Hell Week Workouts

Hell Week Workouts
Are you ready for pain and suffering?

Do you enjoy lactic acid build up, where you feel like youre going to spew?
Hell Week workouts is your answer.
Twice a year I run a Hell Week with my squad. We up the intensity and distance of our sessions. The reason behind it is simple. In order
to push ourselves to the next level, we need to train at that level. After Hell Week, we have two weeks of recovery training where we back
off a little bit. This gives us time to recover, get stronger and lock in the gains from Hell Week.
I dont believe in smashing yourself for weeks at a time without proper recovery time. It makes a swimmer slower. Hell Week is the
answer!
You are ready.
A few things to note:
The time cycles on the workouts might need to be changed up or down to suit your speed.
If any of the warm up doesnt have a time cycle, just take a bit of rest between. So if its 10x50s, take 10-15 secs rest between 50s.
If it doesnt specify a stroke, its your choice.
When it says drill, its your choice of drill. For freestyle drills see the Mastering Freestyle Program
Email me at brent@effortless-swimming.com if you have any questions.
Go for it!!!!
www.HellWeekWorkouts.com
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Monday - The Hour Of Power
Goal - This is our introduction session to hell week. Its a solid 1 hour main set that we build into. It gets challenging towards the end
when there is less rest between the hard 50s. For level 3, the hard ones are fly which gets very hard at the end!
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up
Warm Up
Warm Up
500 swim
500 swim
500 swim
2x5x50
1. 25 scull / 25 swim
2. Kick
3. Fingertip drag freestyle
4. Build
5. Backstroke
2x5x50
2. Kick
4. Build
5. Backstroke
2x5x50
2. Kick
4. Build
5. Backstroke
Main Set
Main Set
Main Set
60x50
66x50
72x50
20x50 of 3 medium pace / 1 hard on 60s

50 seconds rest

60 seconds rest
20x50 of 3 medium pace / 1 fly on 50s

50 seconds rest
Cool Down
400 swim down
Cool Down
400 swim down
Cool Down
400 swim down
Total distance: 4.4km

TIme: 90 mins

Time: 90 minutes
Total distance: 5km

Time: 90 minutes
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Tuesday - The Kickathon
Goal - Lots and lots of kick. I mix up the vertical kick with some vertical fly and breaststroke kick. We also pass around drink bottles
around in a circle. The partner kick is where you hold a kickboard between you and a partner and you kick against each other. The goal is
to push the other person backwards.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up
Warm Up
Warm Up
4x200 of 150 free / 50 backstroke kick
Main Set
Main Set
Main Set
4x100 Freestyle kick with board (Build 1-4)

10 minutes vertical kick
8x50 of 1x swim and 1x max effort kick
8x1min of partner kick with kickboard


4x3x50 with fins

1x 80% effort fly kick
1x Max effort fly kick
1x easy swim
4x3x50 with fins

1x easy swim
4x3x50 with fins

1x easy swim
Cool Down
Cool Down
Cool Down
200 recovery swim down
Total distance: 2.1km + 23 minutes kick

TIme: 90 mins

Time: 90 minutes

Time: 90 minutes
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Wednesday - Thunder Before You Chunder
Goal - The main set can be any stroke you choose. Theres no recovery between each 50, so the lactic acid builds up and you will get
heavy towards the end of the set. Push it out, and finish off strong!
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up
Warm Up
Warm Up
400 swim
400 swim
400 swim
2x4x50 of:
1x Scull
1x Kick
1x Drill
1x Build
2x4x50 of:
1x Scull
1x Kick
1x Drill
1x Build
2x4x50 of:
1x Scull
1x Kick
1x Drill
1x Build
4x15m fast
3x50 Build 1-3
150 recovery
4x15m fast
3x50 Build 1-3
150 recovery
4x15m fast
3x50 Build 1-3
150 recovery
Main Set
Main Set
Main Set
10x50 Max effort (dive start) on 3 minutes
Cool Down
Cool Down
Cool Down
500 cool down
500 cool down
500 cool down

TIme: 80 mins

Time: 80 minutes

Time: 80 minutes
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Thursday - The Bucket List Session
Goal - The big one. Start with fins so you can warm up quicker and maintain the timeframe at the start. Keep a steady pace so you last to
the end. Keep pushing through even after you get heavy.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
8x400 on 8.00 (First 4 with fins on)
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
8x300 on 6.00
9x300 on 5.15
10x300 on 4.30
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
8x200 on 4.00
9x200 on 3.30
10x200 on 3.00
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
60 seconds rest
8x100 on 2.00
9x100 on 1.45
10x100 on 1.30
Total distance: 8km

