Tall Pauls Favorite Workouts and/or Sets

Getting to travel as much as we do we get to "taste" a lot of workouts from clubs all over the country...plus on occasion I come up with something to toss at the workouts I coach. For those lucky enough to swim with me Saturday (I'm coaching) here's the main set: SCY 800 negative split (get 400 split) @1:00 rest 6 x 100's @ 1:20 400IM 100 kick for time 400 negative split (faster than 2nd 400 of the 800, get 200 split) 1:00 rest 5 x 100's @ 1:15 200IM 100 kick for time (different stroke) 200 negative split (faster than 2nd 200 of 400) 4 x 100's @ 1:10 100IM 100 kick for time (different than first two)
  • Saturday at MAC SCY 10 minute choice warm-up 8 x 75's @ 1:20- 50 easy free, 25 build to 90% stroke (two rounds of IM order) 1 x 200 free @ 2:40 6 x 60's fly @ :50 strong 1:00 minute rest 1 x 200 free @ 2:40 1 x 200 IM or stroke @ 2:50 6 x 50's back @ :50 1:00 minute rest 1 x 200 free @ 2:40 1 x 200IM or stroke @ 2:50 1 x 200 kick @ 3:30 6 x 50's *** @ 1:00 1:00 minute rest 1 x 200 free @ 2:40 1 x 200IM or stroke @ 2:50 1 x 200 kick @ 3:30 1 x 200 free @ 2:40 6 x 50's free @ :40 10 minute kick
  • Tuesday at MAC SCY 15 minute choice warm-up 3 x (3 x 50's @ 1:00) + 1 x 50 easy #1 fast to 1/2 way #2 fast out of turn to 1/2 way #3 fast last 12.5yds Main #1 8 x 25's very fast swims from a dive @ 2:00 200 easy 8 x 50's very fast kick @ 3:00 (ok to use fins)
  • Wednesday at MAC SCY 15 minute choice warm-up 1 x 1650 for time w/10 sec. rest between: 11 (275yds) lengths, 10, 9, 8 , 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 1 minute rest 400IM @ 6:00 1 minute rest 1 x 1000 for time w/15 sec. rest at each 100 2:00 rest 500 free for time w/"shark attack" Note: "shark attack" was introduced by yours truly to deal with drafters, sammy save-up's, etc. I move said person to the front of their lane and give them some kind of lead (10, 20 seconds is common) and turn the sharks loose to run them down...swimmers often work together changing leads on longer swims to try and catch them....all in all very enjoyable to watch from the deck! 10 minute kick
  • Friday at MAC SCY 15 minute choice warm-up Distance/Middle-D groups 3 x 300's @ my send off (about 90 seconds rest between each) #1 first 100 at 200 race pace, rest :10 200 long and smooth with lowest stroke count you can maintain #2 100 long and smooth, 100 at 200 race pace, rest :10, 100 long and smooth #3 200 long and smooth, rest :10, 100 at 200 race pace rest 1:00 4 x 50's fast free @ :40 rest 1:00 1 x 100 at 200 race pace easy 50 2 x 400's on my send off (about 90 seconds between each) #1 200 at 500 race pace, rest :10, 200 long and smooth #2 200 long and smooth, rest :10 200 at 500 race pace rest 1:00 4 x 50's fast @ :40 IM order rest 1:00 1 x 200 at 500 race pace easy 50 1 x 800 fast w/fins and paddles easy 10 minute kick Then MY workout after coaching! after warm-up 9 x 50's @ 1:00 1-3 w/paddle on right hand breath to left, count strokes by length on #1 and lower by for for #2 & #3 4-6 reverse (paddle on left hand breath to right) 7-9 breath every 3 and drop stroke count by 1 per length 4 x 25's @ 1:00 pulling bucket (w/pull buoy so no kick) keeping stroke count at no more than double what I did on last 50 of first set 4 x 25's bungee pulls @ 1:30 (wearing paddles and snorkel), 1-3 pull to 24yd mark and hold for a max of +8 of stroke count on last 50 of first set, #4 fast all the way to wall
  • SCY 15 minute choice warm-up 8 x 50 (build to 100 race pace) R:10 + 25 fast kick @ 1:40 8 x 25's @ :40 "over/unders" 4 x 75 (build to 200 race pace) R:10 + 25 fast kick @ 2:00 8 x 25's @ :40 "over/unders" 2 x 150 (build to 500 race pace) R:10 + 50 fast kick @ 4:00 400 pull (breath 5, 4, 3, 2 by 25's) 1 x fast 100 w/fins
  • "D-Day" at MAC for my group SCY 15 minute choice warm-up 20 x 50's @ :45 every 4th non-free R:30 4 x 25's power kick @ :40 R:30 1 x 1000 negative split @ 12:00 R:30 10 x 50's @ :50 (odds free/evens stroke) R:30 1 x 1000 @ 13:00 broken :30 at the 500 (faster than first 1000) R:30 5 x 50's fast kick @ 1:00 * There were actually 2 "sub-groups" with intervals that were easier....I always post workouts showing just the fastest groups times.
