How I Create a Masters Swimming Workout

Over the years I’ve become good at creating Masters Swimming workouts. I workout on my own and also swim with some groups that are not coached. So I’ve had to get creative about coming up with workouts, often last minute. Swimming by myself it’s pretty easy, but can be challenging with a group that has different stroke interests, comfort zones and speeds.

Creating Masters Swimming Workouts

Below is my strategy of how I create Masters Swimming workouts. These ideas might come in handy if you’re asked to come up with your Masters Swimming workout today.

Strategies I use to create Masters Swimming workouts

• I like to keep warmups the same. I have two I like a lot. If I’m by myself I swim 5 x 200s. Usually swim, reverse IM drill/swim, kick, pull, and swim with fins. If I’m in a group I’ll suggest 500 swim, then 10 x 50s (variety).
• I usually have a few of “go to” base ideas in my head. A base idea is a general concept of a set. For example, one of my favorites is combining 50’s free and 100’s stroke. Such as 3 x 50’s free, 100 stroke (3 x), 2 x 50’s free, 100 stroke (3 x), etc.
• When I’m driving to the swim workout I always think of one or two workouts I’d like to do that day. Then I make up my mind when I see if I’m swimming alone or swimming with others.
• If I’m swimming with others I’ll try to create send sets that work for the group to leave on the same intervals. This gives some people more rest, and some less… but I find it’s more fun if swimmers are leaving on the same intervals. The swimmers in my group know how to adjust (like sit out some of the set if necessary).
• Lastly, I like to create varieties in my workouts by using the same base set but changing the stroke variety or intervals. This can be as simple as doing the same set but alternating stroke and freestyle, or creating a completely different type of workout by changing the amount of rest.

These are the strategies I use for creating Masters Swimming workouts, often at the last minute. If I were coaching a group I would certainly put more thought into where we were in the season and what type of workouts made the most sense for training. However, I’m usually swimming alone or with an training group, most of whom are/were competitive swimmers who are training to stay in shape. So these workout strategies work for me/us.

What strategies do you use to create Masters Swimming workouts? I’d love to hear some ideas from coaches!