Before we move on to another stroke, Let’s talk Katie Ledecky free!

Katie Ledecky is an American competitive swimmer. She has won five Olympic gold medals and 15 world championship gold medals, the most in history for a female swimmer. She is the world record holder in the women’s 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter freestyle (long course). She also holds the fastest-ever times in the women’s 500-, 1000-, and 1650-yard freestyle events.

Here are some facts about her training from 10-15 years old that were presented by her coach Bruce Gemmell at a conference I attended.

10 Years-Old — Transitioned from Age Group to Senior-Prep — 5/6 weekly workouts – 2 with the prep group — Yardage: 20 – 25K / week — Key Points: Trained all 4 strokes, good kicking habits, simple / fun period — Minimal dryland – Dynamic warm-up, body weight exercises — Competitions: Junior Olympics, Age Group Champs — Example Sets: 10 x 100 free – 4 @ 1:30, 3 @ 1:25, 2 @ 1:20, 1 @ 1:15; 4 rounds of 3 x 100 IM + 8 x 25 drill / swim IMO

11-12 Years-Old — Fully engaged in the Senior Prep program — 6/7 workouts a week — Yardage: 35 – 40K week — Key Points: Learn how to practice – Descending sets, negative splitting, pace work, DPS awareness; meet management skills — Dryland – Still minimal – Body weight exercises — Competitions: Zones, Far Easterns — Example Sets: 3 rounds of 200 IM + 200 Free + 100 Kick, 8 x 200 Free – alternate perfect / fast; 40 x 50 – 16 – 3 Free / 1 Fly fast!, 12 – 2 Free / 1 Back fast!, 8 – 1 Free / 1 Breast fast!, last 4 Free fast!

13-14 Years-Old — Senior-level swimming — 7/8 workouts a week — Yardage: 40 – 50K week — Key Points: Develop that aerobic engine, fine tune skills, introduce more training equipment (paddles, pull buoy, snorkel), exposure to national level competition — Dryland – Running, Core work, Shoulder stability exercises — Competitions: Sectionals, Junior Nationals — Example Sets: 6 x 200 Free – Hold best average; Janet Evans set – 200 Free, 4 x 200 IM, 400 Free, 3 x 200 IM, 600 Free, 2 x 200 IM, 800 Free, 1 x 200 IM; 1000 for time – 400 Free / 400 IM / 200 Kick

15 Years-Old — The Olympic year — 9 workouts / week — Yardage: 60 – 70K a week — Key Points: Great training – 75% of training for the 800 Free, manage expectations, stay healthy, daily journal — Drylands – Med Ball conditioning, resistive cord work, more extensive core strength exercises — Competitions: Grand Prix Meets, Olympic Trials — Example set: 10 x 300 Free descend 1 – 10; Stroke count 125’s, OT12 800 Prep Set; Friis / Adlington Set – 3 rounds

WHY IS SHE SO FAST?  In addition to training and a very positive mindset, her freestyle stroke is amazing!  This video goes through her stroke step by step and speaks to all the elements of a great freestyle stroke.

• Great head position

• Eyes looking down

• Great body position/body line close to surface

• Arm bends to initiate a early vertical forearm

• Fingers point down during the pull phase

• Whole forearm acts as a paddle

• Hands enter at 11 and 1

• Hit the water with fingertips not thumb

• Huge powerful underwater dolphin kick

Next we move on to Butterfly !!!