Warm Up (WU) ranging from 300-1000 (meters/yards). One length of the pool is commonly 25 meters or 25 yards long. A lap is 2 lengths, or 50 meters/yards. The intensity level of the warm up should be in zone 1-2.   The idea is to acclimate to the water temperature and include stroke drills.  

Start with a focus on your breathing, body balance and rotation then move to the three phases of the stroke, recovery, hand entry and underwater catch and push that make up the pull.  Pay attention to the focus of each drill during your warm up so you can implement it while you swim in the main set.    

Examples of Warm Ups:

• 4X200 (8 lengths)  (200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull, 200 drill)
• 5X 100 SKIPS (100 or 4 lengths each of (Swim, Kick, IM, Pull, Swim)
• 100 swim then 4X 50s as  25 (1 length) drills then 25 swim incorporating the focus on the drill into your stroke
• 600 broken up as 4x (150 swim 50 kick) means swim 150 or 6 lengths then kick a 50 or 2 lengths. Repeat that 3 more times.
• 400 swim, 300 pull, 200 kick, 100 drill choice
• Or an easy 10-15 minute choice of whatever you feel like doing

The following are explanations of terminology used in the prescribed swim workouts and for swimming in general. All the swim workouts given are based on rest intervals within a given set e.g.: 10x 50 free on 10 sec rest swimming at an easy effort. After each 50 freestyle take 10 seconds rest before starting the next 50. You can also perform the set using a timed interval that gives you close to the prescribed amount of rest time e.g.: 10x 50 free on 1min knowing that each 50 takes you about 50 seconds to complete.

Swimming Lingo

• IM= Individual Medley (all four strokes swum in the order of Fly/ BK/ BR /FR)
• FR = Freestyle stroke
• Fly = Fly
• BR= Breaststroke
• BK = Backstroke
• Length = 1 time across 25 meter or 25 yard
• Lap = 2 lengths
• WU = Warm Up
• MS = Main Set
• CD = Cool Down
• EZ = Easy
• RI = Rest Interval
• “ = Seconds
• ‘= Minutes
• w/ = With
• S=Swim
• K=Kick
• F=Kick or swim with fins
• P=Pull w/buoy
• Paddles generally used with the pull buoy
• D=Drill

Mastering proper body position and lengthening of the body are the most important aspects of swimming and will help you the most with faster swim times and ease of swimming.

• Hypoxic Breathing: Build lung capacity and become more comfortable in the water by challenging your regular breathing pattern with hypoxic sets. “300 swim with 3/5/7 breathing pattern by 25” is a common instruction in my workouts. This means swim a straight 300 freestyle. On the first 25, breathe every 3rd stroke. On the second 25, every 5th stroke. And on the third 25, every 7th. Repeat this pattern until the 300 is completed.
• SG= Swim Golf, a fun drill in which you add your stroke count for a given interval (say, 50 yards/meters) to your time for the same interval to generate a composite score
• Negative Split: Swim second half faster than the first half
• DPS= Distance Per Stroke, a drill where the swimmer tries to get as much distance as possible out of each stroke, usually measured by counting strokes for 1 length or 2 lengths= 1 lap.
• Build = start slow finish strong. For example 4X200 build, each 200 meter is paced as starting slow and finishing strong
• Descend = each consecutive repeat is swim faster than  the previous. For example 4X100 swim (#1 slow, easy, #1 medium, faster, fastest)
• Send Off = how long it takes you to swim plus your rest in a time. For example 5X 50 swim on the 1:00. If it takes you 50 seconds to swim at 50 and leave every minute, you get 10 seconds rest. 
• Choice= you choose what you want to do with regards to stroke, kick, pull,