Sprint
8 x 25 m Sprint with Easy 25s
8 × (25 m sprint, 25 m easy back to the start, 45 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle or pull
Swim Sprint Workouts for 25 m and 50 m Speed
All-out 25s and 50s on long rest, race-pace sets, broken 100s and start and turn practice for faster sprinting in the pool.
Workouts
12 workouts
Sprint
6 x 50 m Build to Sprint
6 × (25 m at tempo, 25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 200 m easy freestyle
Sprint
10 x 25 m Fast from a Push-Off
10 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 200 m easy freestyle
Sprint
16 x 25 m All Out on Long Rest
4 × (25 m sprint, 45 s rest), 100 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 45 s rest), 100 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 45 s rest), 100 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 45 s rest), 400 m pull buoy
Sprint
8 x 50 m All Out with Easy 50s
4 × (25 m very hard, 30 s rest), 8 × (50 m sprint, 1 min rest, 50 m easy, 30 s rest)
Sprint
Race-Pace 50s for the 100 m
4 × (50 m very hard, 30 s rest), 200 m easy, 4 × (50 m very hard, 30 s rest), 200 m easy, 4 × (50 m very hard, 30 s rest)
Sprint
Sprint Turns and Breakouts, 12 x 50 m
12 × (25 m at tempo, 25 m sprint, 40 s rest), 200 m easy freestyle, 4 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest)
Sprint
Sprint 25s, Swim and Kick
6 × (25 m sprint, 30 s rest, 25 m sprint, 45 s rest, 50 m easy freestyle, 15 s rest), 200 m pull buoy
Sprint
20 x 25 m Max Speed in Rounds of Five
4 × (25 m very hard, 30 s rest), 5 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 100 m easy, 5 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 100 m easy, 5 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 100 m easy, 5 × (25 m sprint, 1 min rest), 400 m pull buoy
Sprint
10 x 50 m Sprint with Easy 100s
4 × (25 m very hard, 30 s rest), 10 × (50 m sprint, 30 s rest, 100 m easy, 30 s rest)
Sprint
30 x 25 m at 100 m Race Pace
30 × (25 m very hard, 20 s rest), 300 m easy
Sprint
4 Broken 100s as 4 x 25 m
4 × (25 m very hard, 30 s rest), 4 × (25 m sprint, 10 s rest), 200 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 10 s rest), 200 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 10 s rest), 200 m easy, 4 × (25 m sprint, 10 s rest), 400 m pull buoy
Sprint Workouts
Sprint workouts train pure speed over 25 m and 50 m. The efforts are short and all out, and the rest is long, often three to six times the swim time or more, so that every repeat starts fresh. That is the difference from speed sets, where the rest is shorter and fatigue builds over the set. The sprint sessions also cover race-pace 25s and 50s for the 100 m, broken 100s and the parts of a race near the wall, from push-offs and dive starts to turns and breakouts.
Sprinting trains the nervous system and the fast muscle fibers, a strong kick and the ability to hold the stroke together at a high stroke rate. Masters swimmers who race 50 m and 100 m use it throughout the season. Endurance swimmers and triathletes also gain from a short sprint set every week or two, since it keeps the stroke quick and helps the first minutes of a race.
Do sprint work early in the session after a thorough warm-up, while you are fresh. Beginners can start with fast 25s, easy lengths back and push-off practice. Intermediate swimmers can move on to all-out 25s and 50s on long rest, turn practice and race-pace 50s. Advanced sessions include maximal 25s in rounds, ultra-short race-pace sets and broken 100s. Stop a sprint set when your times drop or your form breaks down, extra repeats at lower speed do not train speed.
Questions about Sprint Workouts
How much rest do I need between swim sprints?
For all-out 25s, rest 45 to 60 seconds or more. For all-out 50s, allow about one and a half to three minutes, often with an easy length or two in between. The goal is to start each sprint fresh. Race-pace sets are the exception, they use short rest on purpose and end when you keep missing the target time.
Why do sprint sets have so little total distance?
Top speed can only be trained while you are fresh. After a few hundred meters of all-out swimming the speed drops and the set turns into endurance work. That is why a sprint main set is often only 300 to 800 m inside a session of 1500 to 3000 m, with a long warm-up, easy swimming between rounds and an aerobic finish.
Can I dive in for sprint repeats?
Only where the pool rules allow it, the water at the start end is deep enough and you have learned to dive safely. Otherwise start every repeat from a push-off with a tight streamline. The step notes mark start and turn practice, and a strong push-off trains the same speed and breakout skills.