Definitions:
WARM-UP
preparation to swim, typically a gradual building of effort designed to open up the circulatory system, warm the body, and loosen joints for better position in the water and harder efforts to follow (it could also include, as one of many possibilities, easy IM kicks and swims if you are doing long free main sets but want to include some IM in the workout, or vice versa)
PRE-SET
usually specific to the main set, it might be drill work if doing a moderate long set with a specific form focus, or it might be builds in preparation for very hard swimming (but there are many options – if you’ve seen form break down during a recent hard swim, perhaps a form pre-set with building effort is in order)
DISTANCE FREE
generally, repeats that take around 7-15min to complete, resting 10-25% of the repeat time, at a pace you might be able to hold for a fast 30-40min swim (but pace may vary significantly as desired)
VO2 MAX
generally, repeats that take between 2-4min to complete, resting, say, 1-1:30 on a 2:00 repeat, and 2:30-4:00 on a 4:00 repeat, at maximum sustainable effort (the rest may also include a “swim down”, easy swimming to allow heart and breathing rate to drop gradually after hard swims, like the walk or jog you might do after repeats at the track)
SHORT REPEATS
usually 25s and 50s, on a set leaving time, at whatever effort is specified (good for crowded lanes or practicing specific pacing and stroke counts/rates)
COOL DOWN
easy efforts or build downs allow the circulatory system to return to “normal” after a workout, as suddenly stopping an effort and getting out can cause a drop in blood pressure and some lightheadedness/nausea or fainting in extreme cases
FEBRUARY 2013
2-8-13 (distance free)
WARM-UP:
4-500 as 25 kick/25 swim, choice non-breast
PRE-SET:
6×25 fast on 1:00
MAIN SET:
Time yourself if you can. If you pace well, you should swim all repeats in about the same time. If you have an odd number of fast or slow segments you’ll of course be off by a few seconds.
Lane 4 – 4×500
Lane 3 – 4×450
Lane 2 – 4×400
Lane 1 – 4×350
1st repeat – first half fast/last half slow
2nd repeat – odd 100s fast/evens slow
3rd repeat – odd 50s fast/evens slow
4th repeat – odd 25s fast/evens slow
COOLDOWN:
Easy choice non-free
2-6-13 (VO2max)
Warm-up:
3-400 easy free, 200 IM kick, 100 easy non-free
Pre-set:
8×25, :10 rest, build from slow to fast each 25
Main Set:
Choose one of the following:
4x (200 hard free swim on 4:00, 150 hard free kick on 4:00)
4x (150 hard free swim on 4:00, 100 hard free kick on 4:00)
Cool Down:
6-10x 50 easy choice
2-5-13 (short, fast repeats)
Coaches: This sessions works well for crowded lanes. 50s allow easy differentiation as well as rests if someone needs to take a repeat off. Two lanes are specified here for example. One way to do this on the fly is to allow everyone to swim two repeats together and see how long it takes them. Then set goal swim and leaving times based on experience. This ensures everyone has a chance to be successful.
Warm-up:
8×50 descending by about 1-2sec per 50, staring very easy
200 IM kick
200 easy free
Main Set 1:
8-10×50 free pull, build slow to fast within each 50
Lane 4 – leaves on 1:00
Lane 3 – leaves on 1:10
Main Set 2:
8-10×50 IM order as: 25 fast kick, 25 min strokes/max effort swim of each stroke (i.e. 50 fly, 50 back,…)
Lane 4 – leaves on 1:10
Lane 3 – leaves on 1:30
Main Set 3:
10×25 free sprint on 1:00
Cool Down:
Easy choice
2-1-13 (distance free)
Warm-up:
4-500 as 25 kick/25 swim, choice non-breast
Pre-set:
6×25 fast on 1:00
Main Set:
First long swim is: 25 fast kick/75 swim distance per stroke.
The two repeats are each builds, from easy to hard within each swim.
Lane 4 – 1000, 2×500
Lane 3 – 900, 2×450
Lane 2 – 800, 2×400
Lane 1 – 700, 2×350
Cool Down:
Easy choice non-free
JANUARY 2013
1-31-13 (VO2max)
Warm-up:
3-400 easy free, 200 IM kick, 100 easy non-free
Pre-set:
8×25, :10 rest, build from slow to fast each 25
Main Set:
Fast lane – 5x200IM hard on 5:00, Slower lane – 5x150IM (skip back OR breast) hard on 5:00
Cool Down:
Easy choice
1-25-13 (distance free)
Warm-up:
500 free, build to finish
200 IM order kick
100 easy
Main Set:
3×500, :30 rest, all free
1st – pull (buoy or paddles), 1st 25 of each 100 is hard
2nd – breathe every 3,5,7,5 strokes, changing every 25
3rd – DPS (distance per stroke), lower stroke count through each 100
Ex: 1st 25 – 20str, 2nd 25 – 19str, 3rd 25 – 18str, 4th 25 – 17str, then start back at 20 again for the next 25
Yes, it’s cheating if you add a couple strokes to the first 25 on purpose
Cool Down:
8×50, :10 rest, 25 back / 25 breast
1-23-13 (VO2max)
Warm-up:
300 easy free
300 IM (50kick/25swim each stroke)
Pre-set:
3x(4×25), 10sec rest at 25
1 – slow to fast (build over the length)
2 – fast to slow (quick start, gradually slowing)
3 – all slow
4 – all fast
Main Set:
Choose a distance you can swim fast in around 3:15-3:30. Here are a few examples:
6×250
6x 225 in 3:15 on 5:00
6×200
Go all out on the swims, at the best pace you can consistently hold for all of them. They don’t work if you don’t. You may fade 10sec by the end and that’s fine. Some may improve by 5sec on the final rep.
Cool Down:
2-300 easy choice
1-22-13 (IM)
Warm-up:
500 choice – kick 25/swim 25
Main Set 1:
IM order, 2×75 of each stroke
25 kick (for breast, arms are back, touch heels to fingers each kick)
25 single-arm 3/3 (3 strokes right/3 strokes left)(for breast, non-working arm is by your side)
25 stroke
20sec rest @ 75
Main Set 2:
8-10x 100 free DPS (distance per stroke)
Build slow to fast within each (an easy way to guarantee speed increases is to increase effort and hold stroke count)
10-20sec rest
Cool Down:
6-8x 50 – first 50 is moderate, build down to very easy
1-18-13 (distance free)
Warm-up:
5×100 free, :15 rest, increase effort with each 100
400 IM as: 50 kick, 50 single-arm (3 strokes right, 3 strokes left)
100 easy choice
Main Set 1:
750 free, full stroke, alternate focus by 50s 1) strong, narrow kick, 2) at extension, palm and eyes facing the bottom
Main Set 2:
750 free, full stroke, alternate focus: 25 hard kick, 75 DPS (distance per stoke)
Cool Down:
4x (25 back / 25 breast)
Note: I took this logo from an outdated website for Beach Barracudas masters swimming in Canada. I don’t know if it belongs to them or who designed it.