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OBJECTIVE
- To improve the direction of force, pathway and timing of Spear Arm and Catch Arm
- To isolate and examine these two pieces first individually, then together
- To synchronize the Spear Arm and the Catch Arm to each other
DISTANCE
2300 meters total
DRILLS AND FOCAL POINTS
Drills:
- Drill 1 = One-Arm Spear Switch
- Drill 2 = One-Arm Swing Switch
- Drill 3 = Swing-Switch, slow-motion, with pauses at hip and Mailslot
Catch Focal Points:
- A = Touch and Hold the Pilates Ball (with palm and forearm)
- B = Hold Ball and Slide Past It
- C = Steady Pressure during entire Catch/Hold
- D = Press Ball Straight Back toward your toes (so you slide straight forward)
- E = Mailslot Entry (high elbow, quiet, splashless, no-bubble entry)
- F = Spear to Target on Track (extend directly to target, no clock arm, no curving or angling of path)
- G = Catch on Track (catch hand stays on track from extension to hip)
TUNE-UP
600 meters total.
6x 50 whole stroke, gentle as possible, QUIET swimming with no splash, no waves, no bubbles
4x (1x 25 fist swimming, 2x 25 normal hand)
- Round 1 – use Focal Point A
- Round 2 – use Focal Point B
- Round 3 – use Focal Point C
- Round 4 – use Focal Point D
MAIN SET 1
450 meters total.
This set is designed to help you examine and improve your Catch shape and pathway, and your Spear on Track underwater. Any misshape or misdirection will cause your head to rise/fall in the water and/or push to the side.
3 Rounds of 2x (1x 25m Drill 1, 2x 25m Whole Stroke)
- Round 1 – use Focal Point D
- Round 2 – use Focal Point E
- Round 3 – use Focal Point FG
(You may choose Focal Points that suit your specific needs today. Use the Tune-Up time to identify those needs.)
Each Round:
- Focus on LEFT arm
- 1x 25 Drill 1
- 2x 25 Whole Stroke
- Focus on RIGHT arm
- 1x 25 Drill 1
- 2x 25 Whole Stroke
TEST SWIM 1
100m with blended Focal Points (DE, DF, or EF), count strokes
- Measure improvements in stroke based on decreased SPL and on increased ease.
MAIN SET 2
450 meters total.
This set is designed to help you examine and improve your Catch shape and pathway, and your Spear on Track from above the surface of the water. Any misshape or misdirection in the Catch will cause your head to rise/fall in the water and/or push to the side. Any misdirection in the Spearing Arm will cause the hips to sink and/or head to push to the side.
3 Rounds of 2x (1x 25m Drill 2, 2x 25m Whole Stroke)
- Round 1 – use Focal Point D
- Round 2 – use Focal Point E
- Round 3 – use Focal Point FG
(You may choose Focal Points that suit your specific needs today. Use the Tune-Up time to identify those needs.)
On each round:
- Focus on LEFT arm
- 1x 25 Drill 2
- 2x 25 Whole Stroke
- Focus on RIGHT arm
- 1x 25 Drill 2
- 2x 25 Whole Stroke
TEST SWIM 2
100m with blended Focal Points (DE, DF, or EF), count strokes
- Measure improvements in stroke based on decreased SPL and on increased ease.
MAIN SET 3
450 meters total.
This set is designed to help you synchronize the Catch moment and Mailslot moment together, and coordinate the path and the rate at which the Catch Hand and the Spearing Hand are moving away from each other.
3 Rounds of 2x (1x 25m Drill 3, 1x 50m Whole Stroke)
- Round 1 – use Focal Points AE (time them to occur at same moment)
- Round 2 – use Focal Points FG (both move in exact opposite directions)
- Round 3 – use Focal Points FG (both move in exact opposite directions at exact same speed)
On each round:
- 1x 25 Drill 3
- 1x 50 Whole Stroke focus on LEFT Spear Arm and RIGHT Catch Arm together
- 1x 25 Drill 3
- 1x 50 Whole Stroke focus on RIGHT Spear Arm and LEFT Catch Arm together
TEST SWIM 3
150m with blended Focal Points (AE, DF, or FG), count strokes
- Measure improvements in stroke based on decreased SPL and on increased ease.
Instructions:
- The objective is to train the arm to direct force ONLY in the direction of travel – the Spearing Arm sends force directly forward to cut a path through water molecules, and the Catch Arm holds the high pressure zone of water (the Pilates Ball) and presses it directly backward, toward the toes. IN NO OTHER DIRECTION!
- First, work each drill with focus on just one arm so it has your full attention all the way through the entire stroke cycle. Spend time on one arm, then spend time on the other arm.
- Then, you will work on putting the two arms together to work in synchronization – each applying force at the right moment and in the exact opposite direction from each other.
- Work in SLOW-MOTION on drills and in Whole Stroke and increase pressure or tempo only when the movement becomes accurate and familiar.
- To increase challenge on the brain use a Tempo Trainer set to a comfortable Tempo and use the beep to bring your attention to the timing of one point in the stroke cycle (e.g. the Mailslot, or Set the Catch).
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