Kiefer Workout: Balancing Freestyle and Stroke Work

By Stacey Kiefer, Masters Swim Coach

Every week, Kiefer Products posts a swim workout designed for swimmers that are serious about improving in the pool. Written by Stacey Kiefer, a longtime competitive swimmer, masters coach and Ironman triathlete, the following workout will help keep a swimmer well balanced in all four strokes, with a combination of freestyle and stroke work.

Shorter Workout*

Warm Up:
400 easy free
300 no free – alternate 25 swim/25 drill
4 x 25 build, your choice of stroke
800 yards

Main Set:
6 x 100 – odds IM, evens free, good tempo – :10 rest
1 min rest
6 x 50 – odds stroke, evens free, slightly faster than 100's – :10 rest
1 min rest
6 x 25 – odds stroke, evens free, HARD! – :15 rest
1050 yards
1850 cumulative yards

300 with fins – completed as 50 kick on front, back, or side (no board)/25 swim hard. You should feel like you are FLYING on the swim portion!
300 yards
2150 cumulative yards

3 x 100 alternate 25 scull/25 pull – with buoy (no paddles) – :10 rest
300 yards
2450 cumulative yards

6 x 25 swim from the middle of the pool. Hard in and out of the turn with no breath the first stroke out of the turn – :15 rest
150 yards
2600 cumulative yards

200 easy

Longer Workout*

Warm Up:
400 easy free
300 no free – alternate 25 swim/25 drill
10 x 25 build, your choice of stroke
950 yards

Main Set:
10 x 100 – odds IM, evens free, good tempo – :10 rest
1 min rest
10 x 50 – odds stroke, evens free, slightly faster than 100's – :10 rest
1 min rest
10 x 25 – odds stroke, evens free, HARD! – :15 rest
1750 yards
2700 cumulative yards

300 with fins – completed as 50 kick on front, back, or side (no board)/25 swim hard. You should feel like you are FLYING on the swim portion!
300 yards
3000 cumulative yards

4 x 125 pull with buoy and paddles – :10 rest
500 yards
3500 cumulative yards

200 butterfly kick on your back with fins in streamline position (no board)
200 yards
3700 cumulative yards

4 x 100 alternate 25 scull/25 pull – with buoy (no paddles) – :10 rest
400 yards
4100 cumulative yards

12 x 25 swim from the middle of the pool. Hard in and out of the turn with no breath the first stroke out of the turn – :15 rest
300 yards
4400 cumulative yards

200 easy

*Kiefer swim workouts are designed to inspire productive training with gratifying results. But, as you should with any workout program, please consult with your healthcare provider before you begin training.

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