1.15 11 14 22 30 4.45 3 4 6 8 1.20 11 14 21 28 4.50 3 4 6 8 1.25 10 13 20 26 4.55 3 4 6 8 1.30 9 12 19 25 5.00 3 4 6 7 1.35 9 11 18 23 5.15 3 3 5 7 1.40 8 11 17 22 5.30 3 3 5 7 1.45 8 10 16 21 5.45 2 3 5 6 1.50 8 10 15 20 6.00 2 3 5 6 1.55 7 9 15 19 6.15 2 3 4 6 2.00 7 9 14 19 6.30 2 3 4 6 2.05 7 9 13 18 6.45 2 3 4 5

Plan on How You are Going to Use Assistant Coaches

4

Post the Workout

5

(mental preparation for next slide)

No Warm Up Sets, No Main Sets, No Rest Sets

6

Challenge the Best Swimmer in Each Group

Challenge on intensity Challenge on intervals Challenge on distance/density How far should they be going?

7

Plan to Teach Something Every Day

8

Know that you may throw in extra rest before a last good swim.

9

Be creative within limits. Take into account: Their ability to understand Your ability to run it Repeatability and Transferability

Don’t be afraid to make a change on the deck and remember to record it.

I start with intensity or technique then stroke then repeat distance first, then interval, then repetitions. aerobic base, breaststroke, 300’s; can do on 6

minutes, I have 30 minutes, so… 5 x 300 breast on 6, descend 1-5, 8 meters per pullout

Writing Sets

Write Straight Stroke Sets

Easier to write NOT boring if given points of focus Great for developing specific stroke endurance Always descend sets Examples

10

Write Complex Sets

Different distances Different strokes Different intensities (next slide)

11

Complex Sets

Greater variety, perhaps more interest, less boring

May be better in simulating race conditions Takes longer to write (keep a library of

sets) continues

Complex Sets

Much harder to understand and do correctly Repeating well designed sets will lead to

better performance for physiological reasons AND familiarity.

If split between too many strokes, will not develop the stroke in the way you want.

Complex Sets – a “base set” 400, 300, 200, 100 free, each split faster on

1:30 per 100, repeat 2 times, 30 min, 3000 yds This is a “base set” that can be expanded, for ex.:

400 on 6, 1 x 100 on 2:00 fast, 300 on 4:30, 2 x 75 on 1:30 fast 200 on 3, 3 x 50 on 1:00 fast 100 on 1:30, 4 x 25 on 30 fast 26 minutes, 1500

Write Repeatable Test Sets

Don’t over do this Use for motivation Use for workout goals Keep records My favorite: The x test. 6 x 100 free on LRP

12

Make Opportunities for Best Times

13

Plan For Moments of Transference

14

Add Jungle Training

Timed swims Salmon Runs

Take your Goggles Off

15

Plan for OYO Sets

Use Plexiglas Writing Boards and Wax Pencils

Listo.com

16

Teach them HOW to Race

Use Writing Boards

Tileboard and Dry Erase markers

17

Create Holiday Themed or Special Event Workouts

18

Make Time for Games and Relays

19

Plan To End Practice With Something Exciting

20

END the Practice

Final Thoughts

A Plan gives you more flexibility, not less. Therefore…

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN Use every minute Keep written records Be creative Analyze and learn Have tons of fun!

Thanks