Just thought some of you swimmers looking for something to break the monotony....

This is a variation of a descending set with a fixed interval but a defined target time per repeat.

"Beat the clock" set

Swim 10 x 50 as follows:

1. need to know your fastest practice time for 50 yds freestyle
2. Let's say your fastest 50 time is 40 seconds.
3. Start the set when the pace clock is at 10 seconds
4. Swim the first 50 at 50 seconds or less - so you finish at or before the clock reaches 60 seconds (the top).
5. Swim the second 50 when the clock is at 11 seconds. (you are swimming on a 1:01 interval). You have to swim this 50 in 49 secs
6. Continue on the 1:01 interval which means you have to swim 1 sec faster on each 50 if you are going to beat the clock.
7. Your last 50 should require you to swim at your best time.

Don't limit yourself to starting the set on a 5, 10, 15 etc. clock number. If your best time is 38, start at 60 - (38+10) = 12.

This morning a group of us did this set; some started at 15, some at 18, others at 20.

I'll give this a try. I'm slow and I usually hit 49s 50m when I do 6x50 with 15s rest. Would you still recommend a 1.01 interval at my pace or should I up it to 1.10?

I would aim for at least 20 secs rest. I swam this on 1:01, and I was going 37 secs on the first 50. The last one was 30 secs (50 yards).

So you should swim these on 1:11 or 1:16. That way you force the descending nature of the set.

Hey Spicewood-

I don't want to derail your post. But, I've recently just started swimming for exercise and I've really enjoyed it. Any books or sites you would suggest for me to get the most out of it? Form, beginner routines, etc. Thanks!

Spicewood wins...this kicked my butt...

Started swimming a couple months ago on advice of PT.

Started out treading water for 15 min at a time.

Then staying down at the bottom of a 12 foot pool as long as I could.

Then started swimming long distances underwater.

Would struggle to get 25 yards lock to lock pushing flatfooted off the wall. Maybe 1 out ot 10 tries.

Took me about a month to refine a technique that can hit it on one breath 80% of the time.

Finding swimming long distance underwater is a mental exercise.

It's intentionally putting yourself in duress so you using part of your brain that you don't normally use.


Does anyone else only swim underwater?

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

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Started swimming a couple months ago on advice of PT.

Started out treading water for 15 min at a time.

Then staying down at the bottom of a 12 foot pool as long as I could.

Then started swimming long distances underwater.

Would struggle to get 25 yards lock to lock pushing flatfooted off the wall. Maybe 1 out ot 10 tries.

Took me about a month to refine a technique that can hit it on one breath 80% of the time.

Finding swimming long distance underwater is a mental exercise.

It's intentionally putting yourself in duress so you using part of your brain that you don't normally use.


Does anyone else only swim underwater?

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I do it part of the time, usually near the end of my workout before the cooldown. That's when I try out of the ordinary things just for fun.

Been doing this for about 2-months now.

Will get it about 7 out of 10 tries now. Timed it the other day and it's 25 yards in 23 seconds on average.

Will make a run to the other side of the pool rest for 1-2 minutes and go back. Heart-rate stays up. Feel like you are breaking a sweat. Easier on the joints than anything I've found.

This workout requires both mental and physical strength. Has a strangely mediative effect.

On most other types of workouts you get bored and start thinking about what you going to do next, at least in the back of your mind.

This does not happen when swimming underwater. You forcing your brain into survival mode.

Swimming underwater is ctrl-alt-delete for your brain. Stops whatever running in the background and redirect all brain power and muscle power to staying alive and swimming underwater.

Been going to the pool all summer and rarely see anyone swimming underwater for any distance. You see people doing it on youtube Seen couple videos of people talking about technique and so forth. But from what I can tell it doesn't seem like it s that popular of a workout. Unconventional but ended up working for me on accident.

In any event the next step is to decrease the rest period and see if I can get to the point of surfacing, taking one breath and starting back the other way. Eventually do that until you make it.

Best part about this is there's no way to fake it or slack off. You either can do it or you can't. There's no way to cheat. You make it or you don't.

Was feeling pretty good today. Decided to make the turn and go back the other way. New personal best of 37-yards underwater pushing off the wall.

Difference maker is mastering the keyhole stroke / frog kick and gliding as far as possible, never losing momentum and coming to a complete standstill.

50-yards underwater is within striking distance.