I agree! And I just want to take this opportunity to say that this thread is exactly why I previously nominated you for "Best Sprint Advice" and "Best Short Sprinter/Gymnast" on that awards thread. I also like 25s on the minute when you're tapering. Or 25s alternating build, sprint, easy. There is another great thread on sprinting from awhile ago. I think it's called "Help With Sprinting" or something like that by Dennis Tesch.
This is a great set for those whose range goes from the 50 to the 200.
After about 1,000 yards/meters of warmup that includes a few 15-meter sprints:
100 fast, 100 easy
(wait at least one minute)
75 fast, 75 easy
(wait no more than one minute)
50 fast, 50 easy
(wait no more than one minute)
25 fast, 25 easy
You can stop here or go back up the ladder, starting with 25 fast, 25 easy.
It is ideal to do one stroke for the entire set. Or, you can do them IM order (100 fly, 75 back, 50 ***, 25 free...25 fly, 50 back, 75 ***, 100 free).
I find this set goes by well when I think of the 75, 50 and 25 as the end part of a 100 race. Think of how you want to swim that last 75 or 50 or 25 in a good 100 race. The 100s fast are the toughest.
I remember doing this in the summer all breaststroke in long course, only going down the ladder, and from a push: 1:13 100, :56 75, :35 50, :15 25. Oddly, it got easier as the set went on.
I did the IM progression in October, going down and up the ladder. The 100 fly ruined everything for me, but I rallied when I went up the ladder.
I did this set once in a three-month intense sprint training period. I wouldn't do it more than twice, and no closer than three weeks from your big meet.
Great set! I like ladders. I'm printing it out.
Can you tell I'm bored at work this afternoon ...
One of my favorites is (100 fr at 70% r:10, 100 fr at 90% r1:00, 100 fr at 95% r:10) we do this about 3 x through at the beginnig of the season and more as it goes on ... I love it because you are able to completely push yourself - I go pretty go for broke on the one at 90 and at 95% it's fun to see the time difference and to try and hold the pace from the first to the last round ...
Sorry I am still lost...
50s on 1:30 is what 50yd/m every 1:30??
Yeah you do say 8 x 50 on 1:30 sprint. So you leave swim 50 yards or meters all out. Touch the wall and get your time then you leave a minute and a half after you started the first one, so you leave on the top, then the bottom, then the top, etc.
I loved
8x50 @ :40 Free
8x50 @ :50 Stroke/ Choice
8x50 @ :40 Free
8x50 @ :50 Stroke/ Choice
8x50 @ :40 Free
I gotta agree with Hoffam and HHowland on this one. This is a (S)he-man set, not a set for whimpy sprinters. (Sorry to mock my own kind here.) There are way too many 8s in it and the intervals are too short. But it might be fun to try for an endurance set. I don't know if I'd want to try 8 x 50 *** on 50 though...
What about weight sets? We should be doing those too. Lots of them from what I gather.
I have been known to do 50's on 1:30 all out. Sometimes I wind up stretching the 1:30 to 2:00 by the 4th or 5th repeat though. I am a firm believer that in sprint sets, the quality of the sprint is more important than taking a really short rest. I would not say that 50's on 3:00 is good, but back to back sprinting is a good workout.
I find that slow swimming will sometimes irritate my shoulders more than the speedy variety. In these cases I might do an entire workout of sprinting aside from a 400 warmup and a 250 cool-off. These workouts always feel the greatest afterwards as well. Nothing makes my lat's sore like loads of sprinting. Another use for a sprint workout is a time limited one. If I want to be in and out within 30-35 minutes sprinting is on the menu. Quick warmup...sprint all I can for 20 minutes...and then cool-off.
