Set of the Week - July 8, 2011

This week we excited that Master Coach Ed Spencer is visiting from USA Swimming.  He talked about an amazing set that you can manipulate, and use for your swimmers.  

Ed made sure to let us know, this is how swimming knowledge continues to be passed along.  One of Ed's swimmers told him about the set that Richard Quick made them do.  Ed told us, and now we're telling you.  Most swimming knowledge is shared information from one coach or swimmer to another.  Your job as a coach or swimmer is to gather as much of that as possible, and use it when the right time arises.  Thanks Richard, "that swimmer", and Ed for sharing this with us.

This set was done by amazing backstroker Peter Marshall.  The great thing is that Ed allowed Peter to pick the interval, allowing the athlete to really challenge himself.  Some will make it hard on themselves, and some will try to give themselves a break... you can really learn a lot about an athlete when this happens.

Enjoy this set, I'd have to add a lot of time to the interval!

Main Set - Perform this 8 times through (long course meters):

• 1 x 150 on 2:10
• 1 x 200 on 2:10

How to set this up.  Ask the swimmer what they think is the fastest interval they could make for a single 200 meter swim.  Whatever they say IS the interval.  Now they get to alternate a 150 swim on that interval, with a 200 swim on that interval.  The thing about what we're reading here is that it's all backstroke.  Even the 150 isn't easy, but the swimmer will HAVE to pay attention to how much energy they're using during the easy swim, to MAKE the fast swim.