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Master Class 1K

Swim your first, swim your best 1km in 12 weeks.

Month 2 of 3

Stage 2

Theme: Breathing, Streamline

Week 5 – Breathing

Baseline Test Swim #2

For your second test swim we want to see what is sticking from your training in the last four weeks, and what still needs some work. Your external data results will give us clues as to what is happening inside your body.

You will go through your normal warm-up routine, then start the test swim.

Level 1 swimmers will do a test swim composed of 4x 250, with 10-15 seconds passive rest between each repeat.

Level 2 swimmers may do either the 4x 250, or one continuous 1000. If you choose to do 1000 on this test, then it will be most helpful for analysis if you keep doing 1000 for the next test swim also so we can compare results easily.

Here are the measurements you need to make. You may not be able to do all of them – but do at least the same measurements you did on the first test swim so that we can compare results. The measurements are listed in order of priority. If you can only a few, do the first ones on the list.

  1. The total distance you swam.
  2. The total time it took to swim that distance.
  3. The number of strokes you took on each length (or on every fourth length)**
  4. The time splits at each 100m mark.
  5. If you take a rest, at what point and how much rest.
  6. Tempo
Attention Practice 5.1

You choose your specific focal point for each topic.

Main Set 1: Head Position while breathing

Head remains in line with the shishkabob spine while turning. The tip of the head (the tip of the torpedo) should remain underwater, pointing down the lane. Water should be splashing up, over your forehead while turned to breathe.

Remember that you need only your mouth to touch the air in order to breathe, not your goggles.

Main Set 2: Timing of the turn to breathe

We say, ‘You cannot turn too early to breathe’. The head/shoulders should turn immediately with the start of the catch. Touching the air with your mouth sooner than later in the stroke will allow you to breathe at the easiest moment – highest acceleration and highest position in the water.

You should not see your recovery arm with your own eyes – that means you’ve turned too late, or taken too long to breathe.

Main Set 3: Review

Choose a skill set and focal point from last week and use that in this set.

Tempo Practice 5.2

Choose 1 focal points from each of the 3 sets you did in the Attention Practice for this week.

For Level 1 swimmers keep Tempo Trainer set to TC (your comfortable tempo).

For Level 2 swimmers you may increase tempo to TC-0.03.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for each main set (you may use the same one for all three):

  • 2 rounds of (2x 100)
  • 2 rounds of (100 + 200)

Drill for 2 minutes before each round.

Distance Practice 5.3

Choose 1 to 3 focal points from the the Attention Practice for this week.

Level 1 swimmers will count strokes (count at least on the last length of each repeat, if not on every length).

Level 2 swimmers will hold your ideal or best stroke count N (SPL, or Strokes Per Length) on each repeat.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for the main set:

  • 3 rounds of (100 + 150 + 200)
  • 1 round of (100 + 150 + 2x 200 + 150 + 100)
  • 5 rounds of (200)

Drill for 1 minute before each round.

Week 6 – Breathing

Attention Practice 6.1

You choose your specific focal point for each topic.

Main Set 1: Exhale/Inhale

You want to make only partial air exchanges, not massive ones (because that is stressful on the body). During the non-breathing strokes, let out just small, gentle bubbles from the nose (according to the intensity of your swim). Reduce the amount of air going out and balance it with the amount of air you inhale.

Main Set 2: Breathe Timing

While turning to breathe, just before the mouth touches the air give a quick blast out of the nose and mouth to clear the airway (like dolphins clear the breathe-hole before surfacing). Then take just a ‘quick sip of air’ (like sipping super-hot tea).

Main Set 3: Push-Off + Glide from the Wall

Use this set to practice your push-off from the wall. Notice the placement of your feet, and the placement of your arms and head in streamline position BEFORE you push away from the wall. Then examine how much farther you can glide before decelerating, before taking your first stroke underwater.

Use a small sinking object as a marker to mark your first glide distance and compare to your improved glide distance. Your goal is to improve your glide distance then hold that consistent on every length you swim.

Tempo Practice 6.2

Choose 1 focal points from each of the 3 sets you did in the Attention Practice for this week.

For Level 1 swimmers keep Tempo Trainer set to TC (your comfortable tempo).

For Level 2 swimmers you may keep tempo at TC-0.03.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for each main set (you may use the same one for all three):

  • 2 rounds of (2x 100)
  • 2 rounds of (100 + 200)

Drill for 2 minutes before each round.

Distance Practice 6.3

Choose 1 to 3 focal points from the the Attention Practice for this week.

Level 1 swimmers will count strokes (count at least on the last length of each repeat, if not on every length).

