Descending Pyramid Sprint Workout - No. 1

By Lee Parkhurst, LCRC Masters Swim Coach

Before hitting the water, prepare for the swim training set by limbering, stretching, foam rolling and activating your core muscles.  

Perform the following sequence 5-10 minutes before entering the water for your workout.

• Pre-swim limbering & core routine;
• Cat-camel, rotatory cat hi & lo, Childs pose
• Foam roller - shoulders, mid-thoracic spine, hips, IT bands, triceps, lats
• Foam roller - long axis YTWA's with neck rotation
• Stretching - Bretzel, 6-in-1 Dynamic warm-up
• Core - 90/90, side-roll to low oblique, high oblique 

dcsportsdoc.blogspot.com/2013/10/5-simple-pre-swim-warm-up-movements

Coach Lee's workout:

Warm up: 400 swim easy and limber, 50 breast - connect to your pull and kick, 50 back - connect to posture, line and balance

Drill, swim & kick:  3 X 300  (50 drill, 50 swim, 100 Kick, 50 drill, 50 swim)

• Drill - 6 kick switch with high elbow recovery; focus on posture, line and balance 
• Kick - dolphin kick on your back odd laps, flutter kick even laps; focus solid streamline and keep kick behind the hips (in the bucket); work upbeat equally with the down beat; kick from the hips
• Swim - maintain body rotation in freestyle up to 30-40 degrees, stack the shoulders with a high elbow recovery; arm entry on position 11; control posture, line and balance during the swim

Main set:

1. 1st Part (Build each 50 for time) Swim a 300,200,100 on 30 seconds rest between 300 & 200 / 20 seconds rest between 200 & 100; then 1 minute rest between the 2nd part of the set.
2. 2nd Part (FAST for time) - Swim a 200, 100, 50 with 45 seconds rest between; each swim is for time.     

Cool down: 300 pull focus on maximum distance per stroke, 200 swim maximum distance per stroke

Total yardage – 2,850

Conclusion:  This is a good workout for building a little middle distance endurance-speed in your swims, but not too much yardage in the processs.  Enjoy!

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Brett J. Lemire, DC CSCS, founder of Universal Chiropractic Spine & Sport in Elk Grove.  Dr. Brett is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, has been trained in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) according to Kolar.  He has taken numerous post-graduate courses with some of the world’s leading authorities in Manual Medicine, Spine and Sports Rehabilitation techniques.  You can contract Dr. Lemire at 916-683-3900.