ME Main Sets


Swim Ideas #1 | Swim Ideas #2 | Swim Ideas #3
Swim Ideas #4 | Swim Ideas #5


Main Set -- ME-S1
2-4 x [200 Non Free, 4x50 Free]
  • The non-free is done steady on 30s rest
  • Non-free can be IM, Back, Breast or 100m IM order (alternating through the set -- 100 fly 100 back, 100 back 100 breast, 100 breast 100 free, 100 free 100 fly...)
  • The free is done hard -- swimming at least T-5, leaving on T+5
  • With the 50s you should target each 50 within 1s of each other
  • Take One Full Minute after each 200/4x50 cycle
  • A nice way to prepare for this main set is to do a 200 IM as the last swim prior, done as 50s hard on 45s rest (about 1:30 for stronger swimmers).

Main Set -- ME-S2
2-4 x [6 x 100]
  • 100 Free steady at T+5-10s, 20s rest
  • 100 Fly/Back hard on 20s rest
  • 100 Free steady at T+5-10s, 20s rest
  • 100 Back/Breast hard on 20s rest
  • 100 Free steady at T+5-10s, 20s rest
  • 100 Breast/Free hard on 20s rest
Rest one minute between sets

Main Set -- ME-S3
4/6/8 x 200 alt 200 free / 200 IM
  • All swims are threshold pace/effort
  • Take a full minute after each swim
  • If you are doing 6+ then start conservatively as this is a tough set

Workout -- ME-1
2-400 easy w/u
3-6 x 200 Pull (Band/Buoy) Descending (1, 2, 3) on 20s/25s/30s rest
400 or 800 IM done as 50s alt kick/swim (fly kick, fly swim...
3-6 x50 on 1:15 (extend interval if rest less than 15s) done as (cruise, cruise, sprint)
2-4 x (4x100) done as
  • 3x100 swim at T minus 2-4s (no faster!) on the greater of 2min send off or 30s rest
  • 1x100 non-free (back, breast or IM)
  • rest one minute, then repeat as needed
  • You will have to show control on the first 100 of each set as well as with the entire first set. Goal is to maintain or descend slightly from set to set. Starting at T-2s is a good idea.
Cool down

Workout ME-2
W/u 2-400m
Pull Set 4-8x100m
  • Band/Buoy, leaving on T+10s
  • Descend 1-4, 5-8
1-2x400m IM alt kick/swim by 50m (fly kick, fly swim, back kick, back swim...)
4-6x50m on 30s rest
  • 1/3/5 sprint first 25m, easy second 25m
  • 2/4/6 easy first 25m, sprint second 25m
Main Set is 6-8 x 4:30 (time NOT distance)
  • First half of reps steady on exactly same swim time - target 20-30s rest
  • One minute rest at half way (i.e. an extra 30s)
  • Second half starts at same pace as first half then remove 5s per interval
  • Last one should be very fast
  • Choose your distance so that you get 20-30s rest on the first half
  • Choose your distance wisely so you can descend. I like to start at a swimming pace of T+5s and eventually descend to T-3s pace for the last interval.
C/d 200 easy

Workout ME-3
W/u 2-400m
Pull Set 4, 6 or 8 x 150m (check the main set out -- pacing is required today)
  • Band/Buoy, leaving on T+5-10s (per 100)
  • Split set in half, hold first half of reps at steady to mod-hard pace, descend second half of reps to hard/very hard pace
Speed Set 3/6x50 on 50m equivalent of T+30s
  • Cruise first two, third is all out -- repeat at discretion
Kick Set
  • Twelve minutes of kick/swim split by 50, IM Order (fly, back, breast, free...)
Main Set (1, 2 or 3 times through) -- You'll want to pace yourself for this one
  • Swim for distance, 4:30 steady to mod/hard (probably around T+3s per 100), then 90 seconds to get back to shallow end
  • 200 IM broken by 50s -- swim hard
    • First time through, 50s are on 1:30, second time on 1:15, third time on 1:00 (!)
    • If you can't make the split then switch to free or put on fins
  • Take a full minute at the end of the 200 -- repeat as desired. If required then a bonus 30s of rest is OK at the start of the last 200 (broken 50s on 60s)
C/d 200 easy

