# Junior Swim Club — Aerobic Build & Stroke Technique 60 minutes 25m pool 20 swimmers 4 lanes × 5 Build phase Primary focus: Aerobic endurance (RPE 3–5) Secondary focus: Freestyle efficiency, backstroke alignment and breaststroke timing. Session progression: Increase uninterrupted freestyle repetition length while maintaining consistent aerobic effort and stroke quality. ## 1. Poolside session | Time | Set | Prescription | | --------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | 00–10 min | Warm-up | Lane-specific easy swimming + 4 × 50m technical sequence | | 10–17 min | Spike / pre-set | 4 × 50m freestyle drill and controlled build | | 17–51 min | Main set | Progressive aerobic work differentiated by lane | | 51–55 min | Contrast | 2 × 50m relaxed backstroke and breaststroke | | 55–60 min | Cool-down | Easy freestyle, lane-specific distance | ### Warm-up — 0–10 minutes RPE 2–3 • 10–15s between technical 50s | Lane | Opening swim | Technical sequence | Total | | ---- | ------------ | ------------------ | ----- | | L1 | 100m free | 4 × 50m | 300m | | L2 | 150m free | 4 × 50m | 350m | | L3 | 200m free | 4 × 50m | 400m | | L4 | 200m free | 4 × 50m | 400m | All lanes complete the following 4 × 50m: 1. 50m backstroke — level hips, steady body rotation. 2. 25m gentle breaststroke kick with board + 25m full breaststroke — coordinated kick and glide. 3. 50m freestyle pull with buoy — balanced rotation, continuous propulsion. 4. 50m freestyle swim — transfer technique into normal swimming. Introduce breaststroke gently; avoid forceful kicking before swimmers are prepared. ### Spike / pre-set — 10–17 minutes All lanes: 200m • 15s recovery between 50s 2 rounds of: - 50m: 25m fingertip-drag freestyle drill + 25m normal freestyle. RPE 3. - 50m: Progressive freestyle build, RPE 3 → 5 across the length of the repetition. Focus: relaxed recovery, stable head position and controlled acceleration. No maximal sprinting. ## 2. Progressive aerobic main set — 17–51 minutes RPE 4–5 • Maintain effort as repetition length increases | Lane | Block A — establish rhythm | Block B — extend duration | Main total | | ------------ | -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------- | | L1 2:20/100m | 4 × 150m free, 15–20s rest | 2 × 200m free, 20–25s rest; then 4 × 50m alternating back/breast, 20s rest | 1,200m | | L2 2:05/100m | 4 × 200m free, 20s rest | 2 × 250m free, 25s rest | 1,300m | | L3 1:50/100m | 4 × 250m free, 15s rest | 2 × 300m free, 20s rest | 1,600m | | L4 1:35/100m | 4 × 300m free, 15s rest | 2 × 350m free, 25s rest | 1,900m | Coaching focus - Block A: Even pacing, relaxed breathing and consistent stroke rhythm. - Block B: Hold the same RPE as repetition length increases. Avoid sprinting the final 50m. - L1 stroke consolidation: Backstroke body alignment and breaststroke kick–pull timing, both at RPE 3–4. If stroke quality deteriorates, add recovery or shorten the next repetition. Record any distance adjustment rather than silently changing the planned total. ### Contrast set — 51–55 minutes All lanes: 2 × 50m = 100m - 50m backstroke — relaxed rotation, long body position. - 50m breaststroke — smooth timing and controlled glide. RPE 2–3, with approximately 15–20s recovery. Purpose: Change movement pattern and reset freestyle-specific fatigue without adding significant intensity. ### Cool-down — 55–60 minutes | Lane | Distance | Prescription | | ---- | -------- | -------------- | | L1 | 100m | Easy freestyle | | L2 | 150m | Easy freestyle | | L3 | 200m | Easy freestyle | | L4 | 200m | Easy freestyle | RPE 2. Relaxed breathing, comfortable movement and no pace target. ## 3. Lane distance audit L1 ## 1,900m L2 ## 2,100m L3 ## 2,500m L4 ## 2,800m | Warm-up | 300 | 350 | 400 | 400 | | --------- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | Spike | 200 | 200 | 200 | 200 | | Main | 1,200 | 1,300 | 1,600 | 1,900 | | Contrast | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | | Cool-down | 100 | 150 | 200 | 200 | | Total (m) | 1,900 | 2,100 | 2,500 | 2,800 | ## 4. Coach-wall checks - Departures: Five seconds apart, creating a 20-second spread between first and fifth swimmers. Group by comparable repeat pace, fastest leading. - All sections return to the coach's wall: Every repetition and section uses an even number of 25m lengths. - Traffic: Monitor overtaking, particularly during breaststroke. If necessary, reorder swimmers between blocks and allow slower swimmers extra wall space. - Equipment: Keep boards, buoys and optional fins at each lane's starting wall. Fins are not essential to this session. - Pre-pool (outside 60 minutes): Light general movement, shoulder/scapular control, gentle hip and knee mobilisation. Avoid fatiguing activation exercises. ## 5. Timing and feasibility Provisional — stroke-specific paces unknown The main-set timing is supported by the supplied freestyle training paces: | Lane | Main freestyle swimming | Allowance for recovery/stagger and other strokes | Main estimate | | ---- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------- | | L1 | \~23:20 for 1,000m | \~8–11 min | \~31–34 min | | L2 | \~27:05 for 1,300m | \~2–4 min | \~29–31 min | | L3 | \~29:20 for 1,600m | \~2–4 min | \~31–33 min | | L4 | \~30:05 for 1,900m | \~2–4 min | \~32–34 min | These are planning estimates, not verified lane finish times. The full 60-minute schedule includes section changes and regrouping, but slower technical strokes, easy warm-up/cool-down speed and actual recovery may alter the finish time. L1 and L4 have the tightest main-set margins. At 51 minutes, finish the current complete repetition before moving to contrast. If behind schedule, remove the final 2 × 50m technical repetitions in L1, or the last longer main-set repetition in another lane, and record the revised distance. Protect the cool-down rather than accelerating swimmers to meet the clock. Overall coaching priority: Build aerobic repeat duration while preserving freestyle efficiency, then use backstroke and breaststroke to reinforce movement quality under manageable fatigue.