Anyone try the "favorite set" in the July/August issue of SWIMMER?
I swam at noon by myself indoors on Monday at the Y (our LC pool was closed due to weather) and had limited time so I used the workout Errol Graham submitted. I did a 200 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull warm up with a 200 cool down afterward. Going by the intervals given, main set took 32 minutes. Good quick workout - really swim hard on the 25s.
One of my favorite main sets (this was all free, long course):
3 x 200 on 4:00 descend 1-3
3 x 150 on 3:00 descend 1-3
3 x 100 on 2:00 descend 1-3
3 x 50 on 1:00 descend 1-3 (extra 30 seconds rest before #3; swim ALLOUT for time)
Make sure you descend your times, the 3rd swim of each distance should be at about 90% effort. You'll get out of it what you put into it. You may get a lot of rest between each swim; I found that I needed it. Adjust the interval accordingly.
Anyone else care to share a "favorite set?"
Former Member
18 X 100
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:20
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:15
3 on 1:30
3 on 1:10
Great way to get a "quick" 1800 yds. in. We are L.C. now so I adjusted it up :10.
I don't have a favorite set in particular, but I have to say that I really really enjoy doing drills. Perhaps that makes me a sick individual...but there's something about the concentration that's required on some of them that makes me happy.
This sounds easy until you try it. It's my favorite set for sprint breaststroke. 10X 100 on the 2:30 but the first 25 is an all out sprint ***,then use the next 75 as cool down. Keep all the sprints at or faster than your best second 25 of a 50.
Here is a simple one that I have never been able to get a Masters coach to give in workout.
10 x 100 thusly (I give generic yard intervals):
4 on 1:30, for best time,
3 on 1:20 for same or better,
2 on 1:10, keep speed up.
The point is to keep all of the swims about the same time.
I've not done this yet, but read about it in Swimming Fastest and am planning to try it. It's called the Australian heart rate set:
20x100 on 2:00, starting out at about 85% anf finishing at max heart rate. The last 100 should be the fastest (apparently that's very important).
