Workouts From the Past: Training By Simone Manuel With Allison Beebe at First Colony

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Workouts From the Past: Training By Simone Manuel With Allison Beebe at First Colony

The latest installment of Swimming World’s series, Workouts From the Past, takes a look at some of the training sets put together by Allison Beebe when she was guiding the career of Simone Manuel with the First Colony Swim Team in Texas. Beebe, who coached Team USA at the 2018 Junior Pan Pacs, and Manuel enjoyed tremendous success together, with Manuel landing on Team USA for the 2015 World Championships ahead of her gold-medal triumph in the 100 freestyle at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The workouts below, which were shared with Swimming World veteran writer Michael J. Stott, are from the 2012-13 season, when Manuel was developing into a standout performer. It’s always interesting to look back at the type of work that superstars logged during earlier stages of their careers, and that is what the following training sets provide.

General Weekly Schedule

Monday AM – 90 minutes – aerobic pulling and kicking
Monday PM – 120 minutes in the water – generally free, IM or backstroke aerobic work; 40 minutes of dryland
Tuesday PM – 120 minutes in the water – stroke work (non-free). Beginning of the season is more aerobic work gradually shifting to race pace work as the season progresses. Manuel usually swims with the fly or back group, although occasionally goes to the breaststroke group; 30 minutes dryland
Wednesday PM – 120 minutes in the water – broken swims or repeats from the block; 20 minute classroom session
Thursday AM – 90 minutes – general recovery, skill work (usually back, breast, or fly)
Thursday PM – 120 minutes in the water. No set pattern but generally recovery work. Manuel will redo something from earlier in the week if necessary; 30 minutes dryland
Friday PM – 120 minutes in the water with emphasis on kick.
Saturday AM – 120 minutes in the water. The sprint group starts with aerobic base work in September and transitions to race specific training as the season progresses; 30 minutes dryland which varies during the season.

Simone Manuel: Sample sets from the 2012-2013 season

September 17, 2012: Early season backstroke set; 12 x 200 back – 3 on 2:30, 1 on 2:10 holding kick count

October 16, 2012: Two Rounds – 4 x 25 max effort kick on :35, 50 easy, 4 x 25 max effort pull on :35, 50 easy, 2 x 100 on 3:00 from a push beating 2nd 100 of 200 goal time. Manuel was 1:00.2, 1:00.3 fly on first round and 51.4, 51.3 free on second round.

November 2, 2012 (Example of Friday Kick Day – SCY)

12 x 75 kick- different stroke by 4: 4 on 1:30, 1:25, 1:20. Last 15 yards of each 75 at race pace intensity

16 x 50 – odds kick with board and snorkel on :40, evens swim on :35 carry kick into swim

Three Rounds

2 x 400 kick on 6:00, 5:40, 5:20 by round (with board and snorkel) – negative split

2 x 100, 75, 50 all out kick on 1:00 base per 50

2 x 50 from blocks swim of the stroke you kicked

1 x 50 easy swim on 2:00

May 11, 2013: Speed Group – LCM

Three Rounds

4 x 25 on :40

odds – 15 FAST/10 technique

evens – 10 technique/15 FAST

:20 rest

4 x 50 on :50, :55, 1:00 by round at 200 pace

100 technique on 3:00

1 x 100 AFAP with fins, paddles, snorkel – beat best time on 2:00

100 technique on 3:00

May 14, 2013: Speed Group LCM

1 x 50 sprint on 1:00