Level 2 swimmers will hold your ideal or best stroke count N (SPL, or Strokes Per Length) on each repeat.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for the main set:

  • 2 rounds of (100 + 200 + 300)
  • 1 round of (100 + 200 + 300 + 200 + 100)
  • 4 rounds of (300)

Drill for 1 minute before each round.

Week 7 – Streamline

Attention Practice 7.1

You choose your specific focal point for each topic.

Main Set 1: Lead Arm Position

Examine the position of your lead arm in Skate Position, at the start and the finish of each stroke. The arm should be shaped, but flexible like a young tree branch. Wrist should be in line with the forearm. Shoulder is above elbow, elbow is above wrist, wrist is above soft fingers. The wrist should be directly in front of the shoulder. Elbow should be pointing outward to the side (ready to curve into Catch position), not downward. Fingers should be aligned forward, not angled to the side (as if leading with the thumb).

Pause, if needed at each start and finish of the stroke to make sure you come to and hold Skate Position for a noticeable moment. It should be obvious to an outside observer.

Main Set 2: Entry Start

Recall the position your recovery swing is suppose to bring your elbow to, to set up the entry. High elbow, stretching the elastic tissues in the back, forearm at 45 degrees, aiming straight forward in front of the shoulder. Now cut a hole in the surface of the water with your fingers and slide the whole arm through that small hole – first fingers, then wrist, then elbow, then shoulder.

Done well, there should be no splash as each part enters the water.

Main Set 3: Review

Choose a skill set and focal point from last week and use that in this set.

Tempo Practice 7.2

Choose 1 focal points from each of the 3 sets you did in the Attention Practice for this week.

For Level 1 swimmers keep Tempo Trainer set to TC (your comfortable tempo). You may increase Tempo to TC-0.03 if TC was feeling quite comfortable last week.

For Level 2 swimmers, if TC-0.03 was feeling comfortable last week, you may increase tempo to TC-0.06.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for each main set (you may use the same one for all three):

  • 2 rounds of (2x 100)
  • 2 rounds of (100 + 200)

Drill for 2 minutes before each round.

Distance Practice 7.3

Choose 1 to 3 focal points from the the Attention Practice for this week.

Level 1 swimmers will count strokes (count at least on the last length of each repeat, if not on every length).

Level 2 swimmers will hold your ideal or best stroke count N (SPL, or Strokes Per Length) on each repeat.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for the main set:

  • 1 rounds of (100 + 200 + 300 + 400)
  • 1 round of (3x 100, 2x 200, 1x 400)
  • 3 rounds of (400)

Drill for 1 minute before each round.

Week 8 – Streamline

Attention Practice 8.1

You choose your specific focal point for each topic.

Main Set 1: Entry Path

Once the recovery swing has placed the elbow and forearm into ideal position, and the arm begins the entry – the path the wrist takes should be shaped like a giant ski jump, starting steep and leveling off at the target depth. The wrist cuts a path down in front of the body, to a point just lower than the lowest part of the body, and then slides forward (as if on ice).

Main Set 2: Extension

Skate Position in the whole stroke is not a passive position, as it is in the drill. As the body slides into Skate Position, the shoulder continues to extend the body line forward, until you feel a stretch from wrist to hip, down into your thigh. This side of the body keeps stretching forward, until the entry of the other hand begins.

You slide forward on this side of the body, like the firm blade of an ice skate touching the ice, then sliding the weight of the skater forward.

Main Set 3: Review

Choose a skill set and focal point from last week and use that in this set.

Tempo Practice 8.2

Choose 1 focal points from each of the 3 sets you did in the Attention Practice for this week.

For Level 1 swimmers keep Tempo Trainer set to TC (your comfortable tempo). You may keep Tempo at TC-0.03 if you chose to increase it last week.

For Level 2 swimmers, you may keep tempo at TC-0.06.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for each main set (you may use the same one for all three):

  • 2 rounds of (2x 100)
  • 2 rounds of (100 + 200)

Drill for 2 minutes before each round.

Distance Practice 8.3

Choose 1 to 3 focal points from the the Attention Practice for this week.

Level 1 swimmers will count strokes (count at least on the last length of each repeat, if not on every length).

Level 2 swimmers will hold your ideal or best stroke count N (SPL, or Strokes Per Length) on each repeat.

Then choose one of the following repeat patterns for the main set:

  • 1 rounds of (150 + 250 + 500)
  • 1 round of (500 + 300 + 200 + 100)
  • 2 rounds of (500)

Drill for 1 minute before each round.