Water Polo Conditioning Based on Game Metrics

Using your pool time and practice time as efficiently as possible should be an overriding goal for every water polo coach. Creating efficient practices should not involve more drills stuffed into a short period of time but should focus on building from previous drills to both increase repetition of a skill and increase the intensity as the practice moves along.

A highly effective way to train your team involves using game metrics and game skills to build your conditioning program. Let's look at some common facts and stats assuming a prep varsity-level game:

1. Games are 7 minute quarters with two minute breaks between periods. Play is also broken up after goals and with timeouts. (breaks can vary)
2. 168 field player/minutes are available for your team. Starters get 75% and bench gets 25%. Some players get no pool time.
3. Possessions involve at least two transitions between swimming and eggbeater; about 112 per game.
4. Players engage each other for about 5-10 seconds almost every possession; 10-15 seconds for centers.
5. Players will swim around 1100-1500 meters per game, assuming 100% of the playing time.
6. Players do not use the walls to accelerate. Every turnover requires the player to accelerate from a standstill.

Ok, why is number 7 in bold? Because the phrase, "I'm not in water polo shape" is very telling. Players swim 10x100's on a 1:20 all offseason but they failed physics. Accelerating a mass takes more energy than maintaining a constant velocity. Flip turns and wall pushes remove the most critical swimming skill of a conditioned water polo player: quickly accelerating from a standstill. Why do you think NFL coaches also time the 10 yard split of a 40 yard dash?

Here's a highly effective conditioning session based on improving the above metrics:

(no walls are used, all player perform water polo turns at the 2 meter lines)

• 9x50's (:50) start with hips up and forward, head-up swim to the far 7 meter line, eggbeater transition with one arm straight out of the water to finish each lap (time 7:30, 2 minute rest)
• 6x75's (1:15) start facing backwards, head-up swim to half, 3 vertical lunges, head-up finish each lap (time 7:30, 2 minute rest)
• 12x25's (:35) eggbeater to the near 7 meter line, head-up sprint finish, transition to hands on the head for a 5 count (time 7:00, 2 minute rest)
• 14x25's (:30) partners, player must swim around a partner while the partner pushes back, sprint to finish, partner chases, switch (time 7:00, break)

Results:

1. 29:00 minutes of conditioning, 6:00 minutes of breaks, no timeouts, no goal stoppages.
2. Starters and bench players complete the entire simulated "game".
3. 100 transitions between swimming and eggbeater occurred between the 2 meter lines.
4. 14 player engagements occurred (4th set).
5. 1240 yards swam between 2 meter lines.
6. 64 times players needed to accelerate from a standstill (versus pushing off the wall and gliding/steamlining)

Obviously, add more swim sets and conditioning-based drills to the practice depending on where you are in the season. Also, instead of lowering bases right away, try making the lap harder by adding more eggbeater, partner work or dribbling a ball. When they are conditioned with complex laps at a medium base go back to simple laps at a faster pace. Longer sets are also better than lowering the base.

Example of a more complex set from above:
14x25's (:30) partners, player must swim around a partner while the partner pushes back, sprint to half, 3 straight lunges, sprint to finish, partner chases and tries to pass, switch

There are tons of variations to these drills that add different elements to the workout so try some new combinations. Transitions and body acceleration should be conditioned the most and should never be relegated to post-conditioning routines or skipped altogether. 

But most importantly, Stop using walls and add transitions.