Workout ME-4
W/u 2-400m
Kick Set 1-3 x 300 continuous done as (50 side kick drill / 50 bilateral swim / 50 choice kick / 50 choice drill / 50 side kick drill / 50 bilateral swim)
Sprint Set 200 or 400 IM broken by 50 on 1:15
  • If 200 then sprint first 25 then easy 25
  • If 400 then alternate by 50 -- "sprint 25 easy 25" then "easy 25 sprint 25"
Pull Set 12 minutes use band/buoy and swim for distance
  • Pace is steady/mod-hard
Main Set 2/3/4/5 x 500 done as 300 free, 200 IM on one minute rest
  • Weaker swimmers can either substitute head up free for the fly or use fins for the IM
  • Free is done steady, IM is done mod-hard
C/d 200 easy

Workout -- ME-5 (variation of #1)
2-400 easy w/u
2 or 4 x 150 or 200 Pull (Band/Buoy) Descending - leave on equivalent of T+15s per 100
4 or 8 x 100 alt drill / bilateral swim with kick drill / bilateral swim
2 or 4 x 50 on 1:15 (extend interval if rest less than 15s), sprint final third no breathing from flags
2, 3 or 4 x (4x100) done as
  • 3x100 free, swim at T-5s leaving on T+30s
  • 1x100 non-free (back, breast or IM) leaving on T+60s
  • This is tough main set, if you lose form then immediately stop for an additional minute rest. If you lose form for a second time then you are done.
  • In order to get the most out of this set, it is best if you can tough it out and hold your stroke. You will likely want to slow due to the toughness of the split. Hold your swim times and be strong!!! If you start at an appropriate pace then you can do it!
Cool down

Workout -- ME-6
2-400 easy w/u
Kick Set (Repeat if desired)
  • 200 alt 50 kick drill with 50 bilateral
  • 6x50 kick as far as possible underwater (hard) then bilateral to end on 1:15 with a minimum of 15s rest
Pull Set (twice through, slower swimmers just once)
  • Band/buoy five minutes swim for distance (mod-hard to hard)
  • Band/buoy swim easy 50s on 10s rest for three minutes
Speed Set (only once through -- hit the last 100 hard)
  • 2x50 easy on 1:15, minimum 15s rest
  • 1x100 very hard, 50 then 10s rest then 50 -- even splits on the 50s
Main Set
  • Thirty minutes of 100 repeats
  • Leaving on T+10s, swimming T+1 to 5s -- average should be about T+2 to 4s
  • Show pacing discipline on the first five repeats -- hold an even pace
Cool down

Workout -- ME-7 -- "The Non-Free Extravaganza!"
200 easy w/u
Kick Set
  • 3x100 alt 50 kick drill / 50 bilateral
  • 3x100 descend 50 kick / 50 swim
Pull Set (use either 100, 150 or 200 interval)
  • Band/buoy 4 x Interval descending from easy/steady pace to hard pace
  • Swim first interval easy/steady, take 15s rest and that is your send off time for the set
Main Set (8x400 on one minute rest, leave on the top/bottom closest to a minute rest)
  • Odds are straight free, swimming T+5s per 100 and descending to T or T+1s per 100
  • Evens are 200 fly/200 back, 200 back/200 breast, 200 breast/200 free, 400 IM (!)
  • Fly challenged athletes can use fins or a pull buoy
  • Slower swimmers can change the interval to 200 or 300
  • Weak non-free swimmers can change the non-free interval to 200 or 300
  • Select an interval that results in a swim time of 4-6 minutes for the odds
Cool down

Workout -- ME-8
200 easy w/u
Kick Set (weaker kickers do 200/150)
  • 300 IM kick (75 fly, 75 back, 75 breast, 75 free) rest 30s -- increase effort on each 75
  • 300 done as 50 kick / 50 swim (back, breast, free)
Pull Set (use either 100, 150 or 200 distance interval)
  • Band/buoy 4 x Interval descending from easy to mod-hard pace
  • Swim first interval easy, take 15s rest and that is your send off time for the set
Main Set (4x400, 500 or 600 free on 60-90s rest, leave on top closest to this range)
  • First interval -- swim at cruise speed -- probably T+5s -- should be very comfortable, focus on stroke length
  • Second interval -- swim half, rest 10s, swim second half -- negative split this interval, first half focus on hand entry, second half focus on stroke finish
  • Third interval -- swim at T-pace, rest 10s at each 100, focus on catch
  • Fourth interval -- swim 50s at 5s faster than T-pace, rest 10s at each 50, focus on anchoring arm and a strong pull through -- keep hold of the water for entire stroke
Cool down


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