IM Swim test sets

Triathlon Forum
1

What type of sets do you use to know when you are in good 1/2 and IM swim shape?

My last two IM’s were 1:07 and my PR is just under 1:03. I only swim 2-3 times a week with max week at 7,500 meters. I know, swim more but I don’t have time and don’t plan on getting any better. Not worth the extra time in the pool to get down again to a 1:03 or lower swim time.

I usually do 10X100m on 1:50 and if I can come in at or under 1:40 then I’m swimming well for my ability. I don’t do flip turns.

I also do 8X200m on 3:45 and try and hold a 1:42-1:40 pace.

Any other type sets I should consider? 3X500, 4X500, 2X1000 ?

2

What type of sets do you use to know when you are in good 1/2 and IM swim shape?

My last two IM’s were 1:07 and my PR is just under 1:03. I only swim 2-3 times a week with max week at 7,500 meters. I know, swim more but I don’t have time and don’t plan on getting any better. Not worth the extra time in the pool to get down again to a 1:03 or lower swim time.

I usually do 10X100m on 1:50 and if I can come in at or under 1:40 then I’m swimming well for my ability. I don’t do flip turns.

I also do 8X200m on 3:45 and try and hold a 1:42-1:40 pace.

Any other type sets I should consider? 3X500, 4X500, 2X1000 ?

400m TT

3

I like to use 4x1000 with 1min rest interval.

4

20x100 @1;50 would be a better test set, it would be all you need. You will know if you are faster by the average you hold. Try and swim it in a descending fashion too, like maybe a 3 second drop from #1 to #20. And when you get to holding 1;35’s, drop the interval to 1;45, and on and on each 5 second average drop.

Then do sets of 5 to 10X100 on like a 2;00 interval, but really bust the speed out. Both will help you in your distance swims…

5

I like to use 4x1000 with 1min rest interval.

That’s more than I swim all week! Is your goal to estimate your IM time, to see if you fade over each 1,000? If you fade, what is an acceptable level to slow for each 1,000

6

Slow? No, either equal pace or descending.

7

thanks, the 1:50 send off seems about right. Right now that would be a little hard for 20X100’s. Knowing my current speed that would give me about 5 seconds rest, dropping down to maybe 1:40 or ten seconds rest, but I’m not sure I could do 20 of them at that pace. Thus, start with less sets on 1:50 or increase the send off to 1:55 or 2:00 and get more rest to be able to do all 20?

8

I’m not a great swimmer but I remember good advice. 8x400 and 4x800 are challenging sets for IM prep. Done them, they hurt, but in a good way. (I think the sets were from MarkyV).

9

I’m not a coach by any means, but my IM swim training for an hour swim goal was 1x 2.4 miles and get out of the pool.

Seriously I’d jump in the water, do about a 400yd warm up (or none at all) and get to swimming for 1 hr with no rest. If for no better reason than I got really really comfortable with the effort I could give for 1 hr. As it turns out I only had to do it for 55min :wink:

10

I find my stroke and form tend to fall apart under this type of test set.

11

That only means that your stroke and form will fall apart on race day.

12

Before I swam a 25 min HIM swim, I did 5 x 200 on 2:20 holding 2:15s. It was more a game to see if I could keep making the interval than anything else…

4-5 x 400 on 5:30 avg 4:50 is another one I’d do.

all in scy

13

Seriously I’d jump in the water, do about a 400yd warm up (or none at all) and get to swimming for 1 hr with no rest. If for no better reason than I got really really comfortable with the effort I could give for 1 hr. As it turns out I only had to do it for 55min :wink:

At what race?

14

Trying to understand here. Does this give you any roundabout estimate on what you could hold in a race?

For example, does holding 1:40 on the 1:50 tell you you can hold one of these times in a race or something in between?

15

i would say that doing 100s as a test set for a ironman swim may not be the best way to judge. im around the 1 hour mark for a 2.4 mile swim in open water and when i do 100s in the pool its usualy on the 1:25 holding a 1:15. i was a swimmer and highschool and am still converting from a sprinter to a distance swimmer. i would go with 400s at minimum as a test set to start getting to a distance that you cant really sprint it. even 800s might be better. 400s are my test set for olympic distance swims.

16

What type of sets do you use to know when you are in good 1/2 and IM swim shape?

Races

17

Monty, you too? Ughh.

do you schedule races around if and when you are fit or not? No.

Instead of testing, why not worry about training or racing? What are you testing? What do you do with the information you find?

In other words, where you’re at is where you’re at. Better to do workouts that will make you fitter, not some arbitrary test to put your mind at ease. A one off workout totally out of context to the rest of your training does nothing for you.

18

Seriously I’d jump in the water, do about a 400yd warm up (or none at all) and get to swimming for 1 hr with no rest. If for no better reason than I got really really comfortable with the effort I could give for 1 hr. As it turns out I only had to do it for 55min :wink:

At what race?

IM Canada

19

4200 SCY straight and if I come in under 1:02 I’m in good shape. It’s as (maybe more) mentally challenging as physical.

I also do 40x100 on 1:30 with a few seconds rest between each 100.

20

this thread is hilarious.

everyone’s saying “no, there has to be a test!”

there is, but it’s called racing.