DailyQuad Start today

Eight weeks in the pool.

Dana coaches swimmers. Theo wants to build from a few laps to 2,000 yards. Here is his eight week program as it happens in DailyQuad: Dana builds it and sends one code, Theo checks off each session, and Dana sees how it is going without having to ask.

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Free. iPhone and iPad, iOS 15 or later. The swimmer needs no account.

Dana's planner on week 5, four sessions with Saturday addedDana's planner on week 5, four sessions with Saturday added
Theo's last session of the program, checked offTheo's last session of the program, checked off
Dana writes it Theo swims it
The plan

Three sessions. Four phases.

1

Technique & Endurance Session (Aerobic Focus)

Monday, and Saturday in weeks 5 and 6

  • Warm-up: 200 yards continuous choice stroke (easy pace).
  • Pre-Set: 4 x 50 yards catch-up drill or single-arm freestyle with a pull buoy. Rest 15 seconds after each.
  • Main Set:
    • 3 x 200 yards freestyle at a steady, sustainable pace (Rest 20 seconds).
    • 4 x 100 yards freestyle, pulling with a buoy to isolate upper-body rotation (Rest 15 seconds).
  • Cooldown: 100 yards easy backstroke or breaststroke.
  • Total Volume: 1,500 yards.
2

Speed & Interval Session (Anaerobic Focus)

Wednesday

  • Warm-up: 150 yards freestyle, 50 yards kick with a board.
  • Pre-Set: 6 x 25 yards building speed (start easy, finish at a sprint). Rest 20 seconds.
  • Main Set (Sprint Ladder):
    • 1 x 25 yards sprint → rest 20s
    • 1 x 50 yards strong pace → rest 20s
    • 1 x 75 yards hard pace → rest 20s
    • 1 x 100 yards maximum effort → rest 30s
    • Descend back down: 75 yards, 50 yards, 25 yards (resting 20s between each).
    • Repeat the ladder twice.
  • Cooldown: 100 yards loose, relaxed swimming.
  • Total Volume: 1,200 yards.
3

The Mixed-Stroke Challenge (IM & Target Capacity)

Friday

  • Warm-up: 200 yards choice stroke.
  • Main Set:
    • 4 x 100 yards Individual Medley (IM: 25 Butterfly, 25 Backstroke, 25 Breaststroke, 25 Freestyle). Rest 30 seconds between sets.
    • 1 x 400 yards continuous freestyle at target endurance pace. Focus on bilateral breathing every 3 strokes.
    • 4 x 50 yards kick-only with a kickboard (sprint the odds, easy the evens).
  • Cooldown: 100 yards easy choice.
  • Total Volume: 1,300 yards.

How it scales across eight weeks

MTWTFSS
Week 1123
Week 2123
Weeks 1–23 days / week · 1,200 – 1,400 yards

Keep rest strictly at 20 seconds. Focus on maintaining standard pacing.

Week 3123
Week 4123
Weeks 3–43–4 days / week · 1,400 – 1,600 yards

Add an extra round of 100s to the Aerobic focus session.

Week 51231
Week 61231
Weeks 5–64 days / week · 1,600 – 1,900 yards

Drop rest times on the 100-yard sets from 20 seconds to 10–15 seconds.

Week 7123
Week 8123
Weeks 7–83–4 days / week · 1,800 – 2,200+ yards

Increase the continuous freestyle target swim from 400 yards to 500–600 yards to test max endurance limits.

Step by step

Two phones, eight weeks.

Every screen below is the real app, in the order it happened. Dana's steps lean left, Theo's lean right.

  1. DanaFriday, October 23

    She builds it in the planner.

    A new Playbook, Weekly, eight weeks from Monday the 26th. Each of the three sessions becomes a goal, painted onto Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

    Create a Playbook in DailyQuad: Eight weeks in the pool, Weekly, from 26 October to 20 DecemberCreate a Playbook in DailyQuad: Eight weeks in the pool, Weekly, from 26 October to 20 December
    Weekly, eight weeks.
    The week planner on week 1: three sessions on Monday, Wednesday and FridayThe week planner on week 1: three sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
    Week 1: three sessions.

  2. DanaSame afternoon

    A banner for every phase.

    Each row of the scaling table becomes the banner for its two weeks. Weeks 5 and 6 get a fourth swim, the Technique session again on Saturday.

    The banner for weeks 1 and 2: 3 days a week, 1,200 to 1,400 yards, rest strictly at 20 secondsThe banner for weeks 1 and 2: 3 days a week, 1,200 to 1,400 yards, rest strictly at 20 seconds
    The banner for weeks 1 and 2.
    Week 5 in the planner: four sessions, the fourth on SaturdayWeek 5 in the planner: four sessions, the fourth on Saturday
    Week 5: four swims.

