04/26/05 Negative Split Breaststroke Practice

Masters Nationals are one month away, so I'm transitioning into taper mode this week and next. My goal is to do a little bit more whole-stroke breaststroke (as opposed to emphasizing kick and drills ) and to introduce some speed and pace work with minimal rest.WARMUP: 600 + 100With Zura Alpha Fins.100 Head-Lead "IM"100 Hand-Lead "IM"200 Single-Arm "IM"200 2L/2R "IM100 EZ breast kick no equipment, various positionsMAIN SET: 1600My goal in this set is to negative-split the 200s and 100s (second half of each swim is faster than the first half), and to descend the 50s and 25s. This sort of approximates what I want my races to feel like.Swim twice through the following, i.e., do 200...2 X 100...4 X 50...4 X 25...200...2 X 100...etc.1 X 200 Breast on 4:00 sendoff. Glance at the clock at the 100 and swim the second 100 faster than the first 100 (I went 1:36 + 1:36 = 3:12 on the first time through; 1:35 + 1:33 = 3:08 on the second time through.) My stroke counts by 25 were 7..7..7..7..8..8..8..9.2 X 100 Breast Kick with a board on 2:00 sendoff. Glance at the clock at the 50 and kick second 50 faster than the first 50. For an additional challenge, take fewer kicks on the second 50 than on the first. (I went 53 + 50 = 1:43...50 + 51 = 1:41...51 + 50 = 1:41...52 + 50 = 1:42.)4 X 50 Breast with fins on :55 (approx :10 RI). First 25 is Body Dolphin Breast with a Pulse; second 25 is Body Dolphin Breast with NO PULSE, i.e., CRANK IT! Descend times. (I went 42...44...44...43 on the first round; 44...44...43...42 on the second round.)4 X 25 Whole-Stroke Breast with Pull Buoy on :35. Descend. (Went 23...23...22...20 on first round; 23...22...22...20 on second round.) For an added challenge, add one stroke on each succeeding 25 (e.g., I went 7..8..9..10 strokes on each round.)100 EZ recovery before starting the second round.WARMDOWN: 100100 EZ recovery, then 4 starts from the blocksTotal Yardage: 2300