Set Of The Week: Main Stroke Endurance

Jul 16, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Caitlin Leverenz of the United States (right) races Emily Overholt of Canada (left) in the women's swimming 400m individual medley final during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to Swimming World’s Set Of The Week! This week’s set is designed to help develop main stroke endurance in your athletes. Take a look at the set and the description below:

2 Rounds:

2 x 200’s as 25 stroke/25 free or IM on 2:45

4 x 125’s as 50 kick/25 fast stroke/50 kick, main stroke or IMO on 2:20

4 x 50’s adding a 12.5 of fast stroke each repeat on 1:00

1 x 100 easy

The set begins with 2 x 200’s that alternate as a 25 stroke/25 free. The effort level throughout the 200 should be consistent, meaning your athletes will have to find a long, efficient stroke on both the free and non-free legs of the swim. Swimmers whose main event is IM can also substitute IM/free or full IM.

The 4 x 125’s are meant to tax the legs while also incorporating some speed work. Swimmers will do two 50’s of moderate kicking in their main stroke with a fast 25 of their main stroke in the middle. IMers can do each 125 in IM order. Finally, each round of the set ends with 4 x 50’s building a full 50 fast of their main stroke.

The challenge in this set in maintaining stroke integrity at the beginning of each round. Construct intervals so that no swimmers are getting more than 10-15 seconds rest after each repeat on the 200’s and the 125’s. Once they get to the 50’s, they should be pretty aerobically taxed but will have to find another gear in order to get up and moving on that final full 50 fast. Take a 100 easy between rounds and this is a great 2,400 yard set to do on a stroke specific day. Happy swimming!

All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants.

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Shaheen Alghofari

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