Test sets

A public coaching lab for test sets, planning, and repeatable challenges.

The old WordPress site held a large working archive of test-set ideas. This static page preserves the intent: invite coaches to share, adapt, and improve useful swimming tests.

Send a favorite test set

Selected preserved concepts

Coming in the fall of 2023: Test Set eBook, v2

Swimming's Test Set eBook

Ebook, under-development

A new, low-cost ebook is expected for release in 2019 by Coach Mark Rauterkus, This effort is being organized as a primer and open-source offering that may or may not be sold with some early editions, but the cost will not exceed $5. Later, the books chapters are to be released as open-source collections with a creative commons license.

Weekly swim planning — a work in progress

Invite to a web utility for planning swim test sets.

Changes are being deployed every day. Newest functions include.

- Ability to insert one summary note and ability to insert specific note for each day on the summary page.

Sharing test sets makes sense

First call to participate was at the root site

Fill out the form that first appeared at the main site, CLOH,org. (https://cloh.org/wp/swimming-test-set-collaboration/)

Swimming and Golf merge in this classic standard called SWOLF

Performance Measurements Part 2:

SWOLF – Swimming Golf. A fun way to work on efficient swimming

Originally by Damien Gogoll, PLC Aquatic Swim Club, Head Coach (Silver Licence),

Efficiency Set, 8 x 50s @ 1:30, recording times and stroke counts

Damien Gogoll, coach, author

The Efficiency set is a great way to develop effective stroke counts at varying speeds. The Efficiency set is 8 x 50-meters on 1:30, recording the time and stroke count,

#1 is Personal Best time (PB) + 15-seconds;#2 is PB + 13;#3 is PB + 11;#4 is PB + 9;#5 is PB + 7;#6 is PB + 5;#7 is PB + 3;#8 is PB + 1.

Gordy’s 5 x 100s test set

Test set: 5 x 100s on an interval.

Quick links

- Web form without instructions, pending

More test-set topics in the archive

Reaction Time Settings
Stroke Rate 1, 2, 3
Swimming and Golf merge in this classic standard called SWOLF
Efficiency Set, 8 x 50s @ 1:30, recording times and stroke counts
3 x 100s and 4 x 50s with average times, a peek into PEAC's efforts
7 x 200s step test
Test set: 24 x 25s
Kicking Test Set: 10 x 100 with board and 1-arm pull at end of each length on as fast as possible with at least :05-seconds rest
Ranges of Test Sets
Test Set: 3 x 200s @ 8-minutes, all from a dive
Another stop watch that is less expensive for doing stroke counts
Test Sets for Pulse Plots and Heart Rates
30 x 100-yards on 2:01 with optional fins from Jason
Jason’s KL 800 (test set)
12 x 300s on 4:00
Stroke Rate (summary post)
50s with faster interval
Article with five evidence training sets
Cal Kick Set from interview with Nathan Adrian
Test Set: 6 x 100s @ 5:00, all from a dive
400 IM Test Set
Accutraining test set guidelines
Test sets and evidence based tests
Test set for advanced 200 backstroke swimmer
8 x 50 max on 2-minutes
10 x 300-yards with :20-seconds rest, seeking best average.
Joseph Schooling fly kick test set from Texas
Disappearing 400 IM practice set
Challenge set on 1-minute
Threshold 3,000 followed by 30 x 100s
2 x 100s on faster sendoffs
Four people per lane doing 25s on :50
Another brand of pace clocks
Pondering what it will take to get a swimmer to go 3:59.99 or better in the 500-yard freestyle
Kick 500 for time
10 x 100s, IMs
40 x 50s - more of a training set, but repeated a few times each season
David Simon's suggested set was posted and it is 4 rounds of (4 x 50 @ :60) + 200 easy
Test set for teaching how to swim great 200-yard/meter races
Shane Gould 50s
Broken 1,650 to beat their time in the 1,650
Kick 150s faster than best time 200s
Gordy’s 5 x 100s test set
Test Set: 5 x 100s (full width, no extras)
Coming in the fall of 2023: Test Set eBook, v2
Some test sets are just for survival
Test sets and our working archives
Lifeguards test sets
Chapter 1 of the Test Set Collection has a 5 level progression
Sharing test sets makes sense
Call to interact about swimming test sets
Test set: Lori Jo’s 100 repeats starting on 1:35 interval and subtracting a second for every 100 to follow
Pace Mode with the AutoCoach smart watch
Setting Tomorrow’s Pace
Pace Clock with Six Time Cycles