Swimming · Distance
URBANCHEK 'RED' 100S
10–20 × 100 at 'red' threshold effort
THE STORY
At the University of Michigan, coach Jon Urbanchek colour-coded training intensities by how swimmers look as the effort rises. 'Red' is his threshold band — hard, sustainable, aerobic.
Sources
- Swimming World Presents: A Coach's Guide to Energy Systems — Swimming World, 2021
- Insights on threshold training: his energy-zone colour system — Swim Nerd, 2023
WHAT IT TRAINS
Threshold swimming — the pace you could hold for about 30 minutes.
WHO IT'S FOR
All competitive swimmers and triathletes.
HOW TO DO IT
- 01Warm up 400.
- 0215 × 100 freestyle at threshold (hard but sustainable), 10–15 seconds' rest.
- 03Cool down 200.
SCALED VERSION
10 × 100.
Build the scaled version in Forge →TARGETS THAT FIT YOU
Swims use Garmin's effort levels (easy, moderate, hard, all out…). Send-offs listed as clock times are the original, elite intervals — scale them to leave yourself the rest the set intends.
THE WORKOUT, STEP BY STEP
SWIMMING
Urbanchek 'Red' 100s
10–20 × 100 at 'red' threshold effort · Inspired by Jon Urbanchek. · Fit File Forge Workout Library: www.fitfileforge.com/workouts/library/urbanchek-red-100s
WARMUP400 mTarget: Swim instruction: EasyFREESTYLE
easy
MAIN100 mTarget: Swim instruction: HardFREESTYLE
hard at threshold; 10–20 reps
REST12 sec rest
COOLDOWN200 mTarget: Swim instruction: EasyFREESTYLE
easy
RELATED WORKOUTS
- SwimmingDistanceDifficulty 4 of 5 — Very hard
Eddie Reese 20 × 100
20 × 100 free on 1:00
50 minInspired by Eddie Reese - SwimmingDistanceDifficulty 5 of 5 — Elite
Grant Hackett 30 × 100
30 × 100: 10 moderate · 10 hard · 10 very hard
1 h 10Inspired by Grant HackettElite · scaled version inside - SwimmingTestDifficulty 4 of 5 — Very hard
10 × 100 Best Average
10 × 100 as fast as you can hold, 15–20 s rest
50 min
NOT HERE? DESCRIBE IT.
Type any session the way you'd tell a training partner — Forge turns it into a Garmin workout in seconds, and your coach can plan the weeks around it.
Garmin and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Zwift is a trademark of Zwift, Inc.; Fit File Forge isn't affiliated with Zwift. Athletes and coaches named here don't endorse Fit File Forge.