Master Class Synchronization
Increase Speed Using The Power You Already Have.
Month 1 of 2
Instructions
Overview Of Master Class Sync
This Master Class is divided into 2 stages, with 4 weeks, with 3 practices in each week, for a total of 24 practices. There is a recommended test swim at the start, in the middle, and at the end.
Stage 1
- Baseline Test Swim #1
- Week 1 – AC Sync + Entry/Extension
- Week 2 – BC Sync + Catch
- Week 3 – AB Sync + Entry
- Week 4 – AB Sync + Catch
Stage 2
- Baseline Test Swim #2
- Week 5 – DC Sync + Counter-Balanced Foot
- Week 6 – DC Sync + 2 Beat Kick
- Week 7 – DB Sync + Catch
- Week 8 – DB Sync + Entry/Extension
Final – 400m Test Swim
The first two test swims could be included in those practice times if you have time and energy for it. The final 800m test swim should be done on a separate day at the end, with your best tune-up before hand. This program is organized into 8 weeks. You are free to go through the course at a faster pace or at a slower pace (doing more practices per week or less), but I do recommend a minimum of 3 practices a week in order to maintain momentum in building fitness and skills. If you can do more practices per week then I encourage you to repeat those practices of that week which have felt most productive to you.
Objectives For Master Class Sync
Your swim achievement goal is to swim continuously 400 meters (or yards) with significantly improved sense of acceleration on each stroke. The 400 m test swim is your quantity objective while moving farther per stroke without a sense of increase in power is your quality objective.
To accomplish this, you need to plug the ‘power leaks’ in your stroke. In the synchronized stroke, the movement of one part of the body is coordinated carefully with the movements of the other parts of the body enabling a smooth transfer of force – the right amount, at the right moment, to the right location – and removing conflict and friction in your joints and tissues. Synchronization practice plugs those leaks and enables you to get so much more speed out of the power you already have. You just need to learn to utilize this power better.
We may divide that goal into two levels:
- For Level 1 swimmers you will be completing 400 for the first time, or for the first time with greater ease.
- For Level 2 swimmers you may expect to complete 400 faster than before, with more ease than ever before because you are using power so much better than you have before.
You will do this by studying each synchronization combination and focus on one of those components each week so that you become very aware and sensitive to the relationship of one moving part of the body to another.
Read First
Here are some instructions that will help you along as you set up your personal practices:
Read More
This information is here to support you. Do not feel obligated to read all of this at the start. But, as you go along in the training plan and run into questions about what to do, you may come back here to look for an article that may answer your questions.
In our Knowledge Base:
- Measurements In A Practice Set
- Rating System For Qualities
- Test Your Progress
- Choosing Drills
- Choosing Focal Points
- Mid-Swim Decisions
- Adjusting The Challenge Level
- Choosing Warm Up And Cool Down
- Choosing The Amount Of Rest
- Three Core TI Principles
- How To Design A Task
- Task Grouping
- How To Organize A Practice
- Practice Components
- Focal Point Complexity
- Challenge Multipliers
- Tempo Trainer Basics
- Focal Point Complexity
- Sections of the Freestyle Stroke
- Glossary of Practice Terms
- How To Count Strokes
- Rate of Perceived Effort Scale
- How Distance Intervals Work
- Work:Rest Ratio
In our Training FAQs:
- How often should I practice?
- How do I use drills?
- How much rest should I take?
- What is a failure point?
You will also find many articles describing different aspects of training in our Knowledge Base and in the Training FAQ.
Practice Type Instructions
If you have time and energy for it during the week, you may repeat any of these practices that feel most beneficial to you.
Read these instructions first:
Read these instructions first:
Month 1
Week 1 – AC Synchronization
Baseline Test Swim #1
For your first test swim we just want to see what you can accomplish with your current stroke skills.
You may choose one of the following for your test swim:
- 1x 400
- 2x 400 with 5 minutes active rest between
- 3x 400 with 5 minutes active rest between
You will simply go through your normal warm-up routine, then start the test swim.
You will start swimming and take certain measurements along the way.
- The total time to complete 400
- The total distance you swam without stopping
- If taken any rest, when and how long
- The number of strokes you took on each length (or on every fourth length)**
- The time splits at each 100m mark.*
If you complete the entire 400 that is fine. If you need to take more rest between intervals to complete the test that is OK. If you do not complete the entire 400 that is OK too. This is just a measure of your starting point.
You may need to take a notepad to the pool with you so you can record your data while it is fresh in your mind after the test. Record these results in your Personal Discussion Zone if you are on a coach-guided course.
