Saturday Swim Session: 100’s

This week’s Saturday Swim Sessions utilise the T-Time we determined last week. Read more about T-Times here.

Each Saturday I will post a Swim Session, most weeks I will load three options up for you to do. Option A is for swimmers who are after a workout between 1,000 & 2,000 metres. Option B is for swimmers who are after a workout between 2,000 & 3,000m and Option C will be greater than 3,000m.

Option A

• 400m Warm Up;
• 8x 25m Drill;
• 10x 100m on T+20sec;
• 200m Cool Down (1,800m)

Option B

• 600m Warm Up;
• 8x 50m Drill/Swim;
• 12x 100m on T+15sec;
• 200m Cool Down (2,400m)

Option C

• 800m Warm Up;
• 12x 50m Drill/Swim;
• 20x 100m on T+15sec;
• 200m Cool Down (3,600m)

Start the workout with a Warm Up covering of 400m, 600m, or 800m (A, B, or C). During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

Drill Set

• Option A – conduct an appropriate drill for 25m prior to stopping and pausing. Repeat a total of eight times.
• Options B and C – swim 25m doing an appropriate drill prior to continuing on with regular or normal swimming to complete 50m continuously. Pause prior to conducting the next repetition for a total of eight or twelve reps respectively for Option B or C.

The pause referred to above is a stop of about 10 seconds. It’s a chance to grab a drink, review the programme and think about the next drill you will do. If you need 15-20 seconds or longer you are welcome to take it because the rest duration isn’t physiologically critical to the aim of this set. Having a quick break is neurologically critical though, so make sure you don’t just roll straight from one rep to the next.

Some examples of drills can be found by clicking on the name below:

• Kick On Side (KOS)
• 6/1/6
• 6/3/6
• Broken Arrow
• Popov

For the main set, you will be completing a number of 100m repetitions. You will need to take the T-Time you worked out last week and add either 20 seconds (Option A) or 15 seconds (Option B and C) to it in order to work out how often you commence the next interval e.g. if your T-Time was 2:04 and you are doing option A you will commence the second rep 2:24 (2:04 + 0:20) after you started the first rep. If you end up swimming your first rep in 1:58 that will give you 26 seconds of rest. As you get fatigued during the session, you are likely to swim slightly slower and therefore won’t get as much rest as you progress through the workout. The idea is that you push yourself hard each rep and maximise the amount of rest you get. Complete 10, 12, or 20 reps depending on if you are doing Option A, B, or C.

Complete the workout with a 200m Cool Down. Feel free to pause and stretch when needed and/or include stretching as part of each break until the distance is covered.

If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.

I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.

I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up for my informative newsletter.

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Coach Ray is the author of the successful 12 Weeks to an Ironman Swim PB – Swim Faster with Smart Training eBook.