Scott Hubbard Sprint Workout

Dimitriy asked me not to post any of his "secret sauce" workouts anymore when I swim at VNSO or Santa Monica City College. So, these workouts are taken from the the SCAQ library. I am swimming with bronze medalist, Erik H. on Saturdays afternoons after this upcoming meet and I will post his workouts and advice.

Sprint 3,600 LC Meters
Designed by Scott Hubbard
4/27/07 Culver City

Warm Up (900):

• 300 free
• 300 (100k/100stroke/100free)
• 300 (100 easy/50 fast),

Main Set (2700)

• 6 x 200 @ 3:00/2:50/2:40/2:40/2:50/3:00
• 6 x (50 fly @ :40/100 free @ 1:40)
• 6x100 @ 2:00 "rabbit races"

• On the last 6 100's, the lane reverses order and the last person goes first every time. The goal is to catch the person in front of you!

SCAQ email about Clay's "SUPER IRONMAN WORKOUT"

If you thought 10 x 400 was tough, it is about to get much harder at Clay's Saturday morning workout. Right at the beginning of the set (after a good warm up), you will do a SPRINT 100 much faster than your regular pace, then return to 3x400s at the pace you have been going. This will mimic an ocean swim. At the finish of the 3x400, then another 100 sprint- and then again, 3x400s. Finally, one last round of sprint 100 and 3x400s and ending (finally) in one LAST sprint 100.. This is much more difficult than going straight through the even-paced 400s. This will only be for those in swimming shape and who have already experienced our 400s workouts over the last few weekends. If you are new to this workout, Clay suggests that you sit out and rest the 100s instead of swimming them hard.

Why these hard 100s screwing up these otherwise nice paced 400s? Because that is the way it is out in the real world. Ocean swims or triathlons never mimic normal, even-paced swims, and no two races will ever be the same. You therefore should prepare for abrupt changes. So, when you have achieved the ability and the endurance to pace yourself for a 200, a 2,000 or a 2 miler you then practice adversity and increase your ability to regain your composure and return to an effective pace. Tactically most ocean races for serious swimmers should start and end with speed (come to one of Clay's ocean clinics in Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan Beach to find out WHY). And always it will be inevitable that during a race you will need to apply some speed, like get around some slower swimmers, beat people to a buoy, catch the waves, et cetera. And once again, you will have to return to an effective pace. So for the next couple of weeks at Santa Monica College (SMC), Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Westchester, and the San Fernando Valley pool (VNSO), you can expect this workout.

For those of you swimmers stuck at this workout you can change it. Just stay with the interval of your lane. If you want to do middle distance go instead of rounds of three 400s, one 400, one 200 and one 100. If you are an IMers try doing three 300s IM. And for some of you guys that want an all out sprint workout go three 100s.

[Check this page often for both swim clinics and ocean clinics: Link]

VNSO Swim Workout - Dimitriy Coached

2oo Warm up

Transitional set:
6 x 100 - descending one-to-three, four to six,
over kick the last lap. 1:50 interval

Main set:
1 x 300 with a 1:50 base
1 x 400 with a 1:40 base
1 x 500 with a 1:30 base

Easy 50

Repeat with different interval:
1 x 300 with a 1:40 base
1 x 400 with a 1:30 base
1 x 500 with a 1:25 base

Warm down easy 150

About 3200 yards total

SCAQ VNSO Swim Workout: I tried Lauren Matthewson's flip-turn tonight

Well, it appears Lauren Matthewson will still be the only swimmer in the United States doing that innovative and amazingly fast turn.

Let it be known that I have an anemic kick. It has gotten a lot better but it is still far below the average. The only reason that I am a moderately good swimmer is due to my enthusiasm for the art of swimming and my love for water itself rather than any sort of intrinsic talent. In my age group I finish in the middle-third when the final placings of a race are posted. In Open water I place in the upper third so basically that is where I am as a swimmer.

Tonight, I tried LMU swimmer, Lauren Matthewson's, innovative turn as noted below in the 'You Tube' video while swimming at VNSO tonight; (Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Pool). Though I was a little bit faster off the wall, it took up a massive amount of my oxygen store to accomplish. Since my kick was weak the advantage obtained is negated by my body going lactic much more quickly. Maybe I could integrate it into a 50 Free but I need a solid kick first.

If you have a strong backstroke kick, I recommend hooking up with Bonnie Adair and doing a turn-clinic with her. (Be sure you donate to LMU after learning the dark arts of a superior turn.)

IM workout at VNSO:

3 X 200's Free warm up

This set done 2 times through:

1 x 100's Fly/Free by 25s @ 1:40
1 x 100's Back/Free by 25's @ 1:40
1 x 100's Breast/Free by 25's @ 1:40

This set done 2 times through:

1 x 150's Fly/Free by 50's @ 2-something (Mark like he was a seeing eye dog tonight)
1 x 150's Back/Free by 50's @ 2-something
1 x 150's Breast/Free by 50's @ 2-something

150 warm down.

I sprinted a 50 under 30 to make sure I was ok.

I got hammered at VNSO tonight. Dimitriy coached.

I "bonked" so bad that afterwards I am not really sure I can remember what happened. So here is a dreamy hallucination of what I think occurred.

Let it be known that anything over 100 yards for me is distance and tonight the main set was 9 x 200s.

200 Warm-up (I only swam 50 because I was screwing around underwater.)

9 x 100s in this fashion:
3 x 100s descending 1:40, 1:35, 1:30
3 x 100s descending 1:35, 1:30, 1:25
3 x 100s descending 1:30, 1:25, 1:20

9 x 200s in this this fashion:
3 x 200s descending pace/ascending interval: 3:00, 3:10, 3:20
Your expected descending times are: 3:00, 2:50, 2;40
Easy 50
3 x 200s descending pace/ascending interval: 3:00, 3:10, 3:20
Your expected descending times are:: 3:00, 2:50, 2;40
Easy 50
3 x 200s descending pace/ascending interval: 3:00, 3:10, 3:20
Your expected descending times are: 3:00, 2:50, 2;40

The only redeeming concept for me was that I swam a 2:36 for the last 200

100 warm down

VNSO - (Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Pool) - Workout 2-25-07

Above is a photo of the pool at night. I swam in the day. Mark gave me a pretty fun workout for establishing and maintaining a pace. I made all my intervals for a total of 3300 yards.

12 x 100s: 1:45
100 easy
8 x 100s : 1:35
100 easy
6 x 100s: 1:30
One-minute-and-a-half rest
4 x 100: 1:25
100 easy