Set of the Week - March 9, 2007

For many swimmers, kicking is an afterthought at practice. They use kicking as a break between swim sets, or they use it as warmup or warmdown. Very often their kicking is done at a moderate or easy pace, without a sendoff, and with some socializing thrown in. If this sounds like your kicking experience, here is a simple set that is an introduction to an aggressive kicking set.

10 X 100 kick
4 on a sendoff that gives you 30 seconds rest. Pay attention to how long it takes you to complete each 100 (this will be referred to as n)
3 on a sendoff that gives you 20 seconds rest. Continue to monitor what your times are.
2 on a sendoff that gives you 10 seconds rest. Try to hold your pace.
1 on n/a
Now that you have an idea of how long each 100 kick takes you (n), we are ready for the next set.

5 X 100 kick on n + :05
To make the sendoff you will need to kick faster and harder as the 100s go on.

An example with times plugged in would be:
4 x 100 kick on 2:00. The swimmer is holding 1:30.
3 x 100 kick on 1:50. The swimmer should hold 1:30.
2 x 100 kick on 1:40. The swimmer should hold 1:30.
1 x 100 kick, should be a 1:30
Take a minute or two rest, then go:
5 x 100 kick on 1:35. The swimmer should make the interval.