Swimming Set of the Week - January 21, 2011

This week we again take one of Glenn's Big Sets and modify it for, say, a Masters team or age-group team.

Here's Glenn's Big Set of eighteen 200s on alternating sendoffs of easy/fast.  Total is 3600 yards/meters.  Below is how you could modify the set to make an 1800-yard main set that's plenty hard and will fit within an hour-long practice session.  I gave this to my Masters team this week.    They didn't look too happy while doing the 100s on fast intervals, but at the end I heard a lot of "great set" comments.  Have fun and thanks, Glenn!

Total yards/meters:  1800
Swim this set straight through; no breaks.  Do the same stroke (or combination of strokes) on each 100.  Take the prescribed rest on the 100s with "easy" sendoffs or you will have trouble making the sendoffs on the final 3 X 100.  To choose your "X," look at the final 3 X 100 and decide how tight an interval you can handle.  Add 40 to 45 seconds to that sendoff and you have your initial "X" or "easy" sendoff.  For example, if you think you can handle 3 X 100 on a 1:20 sendoff at the end of the set, your initial "X" sendoff will be 2:00.   If you think you can handle 3 X 100 on a 1:30 sendoff at the end of the set, your initial "X" sendoff will be 2:10.  

3 X 100 on X (X = a sendoff that gives 40-45 seconds rest)

3 X 100 on X minus 30 seconds

3 X 100 on X

3 X 100 on X minus 35 seconds

3 X 100 on X

3 X 100 on X minus 40 seconds