9 Sets to Develop Faster Kicking

Before you jump into these sets I want you to understand the following.
1. There is nothing special about the intervals and distances I’m using (usually). Make it
work for you and your athletes.
2. After using any of these sets, running them again 3-4 weeks later would be a great way
to see improvements.

1. Alternating Speed
10x100 on 2:15
Odds - Fast (even better if you have a goal time)
Evens - Moderate (or goal time +:20)

The goal is speed. Which means we want each person’s body to adjust to a new level of
speed. On the fast ones you hit that new level. The moderate ones are active recovery.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/htHSDtlNVuM

2. Descending Sets
A descending set means you get faster with each repetition. It can be in sections, or the
entire set. Here is one of my favorite descending kick sets.

#1 of each should be fairly easy and #4 should be max effort.

16x50 Descend by 3
1-4 Free KWAB
5-8 Free KOB
9-12 Fly KOB
13-16 Your choice of the 3

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/I9D62N7Dkhw

3. Vertical Kicking
This is a great way to get the entire team kicking fast at the same time. You can go :10 of
max effort kicking and :20 rest 10 times through.
 10x
:10 fast
:20 easy

Or you can combine vertical kick with fast (horizontal kick) as well.

10x
:10 fast vertical fly kick
:20 moderate vertical fly kick
1x25 sprint fly KOB 1:00

Adjust the times as needed, the goal should be to maintain maximum effort.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/B1Tyh15Gthc

4. Maximum efforts
Pretty simple. Kick really fast with lots of rest. Only pick distances that your athletes can
maintain the speed. Once you lose speed, it’s no longer a speed set.

This can be
12x25 on 1:00
Or
10x50 on 3:00
Or
6x75 on 5:00
Or
5x100 on 8:00

Pick an interval that gives your athletes enough time to maintain speed! Track the data if
possible and repeat at a later time.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/N0vkFvvVAK0

5. Best Average
This is an excellent way to track data for your athletes and show them improvements.
Sets like these I would run once then wait 3-6 weeks before I do it again to compare
results.

12x75 Best Average Free KWAB on 2:30

The goal is to hold the fastest pace possible and find the average of all your swims.

Pro tip: if it's too hard to gather all the data for all your athletes I would track 3-4 for each
athlete and average out those.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/pOWk1p-pS6o

6. Racing
Anyone can write a racing set, but it takes a little creativity to bring out the best in your
athletes.

I do match up swims, in these situations I pair up athletes and give the slower swimmer
a handicap.

For example
Swimmer #1: Best 50 kick time :35
Swimmer #2: Best 50 kick time :42

I would give swimmer #2 a :07 head start and make swimmer #1 chase them down. This
is not an exact science so you need to keep your eyes open to adjusting times.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/gjYYBp02FN0

7. Set a standard
For your training group or team you can create gold, silver, and bronze standards for
kicking. It could be average of 3x100 on 3:00

Gold: 1:30 or faster

Silver 1:31-1:40
Bronze 1:41-1:50

Make the standard fit your swimmers. Here is a way to gauge where to set the top end of
the standard. Use your fastest kicker and place the gold standard outside their comfort
zone. Don’t make it easy. You want your best guys to strive for something harder. Also
make sure your slowest athletes can at least reach the first level… if they work hard.
Freebies don’t help anyone.

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/UsjAFMaac6w

8. Miss 1 Swim (or sit) 1

Another set that involves goal times. A simple goal would be to take their best 50 free
and add :10 to it. That is now their goal time. Here is the set (change or adjust as
needed). If :10 is too easy then adjust as needed, nothing magical about :10 you just
want a speed that is outside their comfort zone.

12x50 on 2:00 hit goal time

If you miss the time, you swim easy on the next 50, if you make it you’re still in the game.
Sometimes I have swimmers sit out after they miss the time.

At the end of the set see who has the most points!

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/X7eRw_JtNQk

 9. Beat the top 25s (or 50s)
20x25 on 1:01
Or
12x50 on 2:02

The goal is to beat the top, :00, or :60. Whatever you want to call it.

If the swimmers leave on the :21 they have :39 to get to the wall before the top. Since
the interval is 1:01 on the next one you will leave on the :40, then the :41. Once a
swimmer misses I make them change the type of kick, sit out, or swim something else.

The same formula works for 50s on 2:02

Explainer video: https://youtu.be/83ESyzzAUqo

I hope these ideas give you a framework to make your own sets that
make your swimmers faster than ever! Good luck to you!

- Mike