I’ve passed a few workouts on via facebook and some other forums and a couple coaches asked me to post here.  First- a little background. Our Masters program attracts a wide range of abilities. Before I started at the YW, we had about two workouts per week (and we have three pools!). Now, we’ve got about 20, depending on the season.

Most are coached by TI Coaches, but our challenge is to convince all levels of swimmers that a little technical work can help. Faster swimmers or former top-level swimmers aren’t convinced with talk, but results convince them better. Newer swimmers and triathletes tend to be more interested in loading more technical advice into the workout. When I get feedback from both sides of the spectrum that they enjoyed the workout, I’ll post it here.

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 There are practices where I’m just wondering "how is it I’m lucky enough to get paid for this?" Last night was one of those practices. The workout itself wasn’t anything too crazy, but every bit of extra focus I asked for was rewarded with great stroke changes. Here’s what we did:
500 of the following pattern: 75 free build/25 backstroke
300 IM going 25 kick + 50 swim of each stroke (no boards..ever)
200 perfect free- just show me something pretty

three times through the following, with a different focal point each round:
200 long distance pace, :20 rest
2 x 100 borderline, :20 rest
4 x 50 1>sprint 2>strong 3>strong 4>easy

Round 1 focus: noodling. Swing the arm and (from the elbow) slip it in the catfish’s tunnel, then slip your hand down the gullet by slipping the wrist. Once the other arm is driving, draw it out by the high elbow

Round 2 focus: wide track and turned wrist. We don’t want to find wide tracks after entry- slip in on a wide track, and then to hit the correct position, it might feel like you’re almost turning the pam to face outwards 20 degrees (but in reality, you’re just facing downward for the first time). Hold the track until falling to the opposite one.

Round 3 focus: 3". Whether in the toes, tucking the tailbone underneat, correcting your posture, being tall through the head, or nudging the wrist forward, give me 3" more length at every moment of your stroke cycle. Replace length with opposite track length.

After that, we did a short IM thingyn to finish off, but I was wired just explaining the focal points and seeing the results.