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Designing a Training Program: Simple Steps to Success.
By Wayne Goldsmith | In Training
Designing a training program is simple – simple if you can answer these three questions:
- What am I trying to achieve?
- How can I achieve it?
- 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 metres.
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 videoed 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!!!!
Example:
First write in the weekly training schedule.
| Session | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Am | Train | Off | Train | Off | Train | Train | Off |
| Pm | Train | Train | Off | Train | Club Races | Off | Off |
Now write in your training priorities consistent with your goals.
| Session | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Am | Train: Focus on Technique | Off | Train: Focus on Technique and Turns | Off | Train | Train: Focus on Technique and Turns | Off |
| Pm | Train: Focus on Starts and Turns | Train: Focus on Technique and Starts | Off | Train: Focus on Starts and Turns | Club Races : Work on Starts and Turns under race pressures | Off | Off |
Now that you have established your training priorities, fill in the training program with other key training elements.
| Session | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Am | Train: Focus on Technique + Aerobic | Off | Train: Focus on Technique and Turns + Aerobic | Off | Train: Focus on Technique and Starts + Aerobic and Short speed | Train: Focus on Technique and Turns + Easy Aerobic | Off |
| Pm | Train: Focus on Starts and Turns + Aerobic and Short speed | Train: Focus on Technique and Starts + Anaerobic Threshold | Off | Train: Focus on Starts and Turns + Aerobic and some Anaerobic Threshold | Club Races : Work on Starts and Turns under race pressures | Off | Off |
Summary
The longest journey begins with the first step. In swimming, the first step is to clearly define your goals.
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.
Prioritize. Put the most importance things first.
Wayne Goldsmith
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