*If you have a simple water-proof sports watch, you may set the chronometer and then hit the split button each time you finish 100.
**If you have a more sophisticated swimming watch it may record your strokes and tempo for you. But I will continually urge you to practice stroke counting in your head – it has many brain-training benefits that a watch cannot provide.
This week your focus will be on the AC Sync combination with particular attention on the Entry and Extension.
Study these first:
Attention Practice 1.1
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Skill Topic: Entry and Extension
Choose 2 or 3 focal points for the Entry and Extension. Change the focal point on each repeat.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 2x drill for 6 seconds (as needed)
- 25 + 50 + 75 whole stroke
- 10 seconds passive rest between repeats
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3 and 4: alternate focus on left and right
Main Set 2
Distance: 600
Skill Topic: AC Synchronization
On each round, connect one of the Entry and Extension focal points with the rotation of the hip (torso). Change the focal point as needed.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 50 + 100
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- optional: use Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3 and 4: alternate focus on left and right
Finale
Swim 2x 100 for Pure Pleasure with your favorite 1 or 2 focal points from this practice.
Tempo Practice 1.2
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Tempo Pyramid
Swim 2 rounds of:
- 6x (2x 25)
- Rest 10 seconds to change TT
Round 1:
- Start tempo at your comfortable tempo TC
- Increase tempo by delta D= +0.04 on each repeat
- Finish on TC+0.20
- Count strokes
- Attempt to preserve SPL as tempo increases
- Permit one more stroke on your SPL for each 0.06 increase in tempo in order to continually increase in speed
Round 2:
- Start tempo at TC+0.20
- Decrease tempo by -0.04 on each repeat
- Finish on TC
- Count strokes.
- Note difference in SPL from start to end. There should be fewer strokes at the end than when you started.
Main Set 2
Distance: 600
Tempo Gears
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 25 + 50 + 75
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- use Tempo Trainer at assigned tempos
Round assignments:
- Round 1: Tempo TC
- Round 2: Tempo TC+0.04
- Round 3: Tempo TC+0.08
- Round 4: Tempo TC+0.10
Distance Practice 1.3
Main Set
Distance: 1200
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 2x (50 + 100 + 50)
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats, 30 seconds rest between rounds
- You may use a drill as active rest between rounds, as needed
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- optional: you may use a Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo TC but remain loyal to the SPL assignment
Week 2 – BC Synchronization
This week your focus will be on the BC Sync combination with particular attention on the Catch.
Study these first:
Attention Practice 2.1
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Skill Topic: Catch
Choose 2 or 3 focal points for the Catch. Change the focal point on each repeat.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 2x drill for 6 seconds (as needed)
- 4x 50 whole stroke
- 10 seconds passive rest between repeats
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3: alternate focus on left and right
Main Set 2
Distance: 675
Skill Topic: BC Synchronization
On each round, connect one of the Catch focal points with the rotation of the hip (torso). Change the focal point as needed.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 50 + 75 + 100
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- optional: use Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3: alternate focus on left and right
Finale
Swim 2x 100 for Pure Pleasure with your favorite 1 or 2 focal points from this practice.
Tempo Practice 2.2
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Inverted Tempo Pyramid
Swim 2 rounds of:
- 6x (2x 25)
- Rest 10 seconds to change TT
Round 1:
- Start tempo at your comfortable tempo TC
- Increase tempo by delta D= -0.02 on each repeat
- Finish on TC-0.10
- Count strokes
- Attempt to preserve SPL as tempo increases
- Permit one more stroke on your SPL for each 0.06 increase in tempo in order to continually increase in speed
Round 2:
- Start tempo at TC-0.10
- Decrease tempo by +0.02 on each repeat
- Finish on TC
- Count strokes.
- Note difference in SPL from start to end. There should be fewer strokes at the end than when you started.
Main Set 2
Distance: 600
Adapt To Faster Tempo
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 4x 50
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- use Tempo Trainer at assigned tempos
Round assignments:
- Round 1: Tempo TC
- Round 2: Tempo TC-0.03
- Round 3: Tempo TC-0.06
Distance Practice 2.3
Main Set
Distance: 1200
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 4x 100
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats, 30 seconds rest between rounds
- You may use a drill as active rest between rounds, as needed
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- optional: you may use a Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo TC but remain loyal to the SPL assignment
Week 3 – AB Synchronization
This week your focus will be on the AB Sync combination with particular attention on the Entry And Extension.
