- WEEK ONE
- Establish base pace for a 100 - swim a 300 (more or less modified by ability to meet the goal of swimming for 4:30).
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round one - 3 x 100 on 3:00 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 100.
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round two - 3 x 100 on 3:00 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 100.
- WEEK TWO
- Establish base pace for a 75 - swim a 300 (more or less modified by ability to meet the goal of swimming for 4:30).
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round one - 4 x 75 on 2:15 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 75.
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round two - 4 x 75 on 2:15 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 75.
- WEEK THREE
- Establish base pace for a 50 - swim a 300 (more or less modified by ability to meet the goal of swimming for 4:30).
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round one - 6 x 50 on 1:30 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 50.
- Recover - Swim a 300 mixed drills.
- Round two - 6 x 50 on 1:30 holding base pace. Easy swimming may be done after each 50.
- WEEK FOUR ("Test Week")
- 6 x 100 on 3:00 maximum sustained effort.
- Goal is to go as fast as possible for all 6 without getting any slower or any faster through the set.
- We chart the results of the test set, using average time and standard deviation (formula functions in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft© Excel©).
Tailor the Set to the Athlete
To customize each workout to each athlete follow the same basic procedure, but change the interval to equal twice the base pace. For example:
- If Jim Swimmer does a 400 in 4:30:
- His base pace for 100's is 1:08 (4:30/4).
- His interval would be 2:16.
- His goal is to finish each 100 at the 1:08 mark.
- He could do an easy 25 or 50, then at the 2:16 mark begin another 100.
- If Sammy Swimmer, Jim's little brother, does a 300 in 3:45:
- He did not swim far enough.
- Make an adjustment next time.
- His base pace for 100's is 1:15 (3:45/3).
- His 100's are done on a 2:30 interval.
- He could do some easy swimming between the 100's.
Some other twists that can be added include:
- Maintaining stroke count per repeat.
- Varying stroke count to see what happens to speed.
- Performing the set with other strokes or as an IM.
This may not seem like enough work in a single workout to help you improve, but it is - give this workout series a try for 8 to 12 weeks and see what happens - I think you'll find yourself sustaining a faster speed!
Swim On!
Mat
