Workouts, in a Binder: for Swimmers, Triathletes, And Coaches

by Eric Hansen, Eric Hansen, Gale Bernhardt (Foreword)

This waterproof book of 100 swimming workouts offers swimmers and triathletes a wide variety of structured workouts to improve swimming fitness, technique, and speed. Using all four competitive swim strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly), swimmers and triathletes will strengthen more of their swimming muscles than by swimming freestyle alone.

Nationally recognized swimming coaches Nick and Eric Hansen offer 6 effective training plans to improve fitness and speed. Triathletes, masters, and collegiate swimmers will swim long-distance, middle-distance, sprint, IM, and stroke workouts to improve all swimming abilities.

Choose between a standard “A workout” and a modified “B workout,” for those with less time or stamina. Spiral bound and printed on durable, waterproof cards, these swim workouts are specially designed to be used and abused at the pool.

101 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2005

About the author

Eric Hansen is a travel writer, most famous for his book Stranger in the Forest: On Foot Across Borneo, about a 4,000 km trek through the heartland of Borneo. He lives in San Francisco. For 25 years he has traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Nepal, and Southeast Asia.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the swimmer who just can retire. After college, I really wanted to keep my routine in swimming and this book was just the thing. 3 different workout for that competitive like workout.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a former competitive swimmer and now enjoy swimming for a good workout and to train for triathlons. This book is great for former swimmers because it has longer/harder workouts, makes good use of sets, and has sections for distance, mid-distance, sprint, IM, and stroke.
I'd say it's not quite fit for a beginner swimmer because the workouts tend to be longer and it doesn't really teach you good swimming technique.
It makes good use of different training methods (negative split, sprint/recovery, kicking, pulling, building, descending, etc) and gives you a specific thing to work on with each workout.
Another nice thing is that each workout has an A and B option. One option is longer and the other is shorter.
Overall, I'm really happy with this book. Previously I would typically write my own workouts since most swimming books I found were more geared toward beginner or non-competitive swimmers. This book is a good fit for me and a great transition out from competitive swimming for 15 years.

[Shannon]

Even if I don't follow the workout exactly I can take them and build my own from the ideas in this!