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VO2 Max Training Sets

  • VO2 Max is the amount of oxygen the swimmer can receive in the muscles and tissues, represented by the difference between the amount inhaled and exhaled.
  • The greater the volume of oxygen intake, the greater the ability of an athlete to perform long work.
  • VO2 Max Series is more frequent, with daily workouts, at the beginning of the season.
  • VO2 Max Series could be used throughout the season as recovery work (recomposition of the organism).
  • At the end of the season, VO2 Max Series must be used significantly less and with space between them.
  • Medium distance series (3 – 5 min of work) with an effort of approximately 80% and a short rest helps improve VO2 Max.
  • Short distances (25 to 50m) and short rest (less than 20″) help improve VO2 Max.
  • The key to the VO2 Max Series is the rest time that neither could be too short to initiate an accumulate process nor too long to promote a complete recovery.
  • The heart-rate level during this type of training must be around 10bbm.

Sample Sets

4 x { 4 x 100mCrawl 400Pace @1:10
300mChoice • EASE •4:30 }
(1600m on VO2 Max pace, 2800m total set)
3 x { 4 x 150mChoice @1:45
300mChoice @6:00}
(1800m on VO2 Max pace, 2700m total set)
4 x { 1 x 300mCrawl
2 x 100mChoice @1:10
200mChoice • EASE •3:00 rest }
(2000m on VO2 Max pace, 2800m total set)
5 x { 4 x 100mChoice @1:10
200m Choice • EASE •3:00 rest }
(2000m on VO2 Max pace, 3000m total set)
20 x 200mChoice @180-190BPM0:20 rest /
1:1 ratio
(4000m on VO2 Max pace)

REFERENCES

  • MACHADO, David C. Natação: Teoria e Prática. Rio de Janeiro: Sprint, 1995. p. 274 – 276
  • HANNULA, Dick; THORNTON, Nort. The Swim Coaching Bible. Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2001. p. 210
  • JOHNSON, Matthew. Swimmer to Coach: how to write a workout.Las Vegas: _____, 2021. p. 22
  • ATKINSON, John; SWEETENHAM, Bill. Championship Swim Training. Human Kinetics: 2003. p. 224-225

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