Designing a Training Program

Designing a Training Program – Simple Steps to Success.

By Wayne Goldsmith

BRISBANE, Qld, Australia, April 20. DESIGNING a training program is simple – simple if you can answer these three questions:

1. What am I trying to achieve?

2. How can I achieve it?

3. How can I create an environment where what I am trying to achieve has the best possible opportunity of happening?

What am I trying to achieve?

The answer to this question needs to be four things:

** HONEST
** PROCESS DRIVEN
** REALISTIC
** SPECIFIC

For example:

HONEST: I want to improve my freestyle and do a Personal Record at the next meet.
PROCESS DRIVEN: I need to work on improving key areas each day in training.
REALISTIC: I have three months to train and prepare and believe I can improve by 1.5 seconds over 100 meters.
SPECIFIC: I need to improve my starts and turns and work on my technique.

How can I achieve it?

Once you know what you are trying to achieve, think about what it will take to achieve it. In this example the swimmer has identified three key areas to improve – STARTS, TURNS and TECHNIQUE.

How will you improve starts? Work on leg strength, starting technique, smooth and with a tightly streamlined entry into the water.

How will you improve turns? Make every turn in training a race quality turn. Work on attacking each turn aggressively with speed and power. Improve under water techniques in streamlining and under water kicking.

How will you improve technique? Work on it every day. Ask your coach to help you. Concentrate on excellence in all drills. Have yourself videotaped and watch it with your coach to get a clearer picture of what you are doing.

How can I create the environment?

This is important: to improve – prioritize. Make the specific areas you are trying to improve the training priority. Put them early in your workouts – when you are fresh and not fatigued. Put them first in order of importance when doing skill work. First things go first!

Now let’s put all this into a program:

Write in a weekly training schedule

Monday(AM) – Train
Monday (PM) – Train
Tuesday (AM) – Off
Tuesday (PM) – Train
Wednesday (AM) – Train
Wednesday (PM) – Off
Thursday (AM) – Off
Thursday (PM) – Train
Friday (AM) – Train
Friday (PM) – Club Races
Saturday (AM) – Train
Saturday (PM) – Off
Sunday (AM) – Off
Sunday (PM) – Off

Write in your training priorities consistent with your goals

Monday (AM) – Focus on Turns
Monday (PM) – Focus on Starts and Turns
Tuesday (AM) – Off
Tuesday (PM) – Focus on Technique and Starts
Wednesday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Turns
Wednesday (PM) – Off
Thursday (AM) – Off
Thursday (PM) – Focus on Starts and Turns
Friday (AM) – Train
Friday (PM) – Club Races; Focus on Starts and Turns Under Race Pressure
Saturday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Turns
Saturday (PM) – Off
Sunday (AM) – Off
Sunday (PM) – Off

Fill in the training program with other key training elements

Monday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Aerobic
Monday (PM) – Focus on Starts and Turns; Aerobic and Short Speed
Tuesday (AM) – Off
Tuesday (PM) – Focus on Technique and Starts; Anaerobic Threshold
Wednesday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Turns; Aerobic
Wednesday (PM) – Off
Thursday (AM) – Off
Thursday (PM) – Focus on Starts and Turns; Aerobic and Some Anaerobic Threshold
Friday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Starts; Aerobic and Short Speed
Friday (PM) – Club Races; Focus on Starts and Turns Under Race Pressure
Saturday (AM) – Focus on Technique and Turns; Easy Aerobic

Summary

1. The longest journey begins with the first step. In swimming, the first step is to clearly define your goals.

2. Once you know where you are going, think about what it will take to get there. Set your goal then plan to achieve it by what you do in training every day.

3. Prioritize. Put the most importance things first.

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