Today's workouts are targeting speed changes and sprinting. Despite these being lower yardage, you'll need to be lifted out of the pool and squeegeed off after.
I've included several workouts below to cater folks goals, swimming abilities, and time constraints. If you have questions about a workout, or would like more specific to your needs or abilities, don't hesitate to email hello@swimwildwaters.com. Some of these workouts include "drills" - read more about drills in this article.
On-Deck Warm Up
Regardless of your abilities, you should always warm up before getting in the pool. A quick full body on-deck warm up I like to do is:
2-3 minutes of shoulders - keep arms at or above shoulders like you're directing a plane to land. Watch this video for a full routine
30 seconds of giant hip circles or full body twists to warm up hips and back
30 calf raises, either raising heels off the ground together, or alternating feet
Deep breaths - in through the mouth, out through the nose
Note: several of these workouts have the term "base" to calculate your interval. You can determine your base interval with a test set (typically: 10 x 100 or 10 x 50 on the fastest interval you can maintain). Most swimmers do this test set monthly to recalibrate and maintain progress. Example: Suzy does a test set of 10 x 100 and is able to make all 10 on the 1:30. She knows she wouldn't have made them on the 1:25, and she would have gotten a lot of rest on the 1:35. For a set where the interval for a 200 is defined as base + :10, her interval is calculated as finding the base interval for a 200 (3:00) and adding 10 seconds, so it would be 3:10. More info and a pace chart available through USMS.
Short Workout
WARM UP
200 swim
4 x 50 build each 50 from slow to fast on rest :15
100 build
SET 1
10 x 50 on base + :15 (you should be getting about 20 seconds rest) as:
25 **your butt is on fire** sprint
25 easy freestyle recovery
The sprint 25s are choice of stroke, but try to mix in some non-free sprints
SET 2
2 x 100 on rest 1:00
#1 is as fast as you can go, make sure to note your time as you finish
#2 is faster than the first one, make sure to note your time when you finish
Cool down: 100 easy freestyle
Total: 1300
Medium Workout
WARM UP
400 swim
4 x 50 build each 50 from slow to fast on rest :15
4 x 100 build
SET 1
8 x 75 on base + :15 (you should be getting about 20 seconds rest) as:
50 **your butt is on fire** sprint
25 easy freestyle recovery
The sprint 25s are choice of stroke, but try to mix in some non-free sprints
100 easy recovery
SET 2
3 x 100 on rest 1:00
#1 is as fast as you can go, make sure to note your time as you finish
#2 is faster than the first one, make sure to note your time when you finish
#3 - can you keep it the same speed as the second 100?
SET 3
8 x 50 as 25 sprint choice/25 easy freestyle on rest :15
Cool down: 100 easy
Total: 2500
Long-ish Workout
WARM UP
400 swim
4 x 50 build each 50 from slow to fast on rest :15
4 x 100 build
SET 1
10 x 50 descend 1-10 on base + :10
SET 2
12 x 75 on base + :15 (you should be getting about 20 seconds rest) as:
50 **your butt is on fire** sprint
25 easy freestyle recovery
The sprint 25s are choice of stroke, but try to mix in some non-free sprints
100 easy recovery
SET 3
4 x 100 on rest 1:00
The first is as fast as you can go. The second is at least 1 second faster than the first. 3 and 4 are the same speed as the first.
SET 4
2 x [
4 x 50 as 25 sprint choice/25 easy freestyle on rest :15
30 seconds rest
100: goal to match your set 3 first one
]
Cool down: 100 easy choice
Total: 3600
Loooong Workout
WARM UP
400 swim
4 x 50 build each 50 from slow to fast on rest :15
4 x 100 build
SET 1
10 x 50 descend 1-10 on base + :10
SET 2
8 x 100 on base + :10
Descend 1-4, 5-8
Start each descend at 80% of max effort
SET 3
3 x [
4 x 100 as 50 sprint choice/50 easy freestyle on rest :15
30 seconds rest
100 sprint
100 easy
]
SET 4
12 x 75 on base + :15 (you should be getting about 20 seconds rest) as:
50 **your butt is on fire** sprint
25 easy freestyle recovery
The sprint 25s are choice of stroke, but try to mix in some non-free sprints
Cool down: 100 easy choice
Total: 5100
(Shorter than usual, but the intent is to actually sprint with a race pace)
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