Swimming practice plan
60-Minute Age Group Swim Practice
An age-group swim practice built around technique drills and short, fun sets, with plenty of kick work and a relay to finish.
60 minutes10 and under to 12 and underFocus: Freestyle technique and kickSkill work with sets
Warm-upSkillDrillWater breakConditioningCompetitionCool-down
Equipment
Kickboards · Fins · Pace clock · Lane linesThe plan, block by block
1. Warm-up
Warm-up
8 min0:00 - 8:00
Easy swimming, mixed strokes.
- 200 easy free
- 100 backstroke
- 4 x 25 choice
Coaching points
- Long, easy strokes
2. Skill
Freestyle drills
12 min8:00 - 20:00
- 6 x 25 catch-up drill
- 6 x 25 fingertip drag
- 4 x 25 swim with 3-stroke breathing
Coaching points
- Reach long, rotate the hips
3. Drill
Kick set
10 min20:00 - 30:00
- 8 x 25 kick with a board on a 45-second rest cycle
- 4 x 25 underwater dolphin kick with fins
Coaching points
- Kick from the hips, pointed toes
4. Water break
Rest
2 min30:00 - 32:00
5. Conditioning
Main set
18 min32:00 - 50:00
- 4 x 50 free building speed
- 4 x 50 stroke of choice
- Easy 100
Coaching points
- Hold good form when tired
6. Competition
Relay
6 min50:00 - 56:00
- Teams of 4, 25 each
Coaching points
- Fast starts and turns
7. Cool-down
Cool-down
4 min56:00 - 60:00
- 100 easy
Coach's notes
Technique first at this age. Short distances with good form build fast swimmers.How to adapt this plan
- Adjust intervals so every swimmer gets 10 to 15 seconds rest.
- Use a pace clock to teach kids how to read intervals.