PREP SETS

600 m drafting – switching the lead every 50. The lead swimmer can stop at the wall and let the others pass or pull over and ease up, allowing the following swimmers to pull through, just like the pace line of a bike ride. Add in “posting” for some extra open water practice. The front swimmer stops a few metres short of the wall and goes vertical, either by kicking or just standing up if the water is shallow enough, then the following swimmers must move around them, negotiating a 180 degree turn without touching the wall. The new leader of the line can also accelerate out of the turn to add another level of race day realism to the drill. While you’re drafting, experiment with positioning yourself on the feet, hip and even armpit of the person ahead of you to see what the different effects are.