Perhaps I am just a mouth breathing, knuckle dragging neanderthal, but I fail to discern any particular value in the set I was given this morning.
10 times through: 25, 50, 75, 100 on 1:05. Odd sets freestyle, even sets stroke (25 fly, 50 ***, 75 back, 100 free) on 1:15.
There is no connecting thread of interest or challenge in any of the components here, other than to make a 100 free on 1:05 five times, spaced out by a bunch of filler. Kind of a weak argument in a 2500 yd set.
I got out after 4 sets, disgusted or frustrated, I'm not sure which.
Coaches, is this what you are giving because you are afraid people will be too bored with 10 x 100s? Or would you rather they get out early, knowing that you will not change because the "book" says this is a good workout?
Parents
Former Member
Peter is on the right track. The coach puts these sets on a white board and walks away. I have tried to engage him in a dialogue about what is important or what is to be stressed, to which the reply is usually,"it's all important".
That's really sad to hear. I always go over each part of the set with my swimmers! I think they're just used to it by now. New swimmers to the team, if they came from a team where the coach just put up a set and then walked away, boy do they like me! They say, "wow, you explain the set and tell us where we should go hard, and where to go easy and where to work on technique -- THANKS! Your explanations make the swim workout so much more fun and meaningful!"
I like the sound of that set. But I'd never put up a set like that on my workout without first explaining that the emphasis was on the 100 -- and yeah, I agree, I think I'd be more inclined to make the 25 an underwater kick or a no-breather, the 50 a drill, and the 75 a build-to-fast.
But that's not to say that I don't give traditional sets of 10 X 100 -- those are good, too!
Don't get discouraged if your coach doesn't communicate. Just make up your own focus or emphasis - we're adults and in the end, we can decide what we want to do.
Peter is on the right track. The coach puts these sets on a white board and walks away. I have tried to engage him in a dialogue about what is important or what is to be stressed, to which the reply is usually,"it's all important".
That's really sad to hear. I always go over each part of the set with my swimmers! I think they're just used to it by now. New swimmers to the team, if they came from a team where the coach just put up a set and then walked away, boy do they like me! They say, "wow, you explain the set and tell us where we should go hard, and where to go easy and where to work on technique -- THANKS! Your explanations make the swim workout so much more fun and meaningful!"
I like the sound of that set. But I'd never put up a set like that on my workout without first explaining that the emphasis was on the 100 -- and yeah, I agree, I think I'd be more inclined to make the 25 an underwater kick or a no-breather, the 50 a drill, and the 75 a build-to-fast.
But that's not to say that I don't give traditional sets of 10 X 100 -- those are good, too!
Don't get discouraged if your coach doesn't communicate. Just make up your own focus or emphasis - we're adults and in the end, we can decide what we want to do.
