12/09/03 CCB Masters Short Descents
Last weekend we got our first major snowfall of the winter in VT/NH — 12 to 38 inches, depending on your location — and the ski slopes are OPEN. I was thinking about how it’s usually a good idea to hit the bunny slope once or twice before tackling the steeper slopes, and I decided to use the same approach to some descend swims with my Masters group. A lot of them are new to intervals and sets and sendoffs, and we haven’t done very many descend sets (sets in which you try to swim each interval faster than the last one). So I decided to give kind of a bunny-slope practice this morning. We did only TWO intervals of any distance, but the assignment was always to go faster on the second one.
WARMUP: 400
With fins.
400 warmup your choice.
WARMUP SET: 400
No fins.
Swim twice through the following (8 X 50 total):
2 X 50 (25 free + 25 back)
2 X 50 free
If you’re doing open turns, focus on looking DOWN and keeping the head low as you touch, tuck, and turn. If you’re doing flip turns, focus on not popping up with the head/shoulders just before the turn. Instead, focus on pulling DIRECTLY into the turn.
MAIN SET: 1800/1500/1200
Swim 3 rounds of the following:
2 X 25 FAST kick on :45
2 X 50 on 1:00 for fastest lane/ 1:15 for middle lane/ 1:30 for slowest lane DESCEND
2 X 75 on 1:30/1:50/2:00 DESCEND
2 X 100 on 2:00 DESCEND (Middle lane did 1 X 100. Slowest lane did not do any 100s.)
4 X 25 freestyle, taking only 2 or 3 breaths per lap (take 5 bobs as rest between 25s)
Round #1: Freestyle
Round #2: Choice (IM is OK. You can switch strokes within each interval if you like.)
Round #3: With fins. Choice.
WARMDOWN: 100
100 EZ swim
Total Yardage: 2700/2400/2100
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