July 14, 2014

Swimming Canada Launches a Female Endurance/Distance Program

Objective For Canada to develop a group of female athletes capable of standing on the Podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in female distance and middle distance events. Success may however come before 2020 with a fast developing female when following an endurance/distance based training program.

Key Components 1. Targeting female swimmers ranging in ages of 12-15 years as at 1st September 2014, although older females can also follow this program and achieve success.

We believe that Swimming Canada can have success at the World and Olympic level in the Women’s 400 & 800 Freestyle and the 400 IM. We have the talented swimmers training in our club system across Canada and with the correct training and physical development our athletes can challenge at the world level.

2. Club Coaches who are currently training female swimmers aged 12-15 years old are key to the success of this program. They must ensure that no short cuts are taken and that endurance training takes place with the correct set construction on a weekly basis. Commitment to this type of program, not just for a few weeks, but for a number of years is critical.

Club coaching is a prime factor for athlete development in these key female events. Swimming Canada wishes to target, recruit and motivate our club coaches who have these female swimmers aged 15 and under in their club programs today to enhance the work these female athletes are doing. Swimming Canada can support these coaches and athletes in the club system with resources and initiatives to help them pursue the objective of this program.

3. 10 x 400 FS is 10 x 400 FS, not the following;

1 As 4 x 100 FS 2 as 8 x 50 FS 3 as 4 x 100’s as - 50 race pace and 50 easy 4 as 4 x 100 IM’s And so on

For an athlete to progress in the distance events exposure to the stimulus of properly designed endurance sets is required and we will provide example sets for a coach to include in their workouts and planning.

Rationale The average age of finalists in the women’s 400 & 800 Freestyle and 400 IM at the Olympic Games and FINA World Swimming Championships (the year before the games) is 20 years old. The attached graphs (Appendix “A”) are examples of some of the best Women’s 400 & 800 Freestyle swimmers in the World. They demonstrate that they were all under 20 years old when they swam their lifetime best performances.

The Canadian female swimmers that fit this age profile for Tokyo 2020 are currently 15 years & under and training in our Club programs. It is crucial that our clubs and club coaches are fully engaged in the athlete development required to support this key target group of female swimmers. This does not mean to say a 16-year-old and older swimmer cannot progress and we encourage those athletes and coaches to be part of this change of emphasis as well.

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Concept Swimming Canada will provide leadership, direction and support to club coaches and swimmers interested in working towards the objectives stated above:

“Developing 15 and under female swimmers in the 400 & 800 Freestyle and 400 IM in preparation for Tokyo 2020”

Swimming Canada will provide the overview and guidelines for the training program and principles required to develop this target age group of female swimmers for these specific events to the club coaches interested in enrolling in the program.

Partners Clubs, coaches, PSOs and motivated female swimmers!

1. Clubs: Swim Clubs to embrace this program, schedule pool space and time, support their coaches, and encourage the right athletes to take part in the key training sessions targeted in this program.

2. Coaches: Coaches to set aside two dedicated sessions per week to run this program. We are encouraging coaches to take this opportunity to build relationships with other like-minded clubs, coaches and swimmers in your region to team up and run joint sessions for enhanced training and to share the Canadian Goal to swim to the podium in 2020.

3. Provincial Swimming Organizations: PSOs to help communicate the program goals and details to their swimming community and to lead by example by including these training principals into their Provincial programming content.

4. Swimmers: Female swimmers aged 12-15 years with the physical potential for high performance who are dedicated, consistent, and hardworking and have aspirations to compete and win internationally.

5. Parents: Supportive parents who understand that this is a sound program for long term success and not something that will be rewarded in just a few weeks. Supportive commitment for a longer term goal is the essential.

Content 6 x Macro cycles of approximately 15-week duration over 2 years.

This is a 2-session per week template design. Ideal scheduling would be Wednesday and Saturday Long course. Monday should be considered as another key session in line with the weekly template with the home coach looking at the session content.

Scheduling options can be considered to fit individual situations by each coach running this program.

Long Course workouts are the ideal, but clubs with 25 m facilities can convert the program demands and intervals accordingly.

