If you are a lap swimmer churning up the yards, we have a great booster for your regular swimming agenda: interval training. Interval training will maximize your time in the water and help you to achieve new heights in your swimming abilities with increased conditioning and better form.
In a busy adult world time is essential. Use it all to the fullest. Try our coached-designed workout program every other workout for your next twenty workouts. In other words, alternate your lap workout with our workout. We will give you 5 workouts--one in each issue of The Swimmer's Ear, or you can send us a self addressed stamped envelope to receive all five. Trust us; you will maximize your time and effort! Each workout is designed with a particular focus: #1 Interval pacing, #2 Speed & strength work, #3 Stretching out your stroke, #4 Relax while swimming, #5 Breathing technique.
Interval training is an integral tool for all modern sports training. It teaches you how to pace yourself during each workout both cardiovascularly and technically. It will also enable you to stay motivated. Most people have a self-defeating tendency to start each workout as fast as they can go. Remember, start off slowly and build.
What is an interval? It is a time which you can complete the swim and get some rest. It means you will consistently keep to a scheduled departure (every 50 sec., every 1:00 min. or every 3:00 min.) for a given distance. As you get in shape, learn to pace and improve on technique, your rest on the same interval (time schedule) for the same distance will be greater because you will be traveling faster. When you get more time than what we suggest below, challenge yourself by dropping your interval.
Interval training is integral to any self-coaching regimen. You will see immediate as well as long-term progress. We suggest writing down your swim times and your interval times after each workout so as to chart your progress. Pacing will also improve your stroke; it will become smoother, more stretched out and more relaxed.
Warm-up: Easy. Use this time to concentrate on form and technique 200 100
Warm-up set: Descend 1 to 6 (1 to 4 for beginners). This means that 6x25 4x25
you should ascend your effort to make each 25 yards progressively
faster. The last ones should be the fastest. This is not easy, but once
accomplished, is the best way to work all your swim sets.
[Interval should allow 10 sec. rest]. Remember: During the warm-
up set you need to watch the clock and get your times to monitor your
progress.
Main Set #1: Work hard on #'s 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 (1, 3, 4, and 6 for beginners). 8x 100 6x100
This is the set that you want to keep a close eye on all your times. If you
get a chance after your workout is completed, write down each of your times
so the next time you do the same workout you can see how much you
have improved. [Interval should allow 30 seconds rest.]
Main Set #2: Follow the same pattern as above for these 50s. 8x50 6x50
Easy: Stretch out 100 50
Pull: [Interval allows 30 sec.] Alternate your breathing pattern
by breathing every 3rd or 5th stroke. 3x150 3x100
One hard, straight swim: Strong legs (not pulling). 1x300 1x200
Kicking: Descend each 100. # 3 should be very fast. 3x100 3x100
[Interval allows for 20 sec. rest]
Quality swim sprints (every other is fast) 8x50 8x25
[Interval allows for 20 sec. rest].
Warm - down: Don’t skip this!!! 200 100
TOTAL YARDS 3,050 2,000