Whether you're a swimmer making the jump from a 25-yard pool to train in an Olympic-sized one for the first time, or a seasoned long-course swimmer looking to add a new workout, you can't merely transplant a workout from a conventionally sized pool into a long-course pool. With fewer turns and less of an opportunity to streamline off walls, your stroke and endurance is more emphasized in the 50-meter pool. Here are three mid-level long-course workouts. Their intervals may be tailored to fit your abilities.
Balanced Workout
This workout, adapted from a Kansas City Blazers Masters workout, mixes drill-based intervals with sprints and continuous-swim workouts to focus on speed, endurance and technique. Begin with a 700-meter warm-up, half of which is kicking or pulling. Swim 100 meters free on a 2 minute interval, a 100 meter swim broken up into 50s of back and free on 2:10 and a 100 backstroke on a 2:00. Repeat this set four times, making the final backstroke 100 faster each time. Swim down with an easy 200-meter swim, then finish the rest of your allotted workout time cycling through a set that consists of a 50-meter easy freestyle on 1:00, a 50-meter build-up in your choice of stroke on 1:10, another 50 easy on 1:00 followed by a 50-meter sprint on 1:10.
Speed Workout
With a large emphasis on short distances and faster intervals, this workout, modified from a National Training Center Masters workout, builds aerobic potential instead of endurance. Begin with a 600-meter warm-up, alternating 200s between swim, pull and kick. Swim eight 50-meter freestyles on 1:20. Decreasing your stroke count on each one. Follow that with a set of eight 50-freesyles on 1:05, with building from medium to fast pace on the odd interval. Make the even intervals a sprint from the blocks. Next, pull for six 100-meter repetitions with 0:20 rest between each. Wrap up your workout with six 50-meter freestyle repetitions, on 1:00 intervals, descending the first three and the last three.
Distance Workout
This 3,400-meter workout, adapted from one presented by Dynoswim, stacks up the distance with an emphasis on 200-meter freestyle repetitions. Start with a 400-meter swim, followed by a 200-meter kick and a 200-meter pull. Repeat the set. Settle into the bulk of the workout with nine 200-meter swims on intervals of 3:20. Alternate between pull, swim and a swim with fins. Wrap up the workout with six 100-meter kicks on 1:55 before cooling down with an easy 200-yard swim.
Member Comments