Set of the Week - December 21, 2007

Shortest Day. Here's a set of short swims (207 of them) in honor of the shortest day of the year. The first half of the set is from Barbara; the second half is from Glenn.

207 X 25
The set is composed of various segments, numbered 1 through 8. Next to each segment in parentheses is the total yardage for that segment. Total yardage if you do the entire set is 5,175.

1. Stroke-Count Set (400)
Working precision on pushoffs, breakouts, and stroke mechanics.
4 X 25 freestyle at about 80% effort. Count strokes and take your average as "N." Then do four rounds of:
1 X 25 @ N-2
1 X 25 @ N-1
1 X 25 @ N

2. Fly Set (400)
Working abs and steady body rhythm.
16 X 25 with fins
Odds: Fly/Breast Combo (alternate 1 stroke fly/1 stroke breast)
Evens: Head-Lead dolphin kick on your back with hands at sides. Look back at your feet and try to make as big a bubble or splash with your feet as possible.

3. Backstroke Set (400)
Working on turning it over.
16 X 25 with Tempo Trainer
#1-4: TT set at comfortable cadence
#5-8: Increase cadence by .10
#9-12: Increase cadence by another .10
#13-14: Increase cadence by another .10
#15-16: Return to original Tempo Trainer setting

4. Breaststroke Set (400)
Working on fast hands and high hands.
16 X 25 with fins, swum as four rounds of:
1 X 25 pulse breaststroke, pull and breathe every 4 pulses
1 X 25 pulse breast, pull and breathe every 3
1 X 25 pulse breast, pull and breathe every other
1 X 25 pulse breast, pull and breathe every stroke

5. Freestyle Set (400)
Working timing and rhythm.
16 X 25 with fins
#1-6: Freestyle with dolphin kick
#7-8: ALL OUT freestyle with flutter kick
#9-14: Freestyle with dolphin kick
#15-16: ALL OUT freestyle with flutter kick

6. IM Set (500)
8 X 25 in IM order, once through
Odds: :25 sendoff
Evens: :35 sendoff

4 X 25 kick in IM order on easy sendoff

8 X 25 in IM order, once through
Odds: 25 sendoff
Evens: :35 sendoff

7. Breath-Control Set (175)
7 X 25 freestyle with maximum of 2 breaths per length. Do 5 "bobs" as recovery between each 25.

Barbara puts SO much more thought into her 25s that I'm almost embarrassed to post mine. But, when you get to this part in the practice, maybe it's just time to work. :) Here goes:

8. (250)
10 X 25 free on :30

9. (250)
10 X 25 - alternate 25 underwater dolphin / 25 easy free on :40

10. (500)
20 X 25 continuous - odds are fly climbing out at the end without touching the knees to the gutter, and doing 10 push-ups. Dive back in, 12-1/2 dolphin then easy free.

11. (500)
20 X 25 continuous - odds are double underwater pull breaststroke trying to make it as far as you can (hopefully someone will go all the way). Evens are easy backstroke.

12. (500)
20 X 25 on :40 - odds freestyle LONG (reduced stroke count). Climb out, step back about two steps, and the evens are step-up run start all out blast sprint... all the same stroke.

13. (500)
20 X 25 Faster and faster
� 4 x 25 free on :35
� 4 x 25 free on :30
� 4 x 25 free on :25
� 4 x 25 free on :20
� 4 x 25 free on :15 (adjust these intervals so the last 4 pretty much turn into a sprint 100, then add :05 to each set above it)