Set Of The Week: Mid Distance Aerobic Set

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Welcome to Swimming World’s Set Of The Week! This week’s set is an middle distance based aerobic set with a little bit of pace work mixed in. Take a look at the set and it’s description below:

4 Rounds:

2 x 200’s hold time on #2 on 2:30

3 x 50’s dec 1-3, number 3 is 200 pace on 1:00

1 x 50 easy on 1:00

The set begins with 2 x 200’s on a moderate interval at a moderate-high effort. The goal should be to even pace the swims and not have a drop off in time between the first and second 200. The focus should be on having a long, powerful stroke that sets your swimmer’s up for a good descend on their 3 x 50’s.

Following the 200’s are 3 x 50 descend on a comparatively easier interval. The goal should be to descend the 50’s down to 200 pace, but not have a dramatic descend from #1 to #3. Swimmers should start at or faster than the pace they were holding on the 200’s, and number 3 should be timed if possible to give them a sense of whether or not they were able to descend down to pace. After the third 50, swimmers can go right into a 50 easy before starting their next round.

When progressing through this set, make sure your swimmers are maintaining their pace or getting faster. Part of the reason the 200 pace is incorporated into each round is to teach control over pace and give your athletes confidence in knowing that even when they are tired they can hold their target time in a race.

This set can easily be modified for stroke or IM swimmers by changing the 3 x 50’s to stroke each round and/or making the 200’s stroke/free by 50 or 25. With four rounds, IMer’s can also go one round each stroke. At 600 yards per round, this set totals 2,400 yards, a nice volume of high level aerobic work that, with the intervals as written, only takes 36 minutes. 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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Robert Lucas
7 years ago

Suze Williams next training sesh only 2600

Suze Williams
7 years ago
Reply to  Robert Lucas

Yesss xx

Nancy Umbright Bischoff

Samantha Bischoff

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