Swimming Technique and Active Recovery Session
Swimming workouts designed by Heidi Fearon
A.
I.
4 Minutes of Hip Flexor Mobility of Your Choice
4 Minutes of Anterior Shoulder Mobility of Your Choice
4 Minutes of Quad Mobility of Your Choice
4 Minutes of Lat & Subscap Mobility of Your Choice
Focus on relaxed breathing throughout these mobility drills. If you cannot breathe properly, the stretch is too intense and you need to back off to the place where you can maintain a rhythmic breathing pattern.
II.
Warm-Up Technique Drills
Two sets of:
25 Meter Finger Tip Drag (with Finis Snorkel if possible*)
(FTD: Drag your fingertips along the surface of the water as you recover. This drill encourages high elbows.)
Rest 10 seconds
Followed by…
Two sets of:
50 Meter Catch-Up Drill (with Finis Snorkel if possible)
Rest 20 seconds
Followed by…
Two sets of:
25 Meter Kick (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 10 seconds
III.
Two sets of:
25 Meter Kick
Rest 15 seconds
50 Meter Pull
Rest 30 seconds
50 Meter Swim (freestyle)
Rest 30 seconds
50 Meter Swim (freestyle)
Rest 30 seconds
50 Meter Pull
Rest 30 seconds
25 Meter Kick
Rest 2 minutes
followed by…
Two sets of:
25 Meter Swim @ 70% (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 15 seconds
followed by…
Two sets of:
50 Meter Swim @ 70% (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 30 seconds
followed by…
Two sets of:
25 Meter Swim @ 100% (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 30-45 seconds
IV.
100 Warm Down (with finis snorkel)
OR
Optional Run Session
For pacing and efficiency:
45-60 Minutes of Running
This week’s effort is NOT about how fast or far you can run. Instead, I want you to focus on calm, relaxed running and nasal breathing. Determine how you can move most efficiently and “feel” the rhythm of the effort. This session should feel good, not exhausting, so pace accordingly. If possible, perform this outside in some terrain; I grew up in Oregon, and nothing was as peaceful as forest trail running. Find a place that you can make this an enjoyable effort connecting to your breath and movement.
If you have a heart rate monitor, please note your heart rate at any point that you lose the ability to maintain nasal-only breathing. This will help you to learn to pace when you don’t have the benefit of heart rate monitors.
B.
Mobility and Maintenance
* Choose 1-2Â Thoracic Mobility Drills and spend 5-10 minutes with them.
* Choose 2-3 Lower Body Mobility Drills and spend 10-12 minutes with them.
* Choose 1-2 Upper Extremity Mobility Drills and spend 5-10 minutes with them.
– AND/OR –
* Body work from a licensed body worker (ART, Graston, acupuncture, etc…)
C.
Inflammation Maintenance
* This could be a lot of things, but think in terms of compression (we love the NormaTec units at Invictus), electrical muscle stimulation (Compex or Marc Pro), contrast baths, salt baths, castor oil packs, etc….
D.
Nutrition Preparation
* Ensure that you have quality foods prepared in the appropriate quantities to fuel your efforts for the remainder of the week.
E.
Mental Restoration
* Different for everyone – could be meditation or could be gathering with friends; the key is to engage in activities that make your life full and help you recharge your batteries.