A "base" swim for me is always technique/stroke work days I break it down as 50 / 75 / 100's of technique work followed by "putting it together" efforts
IE
8 x 50 2 DK off each wall, etc
4 x 75 BC, 1 less breath per 25
4 x 100 as 25 zipper drill / 25 swim
4 x 100 rotating 25 strong
4 x 50 desc 1-4 @ 1:00 etc
(not in that specific order, I put a 3500yd set in the Jan Swim set from a few days ago)
The "distance" sets for me basically are longer intervals than basically 300's and above. I dont really add "technique" work in those sets specifically, obviously you want to swim with good form, but it's not an specific "priority" like a "you do this technique drill 4 times". So like my distance sets usually start at 5 x 300's for olympics or 6 x 400 for 70,3 etc. And then then the following week those 400's are now 500's then a month later it's 3 x 1k etc. I normally always give some athlete freedom (I call it athlete empowerment) with CH/ EQ within these. Of note, I never really care what the paces are on these days, unless I know there is a specific distance we are doing. But if we are doing 6 x 400's I really don't look at the splits. The priority for me is just getting "longer" sets in (I'm also low key on worrying about splits all the time on distance days, there are days where we need to hit times and there are days where you just "go fucking swim").
There are days where there are "tempo distance" work but I normally keep that below 400's (but lots of repeats). Right now most of my athletes are in the "fast 50's" phase of swim training where we are dialing up the top top end speed and then once "race season" rolls around we start to dial in race tempo over and over (race 300's is my go to set for that).
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
IE
8 x 50 2 DK off each wall, etc
4 x 75 BC, 1 less breath per 25
4 x 100 as 25 zipper drill / 25 swim
4 x 100 rotating 25 strong
4 x 50 desc 1-4 @ 1:00 etc
(not in that specific order, I put a 3500yd set in the Jan Swim set from a few days ago)
The "distance" sets for me basically are longer intervals than basically 300's and above. I dont really add "technique" work in those sets specifically, obviously you want to swim with good form, but it's not an specific "priority" like a "you do this technique drill 4 times". So like my distance sets usually start at 5 x 300's for olympics or 6 x 400 for 70,3 etc. And then then the following week those 400's are now 500's then a month later it's 3 x 1k etc. I normally always give some athlete freedom (I call it athlete empowerment) with CH/ EQ within these. Of note, I never really care what the paces are on these days, unless I know there is a specific distance we are doing. But if we are doing 6 x 400's I really don't look at the splits. The priority for me is just getting "longer" sets in (I'm also low key on worrying about splits all the time on distance days, there are days where we need to hit times and there are days where you just "go fucking swim").
There are days where there are "tempo distance" work but I normally keep that below 400's (but lots of repeats). Right now most of my athletes are in the "fast 50's" phase of swim training where we are dialing up the top top end speed and then once "race season" rolls around we start to dial in race tempo over and over (race 300's is my go to set for that).
Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II
Last edited by:
B_Doughtie: Jan 25, 23 10:28