Let’s administer test sets while maintaining yardage goals. Work in as you see fit but try to complete during the week.
The test sets are to establish repeat pace per 100’s on all strokes to help the swimmer and coach adjust send offs for the Holiday training demands.
The following warm up is a great set pattern for swimmers to learn and complete at meets. Adjust at meets based on time and warm up facilities offered.
Warm up:
600 choice swim
6 x 100 choice 50 kick / 50 swim :10rest
then stretch based on time allowed no longer than 5 minutes
6 x 75 choice :10rest with heart rate about +/-20 at a minimum, check twice
adjust heart rate based on age and level of fitness
1-3 kick / swim / kick by 25, 4-6 swim / kick / swim by 25
6 x 50 choice swim – raise heart rate, check heart rate and then :15rest
1-3 heart rate +/-25, 4 easy swim, 5-6 heart rate +/-30
100 easy
2 x 25 sprint (work in starts at meet)
75 easy after each
Total warm up yardage = 2,250
Some swimmers need more and some less based on your demands for the day and learning to read your body. Don’t do less just because. Remember to simulate practices where you have great sprint swims at the end with 5,000 or more yards to warm up……….
Don’t let more than 5-7 minutes elapse before starting test sets. This would also be the ideal time period between warm up and your events at meets.
Do the below set for all strokes except butterfly unless you or your swimmer is the exception. Most swimmers are too weak mechanically to complete this set fly. The fasterswimming work outs are designed to train fly at race pace mainly alternating upper and lower body while focusing on timing and mechanics.
Goals for set:
You need to be able to repeat your pace with your heart rate +/- 25 (this is for the national level swimmer, please adjust accordingly). Check your heart rate only a few times at the beginning of the set to establish speed. Your initial rest will be :05 seconds between swims developing a send off with the same amount of rest. Adjust send offs either faster or slower as needed. This should not be at a comfortable pace but on the challenging side with heart rate appropriate while holding pace thru set. Read set and start with a goal pace in mind.
Record your results (pace per 100) and use for setting send offs for the upcoming weeks.
4 x 100 start setting pace and establishing heart rate
8 x 25 this will be the easiest part, use to establish heart rate
6 x 50
4 x 100
2 x 200
recovery swim of 6 x 75 on +/- 1:15
set yardage = 2,150 for each stroke
Total yardage not including the set fly = 8,700
- by Brad Burget, Author of Faster Swimming and writer/coordinator of the Faster Swimming Weekly Workouts