Study these first:
Attention Practice 3.1
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Skill Topic: Entry and Extension
Choose 2 or 3 focal points for the Entry and Extension. Change the focal point on each repeat.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 2x drill for 6 seconds (as needed)
- 3x 50 whole stroke
- 10 seconds passive rest between repeats
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3 and 4: alternate focus on left and right
Main Set 2
Distance: 800
Skill Topic: AB Synchronization
On each round, connect one of the Entry and Extension focal points with a Catch focal point. Change the focal point as needed.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 25 + 50 + 75 + 100
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- optional: use Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left arm entry
- Round 2: focus on right arm entry
- Round 3: alternate focus on left and right
Finale
Swim 2x 150 for Pure Pleasure with your favorite 1 or 2 focal points from this practice.
Tempo Practice 3.2
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Tempo Pyramid
Swim 2 rounds of:
- 6x (2x 25)
- Rest 10 seconds to change TT
Round 1:
- Start tempo at your comfortable tempo TC
- Increase tempo by delta D= +0.05 on each repeat
- Finish on TC+0.25
- Count strokes
- Attempt to preserve SPL as tempo increases
- Permit one more stroke on your SPL for each 0.06 increase in tempo in order to continually increase in speed
Round 2:
- Start tempo at TC+0.25
- Decrease tempo by -0.05 on each repeat
- Finish on TC
- Count strokes.
- Note difference in SPL from start to end. There should be fewer strokes at the end than when you started.
Main Set 2
Distance: 800
Tempo Gears
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 4x 50
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- use Tempo Trainer at assigned tempos
Round assignments:
- Round 1: Tempo TC
- Round 2: Tempo TC+0.04
- Round 3: Tempo TC
- Round 4: Tempo TC-0.04
Distance Practice 3.3
Main Set
Distance: 1200
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 2 rounds of:
- 2x (150 + 100 + 50)
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats, 30 seconds rest between rounds
- You may use a drill as active rest between rounds, as needed
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- optional: you may use a Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo TC but remain loyal to the SPL assignment
Week 4 – AB Synchronization
This week your focus will be on the AB Sync combination with particular attention on the Catch.
Study these first:
Attention Practice 4.1
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Skill Topic: Catch
Choose 2 or 3 focal points for the Catch. Change the focal point on each repeat.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 2x drill for 6 seconds (as needed)
- 25 + 50 + 75 whole stroke
- 10 seconds passive rest between repeats
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3 and 4: alternate focus on left and right
Main Set 2
Distance: 800
Skill Topic: AB Synchronization
On each round, connect one of the Catch focal points with an Entry and Extension focal point. Change the focal point as needed.
Swim 4 rounds of:
- 4x 50
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- optional: use Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo
Round assignments:
- Round 1: focus on left side
- Round 2: focus on right side
- Round 3 and 4: alternate focus on left and right
Finale
Swim 2x 150 for Pure Pleasure with your favorite 1 or 2 focal points from this practice.
Tempo Practice 4.2
Main Set 1
Distance: 600
Inverted Tempo Pyramid
Swim 2 rounds of:
- 6x (2x 25)
- Rest 10 seconds to change TT
Round 1:
- Start tempo at your comfortable tempo TC
- Increase tempo by delta D= -0.03 on each repeat
- Finish on TC-0.15
- Count strokes
- Attempt to preserve SPL as tempo increases
- Permit one more stroke on your SPL for each 0.06 increase in tempo in order to continually increase in speed
Round 2:
- Start tempo at TC-0.15
- Decrease tempo by +0.03 on each repeat
- Finish on TC
- Count strokes.
- Note difference in SPL from start to end. There should be fewer strokes at the end than when you started.
Main Set 2
Distance: 750
Adapt To Faster Tempo
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 25 + 50 + 75 + 100
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- use Tempo Trainer at assigned tempos
Round assignments:
- Round 1: Tempo TC
- Round 2: Tempo TC-0.03
- Round 3: Tempo TC-0.06
Distance Practice 4.3
Main Set
Distance: 1350
Choose 2 or 3 focal points from this week’s assigned skill projects. Change focal point on repeats as needed.
Take your best, consistent SPL from the Attention Practice this week and make that your N SPL for this set. Maintain a consistent N SPL for every length.
Swim 3 rounds of:
- 3x 150
- 15 seconds passive rest between repeats, 30 seconds rest between rounds
- You may use a drill as active rest between rounds, as needed
- count strokes
- maintain consistent N SPL
- optional: you may use a Tempo Trainer at comfortable tempo TC but remain loyal to the SPL assignment