Set of the Week - February 2, 2007

Here's a set that will help you get ready for the championship season that's just ahead. It comes from a presentation given by Bob Bowman at the 2005 ASCA World Clinic, where he taught the Level 3 Physiology School.

At the clinic, Coach Bowman said that he has a few key sets that he likes to repeat every 4 to 5 weeks, and that this was one of them. He likes it because it develops a sense of pace for the 200, but doesn't destroy the nervous system. The set is 2000 yards, 800 of which are swum at 200 pace. Because the pace swims are interspersed with relaxed swims, you get the training effect without breaking down.

Here's the set as Coach Bowman described it. This would be for elite-level swimmers. After Coach Bowman� version are two other versions of the set that are a bit less strenuous, but that have proven to be very effective for Masters swimmers and age-group swimmers as they prepare for big meets.

Swim the sets straight through - no break. Fast means a strong effort - the speed of the 2nd 50 of a race 200 (or a race 100 if you are doing Modified Version #1).

Coach Bowman� version (2000 yards):
16 X 50 on :45 every 4th 50 is fast
12 X 50 on :50 every 3rd 50 is fast
8 X 50 on :55 every other 50 is fast
4 X 50 on 1:00 all fast

Modified Version #1(1550 yards):
12 X 50 on a sendoff that is 20 seconds greater than the �fast� time you are aiming for. Every 4th 50 is fast.
9 X 50 add :05 to your original sendoff every 3rd 50 is fast
6 X 50 add another :05 to your sendoff every other is fast
4 X 50 add another :05 to your sendoff every 50 is fast

Modified Version #2 (1000 yards):
8 X 50 on a sendoff that is 20 seconds greater than your target �fast� time. Every 4th 50 is fast.
6 X 50 add :05 to your original sendoff every 3rd 50 is fast
4 X 50 add another :05 to your sendoff every other is fast
2 X 50 add another :05 to your sendoff both are fast

Modified Version #3 (1000 yards):
16 X 25 on a sendoff that is 20 seconds great than your target �fast� time. Every 4th 25 is fast.
12 X 25 add :05 to your original sendoff every 3rd 25 is fast
8 X 25 add another :05 to your sendoff every other is fast
4 X 25 add another :05 to your sendoff all fast