Open Water Arms Focus - Group Workout

Objective: Focus on two aspects of the arm stroke that are preferred for open water swimming:
a high-elbow recovery and a high turnover rate.

Total Distance = 2600 yards

Set 1 - Warm-up; Dist = 400 yards
100 Free, 100 kick, 100 pull, 100 free

Set 2 - Vertical Kicking; Dist = 400 yards (sort of)
8 x 45 s kicking 15 s rest - focus on kicking in 3s
  1 & 2: focus on minimal knee bend, count in 3s
  3 & 4: rotate one quarter turn to right every other third kick
  5 & 6: rotate one quarter turn to the left every other third kick
  7 & 8: rotate in alternate direction every third kick

Set 3 - Conditioning; Dist = 200 yards
2 X 100 Freestyle hard + 30 s rest
Try to maintain an even, 6-beat kick

Set 4 - Stroke Drill; Dist = 200 yards
4 X 50 Fingertip Drag Drill, 15 s rest, with focus as follows:

Begin recovery by pointing your elbow straight up at the ceiling
Drag your fingertips straight forward
Drive your hand straight forward in front of your shoulder (not your head)
Put the "umph" out front (get a big armful of water, as early as possible in the stroke cycle)

Set 5 - Conditioning; Dist = 400 (?)yards
Swim continuously for 8 minutes, count your laps.
Focus on a high-elbow recovery, straight-ahead arms.

Set 6 - Stroke Drill; Dist = 200 yards
4 X 50 Freestyle, 15 s rest, as follows:

Swim first 25 with faster (6-beat) kick and slower arms.
Swim second 25 with slower (2-beat) kick and faster arms.

Set 7 - Conditioning; Dist = 400 (?) yards
Swim continuously for 8 minutes, count your laps.
Focus on high (but sustainable) arm turnover, and minimal (2-beat) kicking.

Set 8 - Cool-down; Dist = 400 yards
1 X 400 Freestyle Swim - Training Cat: REC
Swim easy, early catch, long strokes