Fast Swim Academy · The 12-week gym program
Faster off the blocks and off every wall.
The 12-week gym program for swimmers, two sessions a week. Three tracks so it fits you: first time in a gym, lifting already, or elite. Fifty-six exercises, every one tied to a start, a turn or the kick. Strength first, then speed.
Price goes up to $47 on Oct 22.
Or get Strength, Core and Shoulders together for $59. See the bundle.
The dryland bundle
Strength, core and shoulders, the whole system.
The gym program plus the two programs that hold it together: Swimmer's Core for a middle that connects your pull to your kick, and the Shoulder Program for shoulders that handle the yardage. Three PDFs, three download links, one price.
Who it is for
Your track depends on your gym experience, not your swim level.
- New to liftingFoundation track: goblet squats, trap bar deadlifts and band-assisted pull-ups. Start with weights you could lift 15 times, and film one set a session.
- TeensTechnique before load. A coach or trained adult watching, no 1-rep max tests, and a rule for growth spurts with sore knees or heels.
- Masters, 40 and upRecover, then push. A longer warm-up, 48 hours between sessions, seated box jumps instead of hurdle hops, and two sessions a week that still work.
- Club and college swimmersBuild and Performance tracks: front squats, weighted pull-ups, hang power cleans and jumps that transfer to the block and the wall.
- CoachesThree tracks for one squad, the same Push, Pull, Legs structure on each, and a strength log so your swimmers bring you numbers.
Inside the book
Strength wins the start and the turns.
Research on competitive swimmers shows lifting makes starts and turns faster. This book turns that into a plan. Three tracks by gym experience, each with twelve week pages that tell you the exercise, the sets, the reps, the rest and the effort. Then an exercise library where each of the 56 movements gets its own page with start and finish illustrations, the cues, what to avoid, an easier and a harder version, and why swimmers do it.
Page 4
Page 6
Page 8
Page 10
Page 49
Page 81
Page 105Straight from page 10 · Foundation track, week 1, Legs day
What a session looks like
- JumpPogo jumps, full rest, max intent3 × 5
- ExplosiveKettlebell swing, fast on each rep3 × 6
- SquatGoblet squat, 2 to 3 min rest3 × 10
- DeadliftTrap bar deadlift, 2 to 3 min rest3 × 10
- Single legDumbbell step-up2 × 12 a side
- HamstringsRomanian deadlift2 × 12
- CalvesSingle-leg calf raise, full range, 1 s pause2 × 15 a side
The tracked lifts stay the same for 12 weeks so you can see the numbers climb. Jumps, throws and accessories rotate, so no two weeks look the same. Only two days this week? The book shows the Upper plus Legs version.
Written by the coach who lifts
The gym builds the engine. The pool teaches you to use it.
I hold the deaf world record in the 50 m breaststroke and swam twice as an NCAA All-American, with a degree in biomechanics. Band circuits and burpees give you no number to track. A squat, a pull-up and a deadlift do, and when those numbers go up, you know the plan works. This program pairs heavy lifting with jumps and throws, because that is where the gym carries into the start and the turn.
Coach Maria Rezhylo · founder, Fast Swim Academy, Tampa
What you get
- Three tracks, 36 week pagesFoundation, Build and Performance, each written out week by week: Push, Pull and Legs with the exercise, sets, reps, rest and effort in each slot.
- 56 exercises, one page eachSquats and single leg, hinges, pulls, presses, explosive lifts, jumps, med ball throws, carries, calves and shins. Start and finish illustrations, cues, what to avoid, easier and harder.
- Placement by gym experienceThree questions put you on the right track. In doubt, start one lower: the first four weeks teach the lifts the next track needs.
- The 10-minute warm-upRaise, mobilize, activate, ramp up. The same routine before each session, with the masters and teen versions.
- The rules around your swimmingThree days or two, lifting on a swim day, the taper before a key meet, a missed week, and what to do after week 12.
- Strength logs for each trackFive tracked lifts across twelve weeks, how to log them, when to add load, and the week 12 test.
- Yours to keep108-page PDF. Download it right after paying, and again from your email. Phone, tablet or laptop, or print the week page for the gym.
Written by Coach Maria Rezhylo
- Deaf world record holder, 50 m breaststroke
- European and world deaf champion
- 2x NCAA All-American, then professional swimmer
- Coached an athlete to a world championships medal
- Degree in Exercise Science, biomechanics
- Founder of Fast Swim Academy, Tampa Bay
The goal is the least work that makes you stronger, so you still swim well the same day. Two or three sessions of about 45 minutes is enough.
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Questions before you buy
Which track do I start on?
Page 4 has three tests. New to lifting, or less than six months of regular gym work: Foundation. Six months or more, ten clean goblet squats and at least one strict pull-up: Build. Two years or more, eight strict pull-ups, a front squat around bodyweight for three and coached experience with the power clean: Performance.
In doubt, start one track lower. You lose nothing, and the first four weeks teach the lifts the next track needs.
What equipment do I need?
A gym. Foundation uses dumbbells, a kettlebell, a trap bar, bands, a cable stack and a box. Build and Performance add a barbell and rack, a landmine, a dip belt and a sled where one exists. Each exercise page has an easier and a harder version, so a missing piece of kit has a swap.
How long is a session, and how many a week?
About 45 minutes plus the 10-minute warm-up. Three days a week as Push, Pull and Legs with a day off between, or two days as Legs plus one Upper day when swim volume is high. Masters leave 48 hours between sessions.
Can I lift on the same day I swim?
Yes. Lift after the pool, or six or more hours apart, and never put Legs before your hardest kick set. Page 6 also covers the taper: last heavy session 7 to 10 days before a key meet, with a few jumps and throws kept until 3 or 4 days out.
Is it safe for a teenager?
Supervised youth strength training is safe and effective, and the book follows the National Strength and Conditioning Association position on it. Teens lift with a coach or trained adult watching, add weight only when each rep looks the same, and never test a 1-rep max. Week 12 uses a 5-rep best.
What is in the bundle?
This book plus Swimmer's Core, the 6-week core program, and the Swimmer's Shoulder Program, the 12-week rotator cuff and upper back program. Three PDFs for $59, each with its own download link in one email. Pick "The dryland bundle" at checkout.
How do I get the book?
It is a 108-page PDF. The download button appears right after payment, and the same link goes to your email. It opens on a phone, tablet or laptop, and the week pages print for the gym. The link works for a year. Lost it? Use the resend link under the checkout.
Is this a subscription?
No. One payment, the book is yours.
Something went wrong with my order
Reply to the email or text Maria at (475) 223-9849. A real person answers.