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Can you explain your favorite set to complete?

The Underrated Coach's Game-Changing Swim Set

Mel, I had one of the most underrated coaches in all of Australian swimming. I don't think he'll go down as one of the greats, but I truly believe he is. His name is Brian Sutton. Now, Brian was a physiologist by nature, but he was so good at the psychology of swimming, too. I mean, he challenged me more than any other coach that I had mentally. Every day, I was on edge, but physically as well. So he created a set that I've used multiple times-- still use to this day. And I was doing this back when I was trying to develop my 100 freestyle. But I used it with all the greats that I've ever coached, and I'll highly recommend it. 25 from the block. Then the varying levels of aerobic swimming between that will differ between certain types of sprinters. So, for me, it was a 25 aerobic. For other people it was a 75 or a 125, depending on how much aerobic they needed in between that and how much rest they needed after that 25 front end. But you determine that. But basically a 25 front end at 100 pace. You've got to be at that pace you want to be out on the first 25 of your 100. You do your aerobic swimming, and then you do a 50-push back end after you've done your aerobic. The rest of the aerobic, again, varies between athletes. It might be a little bit more for someone like me. It might be a little bit less for someone that swims at 200, maybe 10 seconds. But then you push that back end, and you've got to be at your back end speed. That's one round. Then you rest, take a couple minutes' rest and you do it all again, maybe six rounds of that-- everything at pace, everything at speed. The aerobic component is keeping the heart rate up so that by the time you get to that back end, you've still got that heart pumping a little bit. Go six rounds of that. I think it's one of the best sets ever created by Brian Sutton.

Brian Sutton was an underrated coach who created a set that is still used today. It consists of 25m at 100 pace, followed by varying levels of aerobic swimming and a 50m push back end. The rest for the aerobic component varies depending on the athlete's event, ranging from 10 seconds for 200 swimmers to more for sprinters like Mel. After completing one round, you take a couple minutes rest and do it all again, six rounds in total.

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One of my favorite sets, created by my underrated coach Brian Sutton, focuses on both the physical and psychological aspects of swimming. It's a set that I still use to this day and have recommended to many others.

The set starts with a 25 from the block at 100 pace, which sets the tone for the desired speed. The following aerobic swimming distance varies depending on the individual's needs, ranging from 25 to 125. This is followed by a 50-push back end, where the swimmer aims to maintain their back end speed. The amount of rest and additional aerobic swimming between rounds also varies based on the athlete.

The goal is to complete six rounds of this set, with each round performed at pace and speed. The aerobic component helps keep the heart rate up, ensuring that the swimmer maintains intensity throughout the set.

I believe this set, created by Brian Sutton, is one of the best sets ever designed and has been beneficial for both my own training and the athletes I have coached.

Any tips on improving turn speed and push off the wall?

Unlock Your Speed: Mastering Turn Speed and Push Off for Faster Swims

Alrighty, let's address turn speed first. Think of your ankles, whether that be in an open turn, fly or breast turn, get the ankles to the butt as fast as you can. That speed there is going to help in turn speed. Ankles to the butt. In freestyle and backstroke, it's the same turn. It's a front flip turn. So think of ankles going from back here to over here as fast as you possibly can. So the best way to do that is to keep the ankles low, all right? Keep the ankles low on the surface of the water. Don't bring the ankles up and over. A lot of people will throw their ankles up high and slap them down on the water when they're doing a flip turn. Ankles low to the surface of the water. Get that speed around there. So it's all about ankle speed. That's where I'd focus. And then your push off the wall, this is really important. So foot position is going to be critical. If your feet are crossing over or if your feet are too wide or if they're too high or too low, foot position is always going to be critical. And again, don't throw your feet at the wall. If you throw them, they get stuck. If you land softly, you have the ability to come off the wall really quickly. So I tell my athletes to, yes, throw your feet around as fast as you can, but land soft, almost like a cat falling out of a tree. You see this cat like, meow, and then it'll land on its feet really softly and then dart off real quick. So throw those ankles over fast, but land soft enables you to get off really quickly. Foot position is going to be critical on the wall.

To increase turn speed, focus on ankle speed when doing a flip turn and land softly with proper foot position on the wall.

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When it comes to improving turn speed, focus on getting your ankles to your butt as quickly as possible. This applies to open turns, fly turns, and breast turns. For freestyle and backstroke, which use a front flip turn, aim to move your ankles from the back to the front as fast as you can. Keep your ankles low on the surface of the water instead of lifting them up and slapping them down. The key is to prioritize ankle speed for faster turns.

As for the push off the wall, foot position is crucial. Ensure that your feet are not crossing over, too wide, too high, or too low. Additionally, avoid throwing your feet at the wall. Instead, focus on landing softly, similar to a cat falling out of a tree. This soft landing allows for a quick push off the wall. So, throw your ankles over fast but land softly to enable a swift departure from the wall. Remember, foot position plays a critical role in optimizing your push off.

What are some “predictor” or race simulation sets for the 50 & 100 free?

Olympic Trials Predictor Set: From 80% to 98%, a Foolproof Method for Hitting Goal Times

Jake, I got a really good set that I did with Tyler McGill in the build up to the 2012 Olympics, Olympic trials, where he qualified for the US team in the 100 butterfly, finishing second, almost beating Michael Phelps in the trials actually, swimming a best time. And what we did is we did a predictor set in the lead up to that, and I'll walk you through it. So it was basically a progression of 100s at a certain percentage. So we had a goal time of, let's say, 51 flat, which he was right on that goal time at the end of the season. And this was a very good predictor of this. So we did six 100s at 80% on three minutes. So we took that goal time. We calculated what 80% would be based on the actual number and the percentage of your goal time. And we did six 100s on three minutes. OK? And he would hit that. Then the next week would come back and go five 100s at 85% on four minutes. All right? The week after that, four 100s, 90% on five minutes. The following week, three 100s at 93% on six minutes. Then the last couple of weeks, right during taper, we would actually put a suit on and go two 100s at 95% on 10 minutes. And then about a week out, we would do 100 at 98%, suited, and he would be right on his goal time. And that's when we knew without a doubt he was going to hit this goal time because the progression of that set, going from the six 100s at 80% down to a full suited swim at 98% of his goal time, he was spot on for that whole progression. So that's a really interesting one. I think you can play with that. I think it works for certain athletes who are really locked in and believe in it. Give it a shot, and see what happens.

