Drills & sessions
In the pool, on the track, on the road
Technique drills and whole sessions done in the sport itself, to go with your strength plan.
Pool
Swimming drills and sets. Swim with a lifeguard or a partner, and never practise holding your breath alone.
- Catch-up freestyleDrill / Beginner / 6 × 25 m
- Fist swimmingDrill / Intermediate / 4 × 50 m (25 m fists, 25 m open hands)
- Kick on the sideDrill / Beginner / 6 × 25 m, switching sides each length
- 6-3-6 drillDrill / Intermediate / 6 × 50 m
- Fingertip dragDrill / Beginner / 6 × 25 m
- Front scullingDrill / Beginner / 4 × 25 m
- Vertical kickDrill / Intermediate / 6 × 30 s
- Underwater dolphin kickDrill / Advanced / 8 × 15 m underwater, easy swim back
- Single-arm butterflyDrill / Intermediate / 8 × 25 m (right, left, alternating)
- Body dolphinDrill / Beginner / 6 × 15 m
- Single-arm backstrokeDrill / Beginner / 6 × 25 m (right, left, alternating)
- Two kicks, one pullDrill / Intermediate / 6 × 25 m
- Breaststroke kick on the backDrill / Beginner / 4 × 25 m
- Push-off and streamline glideDrill / Beginner / 8 pushes, glide as far as you can
- Freestyle technique sessionSession / Beginner / ≈ 35 min, ≈ 1,200 m
- Aerobic base: 5 × 200 mSession / Intermediate / ≈ 45 min, ≈ 1,800 m
- Sprint session: 25s and 50sSession / Advanced / ≈ 40 min, ≈ 1,300 m
- Butterfly builderSession / Intermediate / ≈ 40 min, ≈ 1,200 m
- Kick sessionSession / Beginner / ≈ 35 min, ≈ 1,000 m
Track
Running and sprint drills for a track, a field or a quiet road. Do them fresh, after a warm-up.
- A-marchDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m
- A-skipDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m
- B-skipDrill / Intermediate / 3 × 20 m
- Straight-leg boundsDrill / Intermediate / 3 × 20 m
- Wall drillDrill / Beginner / 3 × 10 switches
- Falling startDrill / Beginner / 6 × 10 m
- BoundingDrill / Advanced / 4 × 30 m
- Heel flicksDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m
- AnklingDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m
- Acceleration sessionSession / Intermediate / ≈ 40 min
- Top-speed session: flying 20sSession / Advanced / ≈ 45 min
- Easy run with drills and stridesSession / Beginner / ≈ 40 min
- Hill sprintsSession / Intermediate / ≈ 35 min
- Leg swingsDrill / Beginner / 2 × 12 swings per leg
- High kneesDrill / Beginner / 3 × 15 m
- Power skipsDrill / Intermediate / 3 × 20 m
- Pogo jumpsDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 jumps
- Single-leg hopsDrill / Intermediate / 2 × 10 hops per leg
- DribblesDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m (ankle, mid-shin, knee height)
- Fast legDrill / Intermediate / 3 × 20 m per leg
- Arm swing drillDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 s
- Backward runningDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 m
- 400 m repeatsSession / Intermediate / ≈ 50 min
- Speed endurance: 150sSession / Advanced / ≈ 50 min
- Plyometric circuitSession / Intermediate / ≈ 30 min
- Dynamic running warm-upSession / Beginner / ≈ 15 min
Road & trail
Runs on roads, paths and trails: tempo, fartlek, long runs and hills. Tell someone your route when you run trails alone.
- Downhill runningDrill / Intermediate / 4 × 60–100 m downhill
- Uphill power hikingDrill / Beginner / 4 × 2 min uphill
- Tempo runSession / Intermediate / ≈ 45 min
- FartlekSession / Beginner / ≈ 40 min
- Long runSession / Beginner / 60–120 min
- Trail hill sessionSession / Intermediate / ≈ 60 min
Treadmill
Walking and running sessions for the treadmill. Clip on the safety key and change the speed while you walk.
- Incline walkSession / Beginner / 25–40 min
- Easy runSession / Beginner / 30–45 min
- Hill repeatsSession / Intermediate / ≈ 35 min
- Threshold intervalsSession / Intermediate / ≈ 45 min
- VO₂max intervalsSession / Advanced / ≈ 40 min
- Short treadmill sprintsSession / Advanced / ≈ 30 min
- Cadence drillDrill / Beginner / 5 × 1 min
- Backward incline walkDrill / Beginner / 5–10 min
Room
Quiet drills for a hotel room or a small room at home: no jumping, at most a wall, a door and a resistance band.
- A-march on the spotDrill / Beginner / 3 × 20 steps
- Wall drill holdsDrill / Beginner / 3 × 5 per leg, 3 s hold
- Single-leg calf raiseDrill / Beginner / 3 × 12–15 per leg
- Band swim pullDrill / Beginner / 3 × 30 s per arm
- Band butterfly pullDrill / Intermediate / 3 × 20 s
- Prone swimmersDrill / Beginner / 3 × 8 slow sweeps
- Streamline calf raiseDrill / Beginner / 3 × 10, 3 s hold
- Flutter kick on the backDrill / Beginner / 4 × 30 s
- Hotel-room runner sessionSession / Beginner / ≈ 20 min
- Hotel-room swimmer sessionSession / Beginner / ≈ 25 min