Swimming Workout for the Week - May 2, 2014

This week we’re featuring a set of broken 100s.  This is a popular test set for Barbara’s masters team in Vermont.  When used in advance of a swim meet, the set can be a good predictor of the time that someone will achieve in the meet.   A swimmer’s “subtracted time” on the tenth and final 100 turns out to be a good predictor of the swimmer’s 100 time on race day.

Barbara’s team most recently did the set in late April, 12 days before attending a masters mini meet.  Below the set, Barbara compares results of the test set with actual results from the meet.

MAIN SET #1:  500
5 X 100, broken for exactly 10 seconds after the 25 and after the 75.
Subtract 20 seconds from your total time on each 100 to get your “subtracted” time.
If you do these 100s on a 3-minute sendoff/turnaround, and if you leave “on the :40” for each new 100, you can “see” your subtracted time without having to subtract 20 seconds.

RECOVERY SET:  200
8 X 25 pull recovery on moderate sendoff/turnaround; focus on relaxed breathing and long strokes

MAIN SET #2:  500
5 X 100, broken at the 25 and after the 75, as follows:
#1:  Rest 10 seconds between the swims
#2:  Rest 10 seconds between the swims
#3:  Rest 20 seconds between the swims
#4:  Rest 20 seconds between the swims
#5:  Rest 30 seconds between the swims
As before, do these on roughly a 3-minute sendoff/turnaround.
Goal: Calculate your subtracted time on each 100.   Descend your subtracted time 1-5.  Your subtracted time on the final broken 100 is a good predictor of the time you will swim in a meet.

Results from Barbara’s Masters Team
Swimmer #1:  Broken 100 freestyle = 1:15       Meet time 100 freestyle = 1:13.76
Swimmer #2:  Broken 100 freestyle = 1:05       Meet time 100 freestyle = 1:05.67
Swimmer #3:  Broken 100 backstroke = 1:14    Meet time 100 backstroke = 1:12.83
Swimmer #4:  Broken 100 IM = 1:32                Meet time 100 IM = 1:26.29
Swimmer #5:  Broken 100 freestyle = 1:37       Meet time 100 freestyle = 1:34.58
Swimmer #6:  Broken 100 breast = 1:23           Meet time 100 breaststroke = 1:24.87
Swimmer #7:  Broken 100 backstroke = :54+    Meet time 100 backstroke = :53.23