TIme: 2.5hrs

Time: 2.5hrs
Total distance: 10km

Time: 2.5hrs
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Saturday - The Saturday Surprise
Goal - Main set is dive max 100s. Aim is to maintain your times throughout the set.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up (fins)
400 swim
2x100 of 50 fly kick/ 50 side freestyle kick
3x100 free on 1.50
2x100 free on 1.40
1x100 free on 1.30
4x15m fast
100 recovery
Warm Up (fins)
500 swim
3x100 free on 1.40
2x100 free on 1.30
1x100 free on 1.20
4x15m fast
200 recovery
Warm Up (fins)
600 swim
3x100 free on 1.30
2x100 free on 1.20
1x100 free on 1.10
4x15m fast
200 recovery
Main Set
12x100 on 2.30
1. 80% effort
2. 85% effort
3. 90% effort
4. 95% effort
5. Recovery
6. Max (dive start)
7. Recovery
8. Max (dive start)
9. Recovery
10.Max (dive start)
11.Recovery
12.Max (dive start)
Main Set
12x100 on 2.30
1. 80% effort
2. 85% effort
3. 90% effort
4. 95% effort
5. Recovery
6. Max (dive start)
7. Recovery
8. Max (dive start)
9. Recovery
10.Max (dive start)
11.Recovery
12.Max (dive start)
Main Set
12x100 on 2.30
1. 80% effort
2. 85% effort
3. 90% effort
4. 95% effort
5. Recovery
6. Max (dive start)
7. Recovery
8. Max (dive start)
9. Recovery
10.Max (dive start)
11.Recovery
12.Max (dive start)
Cool Down
200 easy
Cool Down
200 easy
Cool Down
200 easy

TIme: 90 minutes

Time: 90 minutes

Time: 90 minutes
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Bonus Workout #1 - The Medley Combo
Goal - Aerobic endurance set mixing medley and freestyle.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up
Warm Up
Warm Up
8x150 of:
ODD - Freestyle
EVEN - 50 Fly/Back/Breast
10x150 of:
ODD - Freestyle
12x150 of:
ODD - Freestyle
Main Set
Main Set
Main Set
600 Free on 12 mins

6x100 IM on 2.15
400 Free on 8 mins
4x100 IM on 2.10
200 Free on 4 mins
2x100 IM on 2.05
100 Free on 2 mins
1x100 IM on 2.00
800 Free on 14 mins

6x100 IM on 2.00
600 Free on 10.30 mins
4x100 IM on 1.55
400 Free on 7 mins
2x100 IM on 1.50
200 Free on 3.30 mins
1x100 IM on 1.45
800 Free on 12 mins

8x100 IM on 1.45
600 Free on 9 mins
6x100 IM on 1.40
400 Free on 6 mins
4x100 IM on 1.35
200 Free on 3 mins
2x100 IM on 1.30
Cool Down
400 fins and paddles
Cool Down
Cool Down

TIme: 90 minutes

Time: 90 minutes

Time: 100 minutes
Effortless Swimming
Hell Week Workouts

Bonus Workout #2 - Best Average
Goal - Main set is best average pace, where you are holding the fastest time you can for the 12x100s. The lactic acid will build up but
hold on to your time and push through!!
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Warm Up
Warm Up
Warm Up
3x300 of 150 fr / 50 back / 50 kick /50 drill
16x50 of:
1x 25 fly / 25 free
1x 25m fast free / 25 easy
1x Straight arm freestyle
1x Build
16x50 of:
1x 25 fly / 25 free
1x Build
16x50 of:
1x 25 fly / 25 free
1x Build
Main Set
Main Set
Main Set
12x100 Best Average on 2.00

- Keep heart rate 20-30 beats below max
heart rate

heart rate
Cool Down
Cool Down

heart rate
- Best average means holding as fast as
you can for the set
600 Fins and paddles
Cool Down

TIme: 90 minutes

Time: 90 minutes

Time: 80 minutes
Effortless Swimming

Hell Week Workouts

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Hell Week Workouts

Are you ready for pain and suffering?