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In this morning’s Coach’s Intel, Erik Collins of SMAC shares a set that helps to develop speed endurance for the back-half of stroke 200s:
The swim workout that follows (or the main set, more specifically), is one of my favorite all-time sets: I’ve used it with some premier kids, as well as developing 13 & 14 year olds- no matter the athlete, it does a spectacular job at developing a monster 2nd half to their 200 in stroke. I like to use it once they’re real fit, maybe 30-45 workouts into a season, and then run some sort of variation of the set every 10 days or so through the end of the season.
400 swim freestyle
400 reverse IM- some sort of drill/kick combo for each 100
1:00 rest
2 x 200 @ :15 rest, odd 50’s drill/swim by 25’s, even 50’s some sort of skulling
8 x 100 @ 1:40- 75 kick on back (really work the underwater dolphin kick), 25 swim in main race stroke build to FAST
8 x 25 kick FAST @ :40 with boards in main race stroke
1:00 rest
6 sets of:
3 x 100 swim free br 3 @ 1:10 (or @ 1:05, or 1:15, depending on the athlete)- just a tight enough interval to get their heart rate up in the 160-170 range
1 x 100 @ 1:30 swim FAST in main race stroke, targeting their 2nd 100 split of their 200 goal time
3 x 50 kick FAST with boards @ 1:00
100 easy drill in main race stroke after odd rounds, 4 x 25 drill @ :45 after even rounds
I might finish up with a 1200 pull free with the snorkel, or maybe something like 5 x 300 @ :20 rest as follows:
100 kick FAST choice, 100 swim free with snorkel, 100 drill/swim by 25’s in 4th best stroke
That’s it, no crazy yardage here, right around 7000-7500. That main set (the “6 sets of” set) really gives them the ability to pull the trigger on the 2nd 100 in their 200 in stroke.
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We don’t swim yards. Only scm, makes sense. Still a monster not sure I’d prescribe to a 13 yr old or a Sr athlete for that matter. You’re a 500 guy to pull off, not 50/100/200. To each his own
I think POOPOOL’s comment about the yardage is fair, but some 13-14’s can handle that kind of stuff.
As for it being a “doable” set, I bet your average 13 or 14 y/o would have an easier time with it in some ways than a college swimmer, just because there’s less muscle mass (and less recovery time) involved, particularly if the kids are distance-oriented.
Still, it looks like a monster workout to me!
Not crazy yardage at 7500 for a 13 yr old. Longevity in sport folks. 100s at 1:10/1:05 right into a 2nd 100 swim? I coach 1:50. 200 free LC swimmer that can’t make that transition. Not quite relate-able to race.
how can you’re 1:50 200 free swimmer not make that? You know this is for yards right?