Swimming World Training Set: A 200 Freestyle-Focused Set
This week’s Training Set Of The Week features a three round 200 free set that includes fast 100 and 200 repeats and a broken 200. Take a look:
3 Times Through
300 free setup 3:45/4:00/4:15
3 x 100 free 1:05/1:10/1:15
:30 rest
200 free setup 2:30/2:40/2:50
2 x 200 free 2:10/2:20/2:30
1 x 50 choice drill (plus time to get on block) @ 2:00
1 x 200 broken: 100 off the block fast/:05 rest/100 fast from push
100 easy @ 2:00
The 300 and 200 setups are designed to give the swimmers a little warmup before the fast repeats. On the 3 x 100s free, the swimmers should choose an interval that will challenge them. They won’t get a lot of rest – five seconds tops. The 100s are fast, but not an all-out sprint. The focus should be controlled speed. You don’t want to overexert yourself too early in the set.
The 200s are similar to the 100s, but are a little bit tougher. Here, it’s just gutting out two fast 200 freestyles.
The broken 200 is a great opportunity to work on get-out speed and split differentials. Ideally, the second 100 should be about three to four seconds off the first 100. The five-second break is a brief pause that allows athletes to get their first 100 times. If the break were any longer, it’d give the swimmers too much of a recharge. Instead, they’re learning to split fast when they’re tired, a crucial skill in the 200 freestyle.
By the third round, the swimmers will be pretty gassed. It’s a tough, 4650-yard set, but it provides a great training opportunity for the 200 free. The intervals can be changed to suit different levels of ability. For younger age group swimmers, it can be done in only one or two rounds.