Swimming Sessions: The Ariarne Titmus Set
Last week, our key swim session was the classic “Grant Hackett Swim Set”. We did the session in our Wednesday Swim Squad last week and I gave it to many of my coached athletes too.
Well, we are in the middle of the Olympics, and Grant Hackett is an Olympic legend (winning the 1500m in 2000 and 2004).
To keep the Olympic theme alive, we dive in to another Olympic legend’s key swim session. Again, we did this session during our Swim Squad sessions recently.
It is the “Ariarne Titmus 50s”
Firstly, Who Is Ariarne Titmus?
Ariarne Titmus is an Australian swimmer. She won the Olympic 400m freestyle in Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024) and is the current world record holder. She is also the Olympic silver medalist in the 200m and 800m freestyle. She also holds the world record in the 200m freestyle.
I first heard about this set on the Brett Hawke podcast, and it sounded intriguing. Another distance swimmer who swims a lot of 50s.
The Squad did it and it pushed them to the edge – but the feedback was brilliant. Everybody loved it.
The Ariarne Titmus Set
It is simple.
24 x 50m off 1.30
Lots of rest here, which means we are holding a strong pace throughout. In the Squad sessions, we swam the first one at 8/10 effort – and then tried to hold the pace that we set on the first one for the next 23 x 50m!
How We Put The Session Together
Warm Up
4 x 100m smooth and easy (30s rest)
Pre-Main Set
8 x 25m distance per stroke (15s rest) – thinking about our feel for the water and getting a good catch and pull.
8 x 25m water polo drill (1/2 drill, 1/2 swim) (15s rest) – thinking about our stroke rate, getting our arms over super fast and not worrying about technique.
8 x 25m fast start, smooth finish (15s rest) – 1/2 length fast, 1/2 length easy
Main Set
Ariarne Titmus 50s
The Link Between The Warm Up And The Main Set
I love it when a swimmer connects the dots between the work we do in the warm up and then the main set. It usually means the session has hit the mark and made an athlete think or do things differently.
“My stroke has changed. Was that water polo work meant to change the way I swim? My stroke is quicker into the water now, more aggressive. Is that right?”
During the early part of the session, I wanted swimmers to have a great feel for the water, but also have a ‘purposeful’ stroke rate. I wanted to set us up for the main set.
We did some distance per stroke work first, before doing some water polo drill, thinking about really fast turnover. Getting hands into the water quickly and really spinning the arms.
Then, we cracked on with our main set of work – the Ariarne Titmus 50s.
This particular swimmer averaged 40s per 50m throughout that set (1.20/100m). A similar set a couple of months ago? 43s per 50m.
Alternative Session
24 x 50m is a lot of 50s to string together, stay focused and strong, particularly if you are doing this set on your own.
I found this when I tried it. I also started the set far too fast and blew up a little!
So, if like me, you’re swimming on your own and you’ve gone too hard too early, there is an alternative to the session (which I did).
The alternative to that session still includes lots of 50s, swimming at a strong pace, but we are splitting them up.
8 x 50m off 1.30
6 x 50m off 1.30
4 x 50m off 1.30
2 x 50m off 130
In between each block of 50’s, take an additional one minute rest.
How does this session sound to you?
This seems easy and straightforward doesn’t it? I mean, it’s only a set of 50s.
Try it and see!
Swimming Sessions: The Ariarne Titmus Set