Swim Sets

jollybean

Hey,

Anyone got any interesting swim sets....I'll offer up this one in exchange for some other goodies..

4X (4x100 descending starting at 1.50/1.45/1/40/1.35)

So basically 16 100's, every fourth one is fast and then you go back to the slow one on 1.50

hunnymonster

Some of the proper swimmers here have posted some good ones in the past. I'm just a triathlon swimmer so most of my stuff is FC based. This weeks pools sessions for me are

4km:
300 easy
200 kick
4x50 on 30 sec
1x1000 on 2 min
5x200 on 30
10x100 on 20
200 kick
100 easy

4.6 km
300 easy
6x[16x25 mixed strokes on 5, 1x150 on 60]
8x100 on 30
200 easy

I'm not particularly fast so I swim for distance with fixed recovery times. More common amongst the performance swimmers is to have a time for the swim and recovery phase (as you described above) but in my case I would never get a breather.

DolphinMasters

Jollybean

Trying to figure out if you are a Masters swimmer or a Junior Swimmer? Though the times you mention would be more towards the Masters side of things. So I will take a chance and guess Masters.

Right so, let me see. One of my favourite sets is

20 x 50 F/C - 5 on 60, 5 on 55, 5 on 50, and the last 5 on 45. By the time you get to the last five you really have to work hard to get the rest. On a good day I will get more than 6seconds and on a bad day I get about 3!

Also like the pyramids - I've seen some of the Juniors do these too.

25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200 - all with 5 seconds rest in between and then you rest for a minute at the 200 before starting all over again with the 200 and working down to the 25. Most people would do this F/C but the odd day when I am sick of F/C I will do this B/C to work on my stroke.

Have some IM ones too if you are interested and some handy drills..

jollybean

Hi,
Thanks for those sets. DM.....you were close....I'm a triathlon swimmer

DolphinMasters

Ok that's a bit more hardcore than I can manage (hate running, don't even jog!) LOL!

Here is another set for you, F/C again...

200 (4 x 50 on 55) on 3:50 x 12

I did this set with the Elite squad (Juniors) last Christmas and thought I would have to be dragged from the bottom of the pool after it. This is a hard set, you have to work to get the rest. Saying that, you could adjust the times a little and cut down on the mileage too if you want.

The 4 50's are done on 55 each with the overall 200M on 3:50. You have to be holding an even pace throughout. Grand one if you are in for a long session (2 hours) and probably should be started after you finish your warm up. That day we did 800 FC warm up before starting it.

jollybean

Cheers, its a good one :eek:

So is that 12 200's....and you get an extra 10 seconds rest at the end of each 200 (4x50 on 55 is 3.40? and then you leave on 3.50....?)

Am I reading it the right way ?

cregser

^ Looks that way to me.

A variation on your OP that one coach of mine loved was 10 sets of 5x100m starting at 2:05 and working down to 1:20 by taking off 5secs every set! I didn't always make the 1:20 but I enjoyed the challenge!

So for your original example you could go 4x100 at 1:50 then the next 4 at 1:45 etc. etc. Then when you get used to that routine, take 5secs off the whole lot. It adds a fresh challenge every time you do decrease the time. One of the training goals I had as a swimmer was to be able to comfortably do sets at a time I struggled with last year, and then take the time down a notch. The aim was to get 5-7 seconds rest. Just about enough to get gulp of water or fix the goggles.

As an ex-competitive swimmer who loved freestyle, I really did find it monotonous sometimes. Pyramid sets did make it more interesting though. And it also made it easier to count or know where you were in the set. We did the 25,75,100,etc. as well as 50,100,200,400,400,200,100,50.

After a lot of freestyle I did like nothing more than a good medley set (fly,back,breast,free). I've lost the knack for butterfly now so if i'm swimming I throw in 10x50m breaststroke or 5x100m. Again, time is dependant on fitness/ability.

DolphinMasters

A handy IM set would be 4 x 125 Rest 15 after each one, where you tag an extra 25 onto each one you do. First one you do the normal IM then do an extra Fly length at the end. The next one you do the normal IM then do a 25 backstroke. I like that one, mixes it up a bit. And as I hate breaststroke it's a killer having to do the extra 25 breaststroke after the free length. Good for pushing myself though LOL!

A good stroke fixer set would be this (lets say butterfly now if you wanted to work on it for a session):

300 Free bi-lat
Kick 3x100 Fly no board, arms at side
Drill 3x75 Fly single arm
Pull Drill 3x 50 - 25 Fly Pull, 25 any stroke you like
Swim 3x25 Butterfly full stroke
Swim down 350 EZ choice to stretch it out.

I haven't set any rest on this but we normally do this R10 or R15 depending on the mood/tiredness etc.