Key Training Principals  Middle and distance based distance repetition sets training at HR 30 BBM and higher, progressed and monitored through the 15-week cycle.

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 3,000 m sets based on repetitions of 100m repeats on short rest intervals progressed through each 15-week cycle.

 Pace sets designed to succeed holding 32.0 foot-touch 50m repeats done long course (adjust for Short course swimming) at target stroke count, stroke rates with appropriate rest intervals. The sets can be progressed through the 15-week cycles.

 7x200 and 7x400 Test Sets scheduled and monitored through the cycles.

 Best average 100 & 200m Kick sets.

 200-400 & 800m Freestyle Kick tests.

How to get involved

1) Add the two endurance/distance swimming based sessions for the target swimmers into your 2014- 2015 program plan and be ready to begin Wednesday 10th September.

2) Identify the training group and communicate the plan to the targeted swimmers/parents and others in your program.

3) Contact other coaches in your area and discuss the possibility of training these sessions together.

4) Create a performance profile for each participating swimmer which includes their personal best times in the following events;

a. 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle b. 200m & 400m IM c. 200m Back and 200m Fly

6. Register with Swimming Canada at the following link

7. Once registered, Swimming Canada will send out the first macro-cycle planner with training sessions. PLEASE NOTE - Coaches may adapt program details to suit their individual situation and needs.

NOTES 1. Swimmers and coaches should plan to swim through mid-season meets without tapering. Ideally the trials and the Summer Nationals/Age Group Championships are the target periods for shave and taper. If swimmers do not have qualifying times in these events then coaches and swimmers should target appropriate competitions in the same timeframes.

2. Coaches involved should note we aim to keep the sessions and detail within Canada and make this our advantage.

3. Coaches will be encouraged to submit basic set results online to Swimming Canada on an ongoing basis as for certain key sets.

4. This data will be collated, posted and distributed.

5. Coaches must ensure that the set design and goals are appropriate for each swimmer.

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6. Following a pre-swim land activation program combined with correct recovery from the workouts is essential if following this program.

The Macro Cycles 2014 to 2016

Macro Cycle Commences Concludes 1 Session 1 Session 30 Wednesday 10 September 2014 Saturday 20 December 2014 2 Session 1 Session 25

Saturday 3 January 2015 Saturday 28 March 2015 3 Session 1 Session 30 Wed 15 April 2015 Saturday 25 July 2015 4 Session 1 Session 32 Wed 2 September Saturday 19 December 5 Session 1 Session 27 Saturday 2 January 2016 Saturday 2 April 6 Session 1 Session 30 Wed 13 April 2016 Saturday 23 July 2016

Ken McKinnon the Swimming Canada National Development Coach will be your key contact for this program and we will work with you on supporting you to develop your plan and training sessions.

Swimming Canada looks forward to seeing the nation develop in these events and to working with you on this journey.

Regards

John Atkinson National High Performance Director Swimming Canada

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Appendix “A” World performances for female swimmers must before they move to University in these events and other events

Examples

4:23.52 Rebecca Addlington - 400 FR 4:19.20

4:14.88

4:10.56

4:06.24 Gold Medal 2008 Olympics 4:01.92

3:57.60 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

4:32.16

Katie Hoff- 400 FR 4:27.84

4:23.52

4:19.20

4:14.88

4:10.56

4:06.24

Silver Medal 4:01.92 2008 Olympics 3:57.60 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

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9:04.32 Rebecca Addlington - 800 FR 8:55.68

8:47.04

8:38.40

8:29.76

8:21.12 Gold Medal 2008 Olympics 8:12.48 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

9:04.32 Kate Ziegler - 800 FR 8:55.68

8:47.04

8:38.40

8:29.76

8:21.12 Gold Medal 8:12.48 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

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Katie Ledecky - 800 FR 9:56.16

9:38.88

9:21.60 Gold Medal & 9:04.32 WR 2013 8:47.04 Worlds 8:29.76 Gold Medal 8:12.48 12 13 14 15 16

4:45.12 - 400 FR 4:36.48

4:27.84 Gold Medal 4:19.20 2013

4:10.56

4:01.92

3:53.28 12 13 14 15 16

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