Test Sets
Tis the season for honing your technique and letting yourself swim fast. Mid-season is when coaches usually start introducing test sets- which is a workout or a specific set designed to track development and improvement. Test Sets are an effective way to collect data on where your team or specific swimmers are at during the season or their swim career. They are usually done on a weekly or monthly basis. They create an interesting timeline of your swim career.
Test sets are best when done intentionally as a part of a seasonal coaching plan, and with the teams knowledge of when they will be!
Longer distance Test Sets are not a training tool recommended for most swimmers under 12 years old, mainly due to attention span caused by the waiting time between groups, and skill level. Here are a few great test sets to try on your own or with your team.
10 x 50 @ 2:00
Good way for swimmers to work on different aspects of each 50. Such as streamline, fast turn, better breathing, or power off the wall.
8 x 200 IM or Free- All out!
Each 200 switch between IM or Free. Emphasizing focus on things such as breathing control, kicking, breakouts, etc.