Endurance 100s & 50s

Todays session is taken directly from a Swim Squad session we did in mid-July.

The session is all about steady-paced endurance swimming. When we think ‘endurance’ we think of long and slow swimming, plodding up and down the pool. However, I still prefer to do much of our endurance swimming as short intervals.

To create some challenge to the set (and some interest), we are playing around with rest intervals.

It is also quite a long session, and has been designed to split it into two sessions if you wish.

The Session

Warm Up (400m)

1 x 400m easy and relaxed. Setting the tone that this is going to be an endurance session!

Pre-Main Set (600m)

This is a similar set to another session we did recently, thinking about our catch. This helps us set up our stroke so we execute the endurance set with great technique.

8 x 25m – ‘fist drill’

8 x 25m – 1/2 length swimming with fists, 1/2 length full stroke

8 x 25m – full stroke

Main Set One – The Hundreds (1,200m)

12 x 100m

1 – 4 with 30s rest

5 – 8 with 25s rest

9 – 12 with 20s rest

Simple set. Swimming at a moderate pace (maybe 6/10 effort), trying to hit the same time on each 100m rep.

You will be getting less rest as the set progresses, so fatigue will creep in. Hold your form and stay relaxed, but focused.

Main Set Two – The Fifties (1,200m)

24 x 50m

1 – 6 @ 25s rest

7 – 12 @ 20s rest

13 – 18 @ 15s rest

19 – 24 @ 10s rest

Again, set off at a moderate pace and try to hold it throughout the set, despite the rest intervals becoming shorter.

Scaling

Some of our lanes did shorter sets. Instead of 12 x 100m, they did 10 x 100m (first five with 30s rest, second five with 20s rest). They also did 16 x 50m (4 @ 25s rest, 4 @ 20s rest etc).

Effort Levels

These main sets can also be done as ‘threshold’ type sets. Starting at a stronger pace (7/10 or 8/10 effort) and then trying to hold that.

Cool Down

Some easy swimming to finish the session.

How does this session sound to you?

It seems easy and straightforward doesn’t it? I mean, how much difference can 5s rest make? Try it and see!