In-Sport Strength

The Kiwi Approach

In our strength training series, I argued for sport-specific strength training by incorporating strength exercises into our daily single-discipline training routines.

Below are some examples.

Swimming

• Warm-up: 800 as 150 Free/50 Backstroke or Breaststroke

• 200 Free with a pull buoy, Steady Effort

• 6x50 Band Only¹ Moderately-Hard to Hard Effort with 30 seconds rest

• 200 Free, Steady Effort

• 6x50 with drag for resistance, e.g., use of drag shorts or a band plus towel or sponge around the ankles. Hard Effort with 30 seconds rest

• 6x50 Free Moderately-Hard to Hard Effort (should feel good, the goal is to translate strength work into swimming naturally)

• 200 Easy Free or mixed strokes

• 800 Paddles and Pull buoy, Steady Effort

• 200 cool-down, choice

Total 3,300 meters

Rest interval for the 6x50 Free depends on fitness, for the less fit: 45-60 seconds, for the average fit: 30-45 seconds, for the experienced and fit: 15-30 seconds.

Everyone: Holding form is important, if unable to hold form, and slowing down too much, increase rest time.

---

Biking

• Warm-up 20 minutes Easy to Steady Effort

• On a gradual slope or on the flat, slow down to a virtual stop, select a big gear then push at your maximum power for 10 seconds. Repeat after a couple of minutes of Easy pedaling. Perform a total of six to eight repetitions. It will improve your sprint power

• 10 minutes Easy to Steady Effort

• Find a hill with a gradient of 12% and do 3-6 reps that will take 3-6 minutes. Descend the reps e.g., Moderately-Hard to Hard Effort. Build weekly.

Steady Effort for the rest of the ride.

An example of a progressive programme for hill reps:

Tips:

• The reps are shorter for the average age-grouper compared to the competitive age-grouper, and the programme for the competitive age-grouper is more progressive.

• This example is based on a periodisation model of 2 harder weeks, then backing off a bit in the third week to manage any accumulated fatigue. Resilient athletes can go onto a three week on/1 week backing off model.

• Recovery between reps is achieved by freewheeling downhill back to the start. If you do a long climb and want to keep climbing, spin for at least 1 minute between reps.

• Following this block of 6 weeks, there can be a race at the end. During race week, the hill reps are still appropriate as prescribed if the session is done early in the week. Later in the week, they need to be reduced further or left out (1-2 days before the race).

• The alternative is to do another six weeks block after this in a similar vein

• The total amount of work in the anaerobic (red) zones should not exceed 20-30 minutes. Z3+ is the transition between the green and red zone, and in my experience, many athletes very quickly creep into the red zone towards the second half of the rep.

• If feeling flat, adjust the session and go for a ride as you feel or reduce the frequency and amount of reps

• Usually, the total amount of time, including warm-up and cooldown, for this session is between 90 and 150 minutes

---

Running

The workout emphasises running strong while the legs are acutely fatigued. An added benefit is this mimics running off the bike.

• 20 minutes warm up Easy to Steady Effort

• 4-6x20 seconds controlled accelerations, emphasis on leg speed, with 40 seconds of easy jogging in between

• Incorporate some run drills if you must (future article to come)

• Main set 6-12x400 meters

  • A lower extremity strength exercise precedes each 400.

  • Examples are:

    • 8-15 Burpees on the start line

    • 20-30 Tuck Jumps²

    • 15 Low Hops before the start line

      • Crouch and jump forward on two legs

      • Catch yourself on landing, by using your leg musculature, back down in a crouch (knees approximately 90-degree angle) before next jump forward

      • The low hops are usually done keeping the two legs together but can also be done on one leg (alternate legs).

• An example session for a beginner is: 6x400 meters

  • 12 Tuck Jumps with a hop in the middle on the start line followed by 400 meters at Moderately-Hard Pace³, the second 400m rep is preceded by another 12 Tuck Jumps, but the pace is at Hard Effort. Take 60-90 seconds of rest or easy jogging between reps.

  • The next 2x400 meters reps are done at a similar pace as the first set but preceded by 8 Burpees.

  • The final set of 2x400 meters reps are preceded by 15 Low Hops towards the start line and again done at a Moderately-Hard Pace then Hard Effort.

• Cooldown 10-20 minutes of Easy exercise.

It is clear that there are many variations on the above themes and it is fun to come up with ideas and it brings variation to the sessions, thereby maintaining interest. Initially, it takes a bit of planning, but once you become familiar with the principle you can make it up during the session. If you include a run session with a strength component once a week and add a circuit session later in the week, this is all the strength training age group athletes will need.

Happy training.

Back to Table of Contents

1. Paul Newsome of Swim Smooth put together a short, helpful video about Swimming With A Band.

2. Tuck Jump Video Example

3. Moderately-Hard = Zone 3; Hard = Zone 4. See my Five-Zone System.