Two Broken 200s for Beginners
Two broken 200s, each swum as four fast 50s with 15 seconds at the wall, separated by an easy pull buoy 200.
- Duration
- 34 minestimated
- Distance
- 1,500 m
- Effort
- 40
- Level
- Beginner
- Focus zone
- VO2max
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
100% is your threshold pace. Higher values are faster, lower values are slower.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy freestyle | 300 m | 85-92% CSS pace |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 2.1 | Warm-upRecovery 25 catch-up drill, 25 swim | 50 m | 75-85% CSS pace |
| 2.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 3.1 | Warm-upTempo Build speed through each 50 | 50 m | 92-96% CSS pace |
| 3.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 4.1 | IntervalVO2max Broken 200, hold the same pace | 50 m | 103-108% CSS pace |
| 4.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 5 | Rest | 45 s | |
| 6 | RecoveryRecovery Pull buoy, easy and long | 200 m | 75-85% CSS pace |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 7.1 | IntervalVO2max Broken 200, hold the same pace | 50 m | 103-108% CSS pace |
| 7.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 8 | Cool-downRecovery Easy, mix strokes | 200 m | 75-85% CSS pace |
About this workout
A broken 200 is a 200 split into four 50s with a short rest at each break. The breaks let you swim faster than you could manage for a continuous 200, and adding up the four swim times gives you a useful benchmark. This 1500 m session contains two broken 200s with 15 seconds of rest at each break and an easy 200 with a pull buoy in between.
Swim the four 50s at the same pace. The first one usually feels easy and tempts you to go out too fast, so hold back a little. After the set, add up the swim times of each broken 200 and compare the two totals. A difference of a few seconds is normal, a big drop shows that the pacing was off.
The session fits swimmers who are starting to train with intervals. When the rest feels generous, cut it to 10 seconds or add a third broken 200.
Tips
- Read the clock as you touch and as you leave so you can add up the swim times later.
- Use the build 50s in the warm-up to find the speed you want to hold in the main set.
- Keep the pull buoy 200 truly easy with long, relaxed strokes.
Good forPoolGeneral fitness
Season phaseBuild