Set of the Week - January 25, 2008

This week's set is a way to help build some consistent speed in breaststroke while building toward a 200-pace swim.

Remember, in most sets in which the quantity of STROKE (breaststroke in this case) increases, you have to keep the times very consistent. The "break"or "rest" part of the set IS the freestyle. Although it's not that much rest... it's that the focus is placed on a harder, faster breaststroke.

12 x 200 on 3:00
This set is done as three rounds of 4 X 200, but there is no break between the rounds. Each round is swum as follows, and there is no break between the breast and free within each 200.
#1 - 50 breaststroke, 150 freestyle
#2 - 100 breaststroke, 100 freestyle
#3 - 150 breaststroke, 50 freestyle
#4 - 200 breaststroke

If 3:00 is not a realistic interval for you, you should choose an interval that gives you approximately 30 seconds rest on all of the 200s, but make sure this gives you a somewhat challenging interval for the 200 breast at the end.

Our goal on this set was NO 200 slower than 2:30. As we progressed through each round, the intensity of the breaststroke increased -- in order to meet the goal of 2:30 on each 200.

After the 4th and 8th 200, the swimmer has to get right back into a 50 breaststroke, but then can relax a bit on the 150 freestyle, to recover for the upcoming 100 breaststroke.

Of course, any stroke can be substituted for the breaststroke. Enjoy.