How Did I Go Faster Without Trying To?

by Coach Mat | 25 Apr, 2010

Today I swam 3500m. The water was 29 degrees C. My focus today was to hold SPL across the set and descend times. My goal was to hold 17 SPL for the Fistgloved , and 15 SPL for the open-hand legs. 2x 400m, 4x 200m, 8x 100m, 8x 50m where I alternated FG and open-hand...

Ease Into Speed Rather Than Plow Into It

by Coach Mat | 22 Apr, 2010

I swam 3300m today. Started at 10:00am. The pool was 29 degrees C. WARM UP 500m – 200 hand, 300 FG MAIN SETS 1500m timed, with TT set to 1.25. My splits were 8:41/8:49/8:44 = 26:14 (1:45/100m pace) 100m recovery 3x [4×25 TT, 100 TT, 50 recovery] with descending...

Change Focus, Change Results

by Coach Mat | 20 Apr, 2010

I swam 3000m today. Started at 9:20am. The pool was 29 degrees C. WARM UP 5x100m FR/BK-BR alternate. MAIN SET 4x [4×25, 2×50, 100, 150, 50 recovery] with descending tempo per repeat. Tempo 1.20 Tempo 1.15 Tempo 1.10 Tempo 1.15 time SPL time SPL time SPL time...

Go Faster With Fewer Strokes

by Coach Mat | 18 Apr, 2010

Today I did 3000m. I swam around 14:00- I had breakfast at 9:15 but no lunch- so I was naturally looser (as evidenced in my stretching beforehand) and my fuel tank a bit more filled than usual. The pool was a perfect 29 degrees so it was pleasantly un-noticed. (I use...

How To Slice A 1500?

by Coach Mat | 16 Apr, 2010

I swam 3000m today at 9:40am. The pool was a very nice 28.5 degrees C. WARM UP 500m enjoyable cruising, half hand, half fistgloved MAIN SET 1500m timed, with TT set to 1.30. I held 18 SPL. Came in at 26:26 (24:07 for 1500yd). 500m splits worked out to 8:49/8:51/8:46....

Get Slippier at High Tempos

by Coach Mat | 13 Apr, 2010

Today I swam 2600m. The pool was a very nice 28 degrees C- cool enough to make one want to keep moving. I got poor sleep the 2 nights previous, but last night I slept 9 hours hard so I felt awake this morning. WARM UP 4x 100m, FG/hand alternate for warm-up 1st SET 12x...

Gimme 25 and I’ll take a 100

by Coach Mat | 11 Apr, 2010

I swam 3000m today. The pool was a perfect 29 degrees C. Warm-up 5x 100m, descend SPL from 17, -1 SPL per 100. Main Set Ladder 2x [8×25, 4×100, 2×100, 200, with 50 recovery swim between each] I gave about 15 seconds rest 25, and about 20 for the...

Eat More Lactic Acid or Less?

by Coach Mat | 8 Apr, 2010

3000m today in an overly warm 31 degrees C pool. Felt decently rested and eager to swim. FG= Fistglove, TT=tempo trainer Warm-Up 200m FG, held SPL at 18 200m hand, held SPL 15 200m FG, held SPL 16 200m hand, held SPL 14 Main Set 3x [4×50 @ TT 1.20, 4×50 @ TT...

Increase Tempo, Increase Speed? Not Always

by Coach Mat | 6 Apr, 2010

Today I had to cut it short, but still got in 2600 quality meters. WARM UP 10×50 fistgloved warm up- first 25 moderate tempo, 25 easy. MAIN SET 4x [50, 100, 150, 200] where the first half of each was a timed, tempo’d speed effort, and the second recovery...

Intentionally Adjusting SPL per length

by Coach Mat | 23 Mar, 2010

I cut my training session short today to 2600m. I’m still not feeling 100%. I have run a fever off and on the past couple days indicating that my body was not kicking the sinus infection, so I broke down and got some antibiotics. Still it feels more helpful than...