Training Sets and Tips: Building Breaststroke Endurance
As Swimming World continues to bring a variety of training sets to its readership, a focus is placed on this archived piece on the breaststroke. This breaststroke endurance set is designed to work on driving forward in the stroke and finishing strong. Take a look at the set and the description below.
8 x 50’s on 1:00
→ breaststroke w/ fins as 25 body dolphin/25 breast pull w/ flutter kick
4 x 100’s on 1:30
→ breaststroke negative split, second 50 FAST
100 easy freestyle
12 x 25’s on :35
→ breaststroke drill choice
3 x 200’s on 3:30
#1: 100 drill/100 breast build
#2: 50 drill/50 breast fast
#3: 200 breast fast
This set is divided into two main parts. In the first half of the set, swimmers start with 8 x 50s as 25 breaststroke with body dolphin and 25 breaststroke with flutter kick. These 50s are designed to get swimmers into a rhythm on the first 25 and then drive stroke tempo on the second 25. Following the 8 x 50s, swimmers will do 4 x 100 breaststroke negative split, focusing on setting their stroke timing on the first 50 and then adding power to their stroke in the second 50.
In the second half of the set, swimmers will return to breaststroke drills on 12 x 25s. Alternating between breaststroke with dolphin kick and breaststroke with flutter kick is again a great combination to keep your swimmers driving their strokes forward in the second half of their swims. The set ends with 3 x 200s breast that builds to a full 200 fast.
The purpose of this set is two-fold: 1) To help swimmers develop a long, powerful breaststroke that can be sustained over a 200 and 2) To teach swimmers how to use that stroke to finish a race strong. One of the biggest problems in breaststroke is losing the timing or tempo of the stroke at the end of the race. By teaching swimmers how to ease into their stroke and build their tempo throughout a swim, this set should help develop a better awareness of pacing and increased confidence in finishing strong at the end of a race. Happy swimming!
All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants.
Rachael Whaymand
We have just finished a National meet and we will start the new season. I am a master swimmer. Do you think this set is suitable for the beginning of the season ? How often should we repeat this? I am swimming 50, 100 and 200 meters breaststroke
Thanks and best regards
Walid Ghanem