Set of the Week - May 11, 2007

Our set this week is both a taper set and a predictor set for your next race-day 100.

This set can be used throughout the season as a test set, but if you swim it at the end of the season's training, and a week or so before your next big meet, it's a fairly accurate predictor for what you can do in a 100 on race day. Here's the set:

8 X 75
The first 6 X 75 are on a rest interval of 25 to 45 seconds, and you want to swim these as a very controlled and calibrated descend. The final 2 X 75 are ALL OUT from the blocks. You should keep descending your time on these, but on these two swims you should take enough time between the swims to let your heart rate get down below 100 bpm.

The idea is that you take your time from the last 75 in the set (all out and from the blocks) and extrapolate a fourth 25 to get your projected time for a 100 on race day.

For example, let's say you are shooting for 1:08 in the 100 breast. That's 68 seconds, or 17 seconds per 25. If you swim this set and go 51 seconds on the final 75, you would be right on target to swim 68 seconds in the meet (51 seconds divided by 3 = 17 seconds per length� and 51 + 17 seconds = 68 seconds).

If your race-day target time is 1:08, try swimming the set as follows

1st 75: 1:12 (3 lengths @ 24 seconds per length)
2nd 75: 1:09 (3 lengths @ 23 seconds per length)
3rd 75: 1:06 (3 lengths @ 22 seconds per length)
4th 75: 1:03 (21 seconds per length)
5th 75: 1:00 (20 seconds per length)
6th 75: :57 (19 seconds per length)
7th 75 (from the blocks): :54 (18 seconds per length)
8th 75 (from the blocks): :51 (17 seconds per length)

This is an ideal set for using Mode 2 of your Tempo Trainer. You can set the TT to beep every 24 (or 23 or 18, etc.) seconds and it will keep you on track. Using the TT like this also helps you work on your reaction time at the start of each swim.

The first four 75s should feel easy. Use them to work on pace and to be very precise about body position on each approach to the wall, each turn and pullout, and each first stroke. Then, on the final four swims, try to hold on to good form on all of the above while going all out.