  • 15 minute choice warm-up SCY 2x the following 25 power kick @ :30 50 free build @ 1:00 75 SDK on back @ 1:30 100IM build @ 2:00 4 x (4 x 25's every 4th fast from a dive) - 1-3 @ :25, #4 one swimmer at a time easy 50 4 x (3 x 25's every 3rd fast kick for time) - 1 & 2 @ :30, #3 one swimmer at a time easy 75 4 x (2 x 25's @ :35) - 1 easy no breath, 1 build choice of stroke easy 50 Broken 100 free from a dive (1st 3 25's all to the feet, last w/hand touch)..one heat of swimmers at a time. "Shark Attack" = my selecting whatever match-up's (slackers) I like for a fast 100 from a dive...3 swimmers, fastest in middle lane other two given up to a 10 second lead (depending on stroke and speeds)
  • 10 Minute choice warm-up SCY Drop out 100's 1 x 100 @ 1:05 1 x 50 @ 1:00 recovery 2 x 100 @ 1:05 1 x 50 @ 1:00 3 x 100 @ 1:05 1 x 50 @ 1:00 4 x 100 @ 1:05 1 x 50 @ 1:00 5 x 100 @ 1:05 1 x 50 @ 1:00 * If you miss the 1:05 interval finish the "block" w/1-2 seconds rest between each 100 then start the next round at 1:10 Easy 100 kick Drop out 50's 1 x 50 @ :35 1 x 50 @ 1:00 recovery 2 x 50 @ :35 1 x 50 @ 1:00 3 x 50 @ :35 1 x 50 @ 1:00 4 x 50 @ :35 1 x 50 @ 1:00 5 x 50 @ :35 1 x 50 @ 1:00 * same as w/100's if interval is missed go to :40 at the start of the next round ** option on this round was to go IM order on :45 (1 x fly, 1 fly + 1 Back, etc.) Easy 200 kick warm down
  • 15 minute choice warm-up SCY 5 x 800's as follows: #1 = alternate 25 fast stroke/75 free @ 12:00 #2 = alternaste 100IM/100 free @ 12:00 #3-#5 swim or pull, descend 1-3 @ 10:00 (ok to use fins and paddles @ #3) 10 x 50's easy kick @ R:20
  • 10 minute choice warm-up LCM Swim 4 x 200's @ R:20 - odds free/evens stroke or IM Kick 50, 100, 200, 100, 50 @ R:20 Pull 4 x 300's @ 4:30 #1 w/paddles, snorkel & buoy #2 "lose" one piece of gear #3 lose another piece of gear #4 add fins easy 100 4 x (3 x 100's) as follows: #1 free @ 1:20 #2 stroke or IM @ 1:40 #3 fast kick @ 3:00 easy 100 4 x (3 x 50's) as follows: #1 free @ :40 #2 stroke @ :50 #3 fast kick @ 1:30 warm down