  3. DanaSame afternoon

    Every set, spelled out.

    Each session carries its full set as instructions, indents and all. The eight week progression overview is the program guide.

    The instructions for each session in the plannerThe instructions for each session in the planner
    Warm up to cooldown.
    The Playbook page week by week, each week under its phase bannerThe Playbook page week by week, each week under its phase banner
    The Playbook page.

  4. DanaSame afternoon

    One code, sent by text.

    An invitation is a single use code with a QR code and a link. She texts it to Theo.

    The invitation sheet: a single use code with a QR code beneath itThe invitation sheet: a single use code with a QR code beneath it
    One code, for one person.

  5. TheoFriday, October 23

    He joins without an account.

    He installs DailyQuad, taps Have an invite? and types the code. He sees the whole program and exactly what Dana will see before anything is shared.

    The invitation screen for Eight weeks in the pool, with Dana's note and the first weeksThe invitation screen for Eight weeks in the pool, with Dana's note and the first weeks
    What he is saying yes to.
    Theo's Goals page after joining: one tile that starts MondayTheo's Goals page after joining: one tile that starts Monday
    In. It starts Monday.

  6. TheoMonday, October 26

    The set is on his phone.

    His tile shows today's session. The line under it opens the details: the phase banner, then the full set with every interval and rest, so he can check it on the pool deck.

    Theo's Goals page on Monday: Technique & Endurance SessionTheo's Goals page on Monday: Technique & Endurance Session
    Monday: Technique & Endurance.
    The session sheet: the phase banner, then the warm up, pre set, main set and cooldownThe session sheet: the phase banner, then the warm up, pre set, main set and cooldown
    The whole set.

  7. TheoWednesday, October 28

    Same tile, the day's session.

    Wednesday the tile shows the Speed & Interval session. Out of the pool, one tap.

    Theo's Goals page on Wednesday: Speed & Interval SessionTheo's Goals page on Wednesday: Speed & Interval Session
    Wednesday: Speed & Interval.
    A session tile checked offA session tile checked off
    Done.

  8. TheoWeek 5

    Four swims a week.

    Week 5 opens on a new phase: the details now lead with the interval banner. Saturday brings the fourth swim of the week, and Trends counts the four that were due.

    The session details in week 5, led by the new phase bannerThe session details in week 5, led by the new phase banner
    A new phase.
    Saturday of week 5: the Technique session againSaturday of week 5: the Technique session again
    Saturday, the fourth swim.

  9. DanaMonday, November 30

    How it is going, without asking.

    Dana opens Theo's page: 16 of 16 sessions recorded so far, today's still open, his last seven days, and a checklist of each session on every date.

    Theo's page in Dana's Playbook: 16 of 16 sessions so far, today still openTheo's page in Dana's Playbook: 16 of 16 sessions so far, today still open
    16 of 16 so far.
    The checklist of each session on every dateThe checklist of each session on every date
    Every session, every date.

  10. TheoFriday, December 18

    The last session.

    The Mixed-Stroke Challenge, with the continuous freestyle now 500 to 600 yards. He missed one swim in eight weeks, the Saturday of week 6.

    The last Friday: The Mixed-Stroke ChallengeThe last Friday: The Mixed-Stroke Challenge
    The last session.
    The last session checked offThe last session checked off
    Eight weeks done.

  11. TheoMonday, December 21

    It ends on the date it said.

    The Playbook closes itself. The app says so and lets him keep or remove the sessions. Eight weeks of swims stay in his Trends.

    The Goals page after the Playbook endsThe Goals page after the Playbook ends
    Ended, and his to keep.
    Trends at 90 daysTrends at 90 days
    Eight weeks in Trends.

  12. DanaMonday, December 21

    25 of 26.

    Dana can look back at the whole program for fourteen more days, then the shared copy is removed.

    Theo's page after the Playbook ended: 25 of 26 sessionsTheo's page after the Playbook ended: 25 of 26 sessions
    25 of 26 sessions.
25 of 26sessions done
4phases, each with its own banner
4 a weekswims at the peak
1code sent, and no messages asking how it went

Write one out for somebody.

A swim block, a Couch to 5K, a month of early nights. Build it once, send each person a code, and watch the days fill in. See the Couch to 5K example How Playbooks work

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Free. No ads, no subscription. Dana and Theo are an example made on test accounts. Check with a doctor before starting a new exercise program.