Tyler McGill swam a progression of 100s at 80%, 85%, 90%, 93%, 95% and 98% of his goal time in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics, Olympic trials. He was spot on for the whole progression and ended up finishing second in the event, almost beating Michael Phelps. This predictor set is good for athletes who are really locked in and believe in it.

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I have a great set that I did with Tyler McGill in preparation for the 2012 Olympics. It was a predictor set for the 100 butterfly, where he almost beat Michael Phelps in the trials and swam a personal best time. Here's how the set worked:

We started with six 100s at 80% of his goal time on three minutes. The following week, we did five 100s at 85% on four minutes. Then, four 100s at 90% on five minutes. The week after that, three 100s at 93% on six minutes. As we approached taper, we put on a suit and did two 100s at 95% on 10 minutes. About a week before the event, we did one 100 at 98% of his goal time, fully suited.

The progression of this set was crucial. It allowed us to track his progress and ensure he was on track to hit his goal time. By the time we reached the final suited swim at 98% of his goal time, he was right on target. This set served as a reliable predictor for his performance.

It's important to note that this set may work best for athletes who are focused and believe in its effectiveness. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

What is the best way to pull for sprint freestyle? A 90° bend at elbow or straight arm? 

The optimal pull for sprint freestyle: 90° bend or straight arm?

Take your mark. Yep. Yep. You got a one. I got a dog, yeah. Ten one. One team, one--

I have a dog and we are on the same team.

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The best way to pull for sprint freestyle is a matter of technique and personal preference. Some swimmers prefer a 90° bend at the elbow during the pull, while others prefer a straight arm. Both techniques have their advantages and can be effective depending on the individual swimmer's strength and style. It's important to experiment and find what works best for you in terms of generating power and maintaining efficiency in the water.

What sets would you suggest for 100 m butterfly speed endurance?

Olympic champion's surprise victory: The set that guaranteed gold in 100m butterfly

Jake, Richard Quick gave me a set that he did with Misty Hyman before she won the 200 butterfly at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Surprise victory. Beat Susie O'Neill from lane six came from nowhere and just destroyed this race. But he told me that he would do a set with her in the lead up to the Sydney Olympics where, I think, about a week out, she did it. And he knew she was going to win the gold medal. I wrote down the set, so let's have a look at it here. So you got 1050s fly, one on 131, one on 25, 20, 15, 10, 105, 60, 55, 50, 45. But she had to hold a pace. And I think from memory, he told me she was holding 30 seconds or maybe even 29 seconds for 50 long course meters throughout this whole set. What an effort. Incredible set. And he told me after she did that one, it was gold for sure.

Richard Quick gave Misty Hyman a set before the Sydney Olympics in 2000. The set was 1050s fly, one on 131, one on 25, 20, 15, 10, 105, 60, 55, 50, 45 and she had to hold a pace of 30 seconds or maybe even 29 seconds for 50 long course meters throughout the whole set. After completing this set, Richard Quick knew she was sure to win the gold medal.

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Jake, I have a set that Richard Quick shared with me, which he used with Misty Hyman before she won the 200 butterfly at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. It was a surprise victory as she came from lane six and beat Susie O'Neill. Here's the set:

- 10x50m butterfly, with intervals of 1:31, 1:25, 1:20, 1:15, 1:10, 1:05, 1:00, 0:55, 0:50, 0:45.

During this set, Misty had to maintain a specific pace. From what I remember, Richard told me she was holding around 30 seconds, or maybe even 29 seconds, for each 50m long course meter. It was an incredible effort, and Richard was confident that after completing this set, Misty was destined for gold at the Olympics.

When pulling in freestyle, what path should the hand take?

The Optimal Freestyle Pull: Break World Records with This Technique

OK, we look at the pull pattern here in freestyle. This is Eamon Sullivan breaking the world record in 2008. You can see he stretched out keeping those elbows tight to the body all the way back, straight down. He's not using that s-type pattern. It's basically railroads straight up straight down, beautiful.

Eamon Sullivan broke the world record in 2008 with a pull pattern that was straight up and straight down, not using an s-type pattern.

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When executing the pull in freestyle, it is important to focus on the path your hand should take. In the case of Eamon Sullivan breaking the world record in 2008, he demonstrated an effective technique. He stretched out his arm, keeping his elbows close to his body, and pulled straight down without using an S-shaped pattern. This straight up and straight down motion is often considered ideal for a smooth and efficient freestyle pull.

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Brett Hawke is a former competitive swimmer and coach. He represented Australia at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics and won 7 international medals. As an Auburn Tigers swimmer, he earned 17 All-American honors and 9 NCAA titles. After his pro swimming career, he became an Assistant Coach at Auburn University. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he guided Cesar Cielo to victory in the Men's 50 Freestyle. Cesar's gold medal swim was the first in Brazil's history.  At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Brett helped guide Bruno Fratus to a Bronze medal in the Men's 50 Free. Today, Brett hosts the #1 swimming podcast in the world, “Inside with Brett Hawke” where he interviews some of the world’s highest performing swimmers (and humans). He is also the Head of Creator Acquisition at AnyQuestion!