Recovery Swim: Technique Focus After Long Ride

Session Overview

A short, easy-effort pool session designed for the day after a long ride, when your legs need rest but movement helps circulation and recovery. The focus is entirely on technique — catch and body position — not fitness.

What You’ll Need

• Pool access
• Pull buoy
• Optional: fins for the technique drills

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

200m easy freestyle, mixing in a few lengths of backstroke to loosen the shoulders after a long day in the aero or road position.

Main Set (20 minutes)

Everything here is at an easy, conversational effort. This is about reinforcing good habits at low intensity, not testing anything.

• 4 x 50m catch-up drill, focusing on a full extension and early catch before the other hand enters, 20 seconds rest
• 4 x 50m with pull buoy, concentrating on a flat, horizontal body position, 20 seconds rest
• 2 x 100m easy freestyle, holding onto the technique cues from the drills above

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

100m very easy backstroke or gentle freestyle, followed by a few minutes of shoulder and hip flexor stretching poolside.

Coaching Notes

• If your legs feel heavy, that’s expected the day after a long ride — use the pull buoy freely rather than forcing a kick.
• Common mistake: turning this into a fitness session. Keep effort at RPE 3-4/10 throughout — the goal is active recovery, not training stress.
• Scaling: if you’re short on time, the 4 x 50m catch-up drill alone is enough to get the technique benefit.
• This session pairs well the day after any ride over 3 hours or a brick session.