I’ve got only 45 mins today after work to get in a solid swim workout. I don’t want it to be too drill-heavy, and perhaps something along the lines of “fun” with min. recovery will do. I like a solid pyramid-type workout- any suggestions? “Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer.”~ Percy Cerutty
Sure. How about this?
200 warm up
10 x 25 free with 10s rest (with a band around ankles if you have one available)
100, 200, 300, 200, 100 with 1 min. rest
200 pull (with paddles if you like)
cooldown
1550 + cooldown. That should be close to 45 mins unless you are really fast or really slow.
Do a continuous swim , alternate 200 easy/200 hard. See how many you can do in 45 minutes.
Give your typical interval (100yds on X, coming in at Y).
100 yds at 1:17…usually on a 1:25.
600 yard warmup, however you like to warm up
then either:
12 x 100 or 6 x 200 or 4 x 300 or 3 x 400, moderately hard with not very much rest,
then 200 yards warm down
This usually takes me about 35 to 40 minutes so maybe you can do a little more in the middle set
.
Try this:
400 yd wu
10 x 100 on the 3:30. Swim each one absolutely all out. If you can get away with it, start each one off the blocks. Each 100 should be at least 15 - 20 sec/100 faster than your race pace.
2-300 yd warm down
If you do it right, you’ll need to use the ladder to get out of the pool.
1x300 warm up.
Three times thru:
1x3 MINUTE effort
into 4x50 on 1:00
warm down
HINT: on the 3 minute effort, go as far as you can for 2:40 or 2:45 holding a mile swim pace. I try to get over 200yds in like 225 or 250 yds. That will give you about 20 seconds rest before you hit the 50’s. For the 50’s try to descend each one and try to get about 20 seonds rest. Maybe go the 50’s on 1:10? This is a good test set. You can attempt this set every other week and see how you progress both time and distance.
Here is an interesting workout which I call beat the segments.
Warm up with about 600 yards of swimming and kicking then,
swim 500 at a moderate pace. On the way out check your 400 time. when you finish take 1 minute rest.
Swim 400 beating your previous time for the first 400 and check your 300 yard time. rest 1 minute
Swim 300 once again beating the previous time and check your 200 time. Rest 1 minute.
Do the sme for the 200 and then 100.
You will be swimming progressively faster all based on your first 500 time so do not start too fast.
enjoy.
DougStern
Wow…great suggestions everyone- keep 'em coming. I am taking copious notes 
30 50’s on :45.
that’s pretty cool actually. I think I will try that one.
Before I post, yes I know about warm-up but when I am in a hurry…500 hard, 10x 100 on 10sec rest. 10x 50 on 5 second rest. 500 hard.
Here’s two that I do frequently:
#1
WU: 8x50 (descend 1-4, 5-8) @20 seconds rest
MS: Pyramid 1x100, 1x200, 1x300, 1x400, 1x400, 1x300, 1x200, 1x100 (Way up is swim, way down is pull. Make the way down faster than way up. I usually do the way on 1:20 base, way down on 1:15 base)
WD: 200 easy
TOTAL = 2600 (you could throw in some kicking to make it 3k)
#2 (mile focused)
WU: 1x400 IM reverse
SW: 4x150 pull @ :15 sec rest
MS: 3x550 @ 30sec rest (#1 is straight, #2 is broken at the 225 @20 sec rest between each, #3 is 5x100 @10 sec rest between each +1x50 all out) Goal is to add up each to make a mile time. Focus on steady temopo and sprinting the final 50 on the 550’s, 25 on the 250’s and the final 50.
WD: 200 loose
TOTAL 2850
500m warmup 200m band no pull buoy 200m swim kick like a maniac
repeat 5 times. This is all that you need :-). Dr. Tommy and Johnnyo…did I miss anything?
Dev
No offense, but this one does not sound fun :))))
.
…hey come on…its only 1000m of band only :-). I was just expecting Johnnyo to pipe in and tell me to stop being a wussy and do 2000m continuous with band !
Warm-Up: (continuous)
200m swim
100m kick
100m pull
4 x 50 Band Only
Main Set:
1 x 100 @1:25
50 easy
2 x 100 @1:25
50 easy
3 x 100@1:20
50 easy
2X 100 @1:25
50 easy
100 FAST
*Goal of the 100s is to swim a bit faster than race pace. By the time you get to the three on 1:20 you will be fatigued but make the time and try and maintain your pace. This set is fun and not too long but very useful in getting in some speed and meters while being continuous. Don’t spend more than 20-30secs at the wall after each 50 easy, get right back into the set.
Cool Down:
50m Swim/ 50m Kick/ 50m Band only…until your time is up.
Have fun!