The Sport of Swimming

Kaleigh Kurtz, Cooper Brown, Paige Campsie, Carey Ray,

Jonathan Boland, Alex Farley
Basics
Description:
The ability to maintain streamline form in the water and propel ones
self down the length of the pool using arms and legs
Differences:
50-1650 distance
Short-course yards (25 yd) or long-course meters (50 m)
Demands:
Peak physical fitness, mental toughness, increased range of motion,
time management, large lung capacity
Seasons
Short-course: September to March
Long-course: March to August
Energy Systems
Anaerobic
ATP-PC system
making the initial start of diving into the pool or pushing off
the wall
Glycolysis (Lactic Acid System)
First 30-60 seconds of race
Aerobic
Krebs cycle
Electron Transport Chain
Used once anaerobic systems are depleted
Limited
Fitness Test
Aerobic Endurance at Different Levels

Basic
Completing a 300 meter freestyle
Intermediate
Complete as many laps as possible in 30 minutes
Elite
300 meter freestyle, holding your fastest average time
Fitness Testing Cont.
Strength and Power

Upper Body- one rep max of a bench

press
Lower Body- vertical jump test

Flexibility

Upper Body- shoulder reach

Lower Body- sit and reach

Core Endurance

Sit up test

Anaerobic Capacity

6 X 50 m sprint - observing speed drop

Dynamic Warmup and Stretching
Jumping Jacks Static stretching not done before
Increase heart rate Arm Circles
Move most joints of the body, Consider a warmup and stretch
especially those used in Increase strength and flexibility
swimming to the shoulders
Increases core body temp Trunk Rotations
Walking lunges Increases strength and flexibility
Increases range of motion in in the legs, core and shoulders
lower body
Increases blood flow to large
muscles
Backward Step-Over
Improves flexibility and active
range of motion in the hips
Strengthens muscles around the
hip
Conditioning Needed
Dependant on Distance
Sprinters: 5,000 to 6,500 yds
Mid-Distance: 6,000 to 7,500 yds
Distance: 7,000 to 8,500 yds
Resistance Training
Weight lifting and plyometric training
Stretching
Flexibility of joints and muscles
Cardio Conditioning
Weight Conditioning in Season
These exercises target key muscles that are utilized during
training.
Stretches: Lifts: Cardio: Maintenance:

Banded good Trap bar, curl to Swimming (warm up Tubing high row,
morning, crunch press, high and cool down banded triceps,
and hollow body pull/clean, included) T-Spine rotation,
hold, roll quads dumbbell bench mini band
and hip flexors, (isometric or external
childs pose, alternate), rotation, tubing
prayer stretch, isometric face pulls, band
frog stretch dumbbell jerk pull apart
series, TRX
inverted row
Muscular Strength/Endurance Exercises
Lat pulldown, wrist curl, pull up/chin up
Activates larger arm muscles
Boxing, squat, plyometric jumps, squat jumps, calf raises
Engages quads, hamstrings, and larger muscles
Stability ball plank kicks, ab/core work
Strengthens the main source of balance
Shoulder/ankle/knee rehab stability
Small weights to help with control
Periodization Cycles
Macrocycle (Yearly)
August- February
Mesocycle
Preseason: Strength based
August- September
Training Period
September- November
Microcycle
Taper: lesser intensity
November (2 weeks)
Training Period
December- February
Microcycle
Taper: lesser intensity
February (2 weeks)
Assessment Tests and Exercises
Agility
Reaction time
Cup grabbing drill with whistle
Strength
How far can one swim with power rack attached
Increase weight with progress
Resistance band test- rotator cuff stability
Swimming with cord
Using fins and paddles
Shorter fast sets with less rest
Endurance
T 30 test
How far can one swim in 30 min
Longer aerobic sets