Hey guys,
I'm a collegiate runner but my first love was always swimming. I swam competitively for about 9 years and all through high school. Now, with a broken toe, I have been relegated to the pool in order to get in shape for track season. I have been slowly working my way up to doing about 3,500 yards per day (hoping to get back up to about 7000 in the next few weeks), as well as doing base interval workouts. My question is, how often should I do interval work? For instance, yesterday I did a set of 3x at my base interval pace. Should I get back in the water and do another interval set today? I remember doing base work just about every day in high school, but I'm not sure if that's how it's supposed to be, because in running at least, you can only do 2 or 3 hard efforts per week. Thanks for any advice!
Zack
Parents
Former Member
Intervals are a great way to accomplish many things in the pool. We often do a base set of 10x100's and these can be done in different ways to tax different energy systems. For example:
10X100's on a short rest interval (for us 1:15) - is great for base pace training or,
10x100's (2 on 1:30, 2 on 1:25....2 on 1:10) - descending interval while holding same pace as you go, try to descend swim as interval decreases!
10X100's on 2 mins (goal is one to one swim to rest ratio) while maintaining best possible average - great set to train for 500/1000
8x100's on 3:00 mins (more rest but swim faster try for 200 race pace)
6x100's on 4 mins All out - goal to improve speed
5x100's on 1:10 - broken 500 while trying to maintain 500 race pace
We try to do a mix of all of the above to challenge all the energy systems and we track progress as the season progresses. It also mixes it up to avoid boredom!!!
Adjust intervals for pace work based on individual ability.
Intervals are a great way to accomplish many things in the pool. We often do a base set of 10x100's and these can be done in different ways to tax different energy systems. For example:
10X100's on a short rest interval (for us 1:15) - is great for base pace training or,
10x100's (2 on 1:30, 2 on 1:25....2 on 1:10) - descending interval while holding same pace as you go, try to descend swim as interval decreases!
10X100's on 2 mins (goal is one to one swim to rest ratio) while maintaining best possible average - great set to train for 500/1000
8x100's on 3:00 mins (more rest but swim faster try for 200 race pace)
6x100's on 4 mins All out - goal to improve speed
5x100's on 1:10 - broken 500 while trying to maintain 500 race pace
We try to do a mix of all of the above to challenge all the energy systems and we track progress as the season progresses. It also mixes it up to avoid boredom!!!
Adjust intervals for pace work based on individual ability.
