Set of the Day: How to Step Up Your Mid-Distance Freestyle

Ready to get your mid-distance freestyle on? Elevate your swimming with this challenging set.

Dudley Duncan, head coach of Richmond, Virginia’s Quest Swimming, has a set for you mid-distance and distance freestylers that will test your speed and endurance.

Duncan has developed swimmers to all sorts of excellence as a coach since the 1970’s, including Olympians Whitney Hedgepeth and Rada Owen.

This set was adapted from one of legendary distance swimmer Janet Evans‘ old swimming workouts. Beyond the conditioning aspect of the set, there is some targeted speed work that will help you close your races with velocity.

The goal is to make the intervals on the second half of each segment of each round (i.e. the 200’s on 2:00, the 100’s on 1:00).

And here we go!

Round 1

• 4 x 150 free – 200 free @ 2:00
• 3 x 150 free – 200 free @ 2:00
• 2 x 150 free – 200 free @ 2:00
• 1 x 150 free – 200 free @ 2:00

(2,300y)

Round 2

• 4 x 75 free – 1 x 100 free @ 1:00
• 3 x 75 free – 1 x 100 free @ 1:00
• 2 x 75 free – 1 x 100 free @ 1:00
• 1 x 75 free – 1 x 100 free @ 1:00

(1,150y)

Round 3

• 4 x 25 free – 1 x 50 free @ :30
• 3 x 25 free – 1 x 50 free @ :30
• 2 x 25 free – 1 x 50 free @ :30
• 1 x 25 free – 1 x 50 free @ :30

(450y)

Set Notes:

• The set is done in short course yards.
• Total yardage: 3,900 yards

A special thank you to Coach Duncan for sharing this set with us. You can stay up-to-date with Quest Swimming online.

See Also:

Olympian Janet Evans on the Importance of Using a Log Book. Evans shot to fame at the 1988 Seoul Olympics winning gold medals in the 400m IM, 4oom free, and 800m freestyle. Here she discusses the importance of tracking your training and how it can help you improve performance in the water.

This is How Fast Katie Ledecky Swims in Practice. You already know that Katie Ledecky is the top female swimmer on the planet. That she’s really, really fast. And basically unbeatable. Now you’ll learn how fast she is in practice.