Set Of The Week: Short End Secondary Set

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr

Welcome to Swimming World’s Set Of The Week! This week’s set is a secondary set that can be incorporated into warm-up or following a high intensity set as active recovery work. Take a look at the set and it’s description below:

2 Rounds:

3 x 50 as 25 backwards free/25 straight arm free on 1:30

→ find connection through the core and side body

4 x 75 pull w/ paddles on 1:00

→ 50 DPS/25 build last 10 yards to no breath finish

6 x 50 swim descending interval

→ 2 on :45, 2 on :40, 2 on :35

50 regroup

This incorporates a little bit of is drill, pulling, build, and descending intervals throughout, which makes it a flexible set to use either in warm-up or after an intense main set. Beginning with the drill work, the backwards freestyle works on developing good body line and length in the water in a different way, whereas the straight arm free coming back channels that awareness of lines and body position into a drill emphasizing tempo and reach.

Moving into the pull work, the focus becomes staying long and strong in the water while still making a challenging interval. Watch for the build at the end of the third 25 to make sure your athletes are keeping the length and efficiency in their stroke even as they speed up.

Finally, you end with 6 x 50’s with a descending interval where they put it all together, increasing their effort as the interval descends. A nice challenge on this last round of the set would be to ask swimmers to get no less than 5 seconds rest on each interval, which would help control their descend. Following the first round just take a 50 easy to regroup before going through everything again.

As stated above, the nature of this set allows it to be useful both in warm-up or following a main set. The drill work, descending intervals, and building of speed throughout the set all makes it a great way for your athletes to get up and moving at the beginning of practice in a constructive way, whereas those same qualities may make it a great way to get in a little active recovery or short end aerobic work at the end of a workout. However you use it, the focus should be on the details of each swim to keep your athletes engaged. 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.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use