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Print this entrySwimming Set of the Week - February 26, 2010
This week's set offers a way to introduce some really fast swimming, but without destroying the nervous system.
Got championships coming up in a month or so? This set is a good way to ease into taper with some fast swimming interspersed with easy swimming. It's also a good team-building set because with the generous sendoff, just about everyone on the team can use the same sendoff and do the set together. E.g., our Masters team used a 2:00 sendoff, which worked for swimmers going around 1:00 for the fast swims, as well as those going around 1:35. A group of slower swimmers used 2:15 for their sendoff. The effectiveness of this set is enhanced if Coach uses a whiteboard/chalkboard to post everyone's progression of times on the up-tempo 100s. A little accountability is a powerful incentive:)
Start with 600-1000 warmup.
MAIN SET: 1800
18 X 100 on a sendoff that gives 30 to 60 seconds rest. Every 3rd 100 is up tempo, and the goal is to descend time every two up-tempo 100s, i.e., 3 & 6 are fast; 9 & 12 are faster: 15 & 18 are fastest.
Don't do the set on a tight sendoff! Take the recommended rest so you can go fast when you're asked to go fast. Do all of the up-tempo 100s in the same stroke, but... IM is OK and it's OK to combine strokes, e.g., those training for the 100 fly could do each up-tempo 100 as 75 free + 25 butterfly. Or, you could do 25 back + 50 breast + 25 free. Just use the same stroke pattern on each up-tempo 100. The slower 100s are choice (kick, pull, drill, easy swim); just make the sendoff.
Bermagui
Daniel
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