The 20 x 100m Alternative

As you probably know by now, I am a big fan of short reps when swimming. Even when I’m trying to work on endurance with our swimmers.

Approaching an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 swim, I like sets such as 20 or 30 x 100m, holding a specific pace for each 100m.

To help build up to that type of set, and that sort of fitness, we can build the reps up gradually (10 x 100m, 15 x 100m etc) – rather than jump in at the deep end!

We can also vary the length of the reps.

Today’s set is all about changing the distance of the reps.

The 20 x 100m Alternative

This is a set our Swim Squad swam recently.

It is a 2,000 main set and is split into 100s & 50s.

Ideally, you would swim this as one big 2,000m main set.

Pace

The hundreds are smooth – maybe 6/10 effort – and the 50s are slightly quicker – maybe 7/10 effort.

Rest Intervals

Rest intervals are 30s on the 100s and 15s on the 50s. No additional rest during the set.

Main Set

4 x 100m + 2 x 50m

3 x 100m + 4 x 50m

2 x 100m + 6 x 50m

1 x 100m + 8 x 50m

The set seems simple enough doesn’t it? Not too challenging? Get stuck into it and watch the fatigue accumulate!

The set design means that the quicker swimming is mostly towards the end of the set – when fatigue is already building.

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Alternatives

Option One

You could swim the set as …

4 x 100m + 8 x 50m

3 x 100m + 6 x 50m

2 x 100m + 4 x 50m

1 x 100m + 2 x 50m

So the hardest bit of the set is at the beginning, and the challenge is to hold pace through the rest of the set.

Another Option

Of course, you could always swim this set in reverse, meaning the bulk of the faster swimming is done early in the set. Again, the challenge is to hold pace towards the end after early accumulation of fatigue.

1 x 100m + 8 x 50m

2 x 100m + 6 x 50m

3 x 100m + 4 x 50m

4 x 100m + 2 x 50m

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Scaling

Increasing The Set

If you want a bigger set, you could add 1,000m by including 5 x 100m + 10 x 50m. So the set would look something like this …

5 x 100m + 2 x 50m

4 x 100m + 4 x 50m

3 x 100m + 6 x 50m

2 x 100m + 8 x 50m

1 x 100m + 10 x 50m

Reducing The Set

Or you could reduce the size of the session by doing 50s & 25s.

Here is a 1,000m main set.

4 x 50m + 2 x 25m

3 x 50m + 4 x 25m

2 x 50m + 6 x 25m

1 x 50m + 8 x 50m

Give the set a try and see how you get on? Let me know what you thought of the session?

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