Garbage Yards
& OTHER THINGS THAT WORK
Gregg Troy, Head Swim Coach
University of Florida
Factors In Getting Better
Capacity & Utilization

+Swim More (volume & repetition)

+Swim Better (improve technique)

+Swim Faster (race specific)

Get Stronger (pull-swim-weights-growth)

+Mental Approach (toughness, communication

+Natural Skill Set (hard to improve)

+Heart (hard to gauge – hard to improve)

+ “X” Factor (hard to control – never the same)
Group
%
Novice
Kick
Technique
Fun
Age-Group
(10-14)
More
Better
Stronger
Faster
30%
70%
10%
10%
Junior
(14-17)
More
Better
Stronger
Faster
50%
40%
10%
10%
Senior
(17-22)
More
Better
Stronger
Faster
60%
Professional
(22 & Up)
More
Better
Stronger
Faster
20%
30%
20%-40%
20%-40%
10%
30%
COLOR KEY
Green = Full Go
Black Bold = Caution
Red = Questionable
The Simple Puzzle
+Swim success has many variables
+Getting the pieces to fit is key
+Lots of pieces & lots of variables
The Complex Puzzle
Garbage Yards
Gregg Troy
Tiger Woods
Garbage Thoughts That Work
 Swim
slow correctly (#1 in our sport)
 70,000 weeks
 How many weeks do you do this?
 Monday AM
Practice Design

Early in Practice – Warm Up

2,000 Free – Adjustment



Can be set or straight
Over distance stroke (600-1,500)

Mix kick – drill – swim

Non-stop is key

Repetition of correct
End of Practice – Swim Down

Snorkle & cap – distance or time

800 – 1,500 outside stroke

15 – 20 minutes low end aerobic

Technique with fatigue
Middle of Practice
“The Meat”

20 x 400 once a year (LCM)

100’s – Big Set

Tight interval

Loose interval

Sets that mix race pace with long correct swims

Repetitions of longer than race distance at challenging speeds

Aerobic endurance

20 minutes per bout

HR 140+

20 second rest max

Too much candy coated

Japanese Success

Swimming a lot slow
General Training Concepts That Work

Planning & Staff

3 Days or 3 Weeks

Training Blocks
 Focused
improvement
 Cycles
 Home

Season
Warm Down – R. Mitchell
Stroke Specific Concepts



Freestyle

Hypoxic vs. snorkel

Pulling

Butterfly


Kick with long fins
IM
Backstroke

Train the weak stroke

Band (strap)

Surgical tubing

Mono Fin
Breaststroke

Pull

Surgical tubing
Favorite Training Sets

Warm down – R. Mitchell

Broken 200’s – T. Hill

75 F @ :40
50 E @ 1:00

50 F @ :30
50 E @ 1:00

50 F @ :25
50 E @ 1:00

25 F @ :10
? Easy Recovery

Goal Kicks – T. Hill

30 minutes & race pace or go slow

Backstroke stationary kick (variations)

Get in sets

IM Build Ups


100 – 150 – 200 – 250 – 300 – 350 – 400
Free IM Sets
Work Works