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Swimming Improvement Overview

June 22, 2015

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This 4-week training program is designed to improve short to moderate distance (25-1500m) swim and finning performance and underwater swimming capability. It can be done concurrently with Operator Sessions or alone (NOTE: If you are doing the Operator Sessions or another strength program do those sessions first and the swim sessions second.)

Only a stopwatch, fins, goggles, face mask (if required by job/desired job), and a pool of known length are required to perform this program.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

There are three objectives in this plan:

1. Improve swim and fin speed and endurance

2. Improve swim and fin efficiency

3. Build and improve underwater swimming capability

4. Each week has the same general layout that is progressed – made harder – as you move through it. The layout is:

Monday: Week 1: Assessment; Weeks 2-4: 25m sprints and hypoxic ladder

Tuesday:  125m and 250m swim intervals

Wednesday: Kicking and Pulling Drills

Thursday: 250m and 500m fin intervals, 25m underwater swims

Friday:  1500m Swim

Assessment Stroke

Use your job, desired job, or professional interest to decide the stroke you use for this program, starting with the swim assessment in Session 1. Combat Divers, SEAL, and PJ candidates will want to become proficient at the combat side stroke. AIRR candidates will want to use freestyle. This information is easy to find so do your research. Whatever stroke you decide to improve you will perform on the swim assessment, the swim intervals, and the kick and pull drills.

Use the combat side stroke for all finning in this program.

Hypoxic Ladders

A hypoxic ladder is a swim technique that forces you to take a certain number of strokes between each breath. For example, Session 6 says:

(2) Perform the following hypoxic ladder: 1x50m @ 2 strokes/breath

1x50m @ 3 strokes/breath

1x50m @ 4 strokes/breath

1x50m @ 5 strokes/breath Rest 1 min. between swims

Which means that...