Category: Beginner
Workout Goal: Develop comfort and technique with multiple strokes
Total Distance: 900 yards
4 × 50 yards easy freestyle
Swim at a relaxed pace.
Use the smooth breathing and relaxed kick rhythm practiced in the previous workouts.
Rest 20–30 seconds between each 50-yard repeat
4 × 25 yards backstroke
Keep your head relaxed and still, and try to keep your hips near the surface.
Swim smoothly rather than trying to go fast.
Rest 20–30 seconds between each 25-yard repeat.
4 × 25 yards breaststroke
Swim slowly and focus on the sequence of pull, breathe, kick, and glide.
Allow yourself a brief streamlined glide before beginning the next stroke.
Rest 20–30 seconds between each 25-yard repeat.
If you have not learned breaststroke yet, substitute easy backstroke or freestyle for those repeats.
8 × 50 yards mixed strokes
On repeats 1, 3, 5, and 7: swim 25 yards freestyle followed by 25 yards backstroke.
On repeats 2, 4, 6, and 8: swim 25 yards freestyle followed by 25 yards breaststroke.
During the freestyle portions, maintain the relaxed breathing and kick rhythm practiced in earlier workouts.
Keep all three strokes smooth and controlled. This is a technique set, not a speed set.
Rest 20–30 seconds between each 50-yard repeat, or longer if needed.
4 × 25 yards easy choice
Choose whichever stroke feels most comfortable and swim slowly.
This workout builds on the earlier beginner workouts by combining freestyle with backstroke and iadding more breaststroke practice. The goal is to become comfortable changing strokes while maintaining relaxed, controlled technique.
Take your time with strokes that are less familiar. Good technique is more important than speed. If you have not learned breaststroke or cannot swim it comfortably, substitute backstroke or freestyle rather than forcing the movement.
You do not need to know butterfly to complete this workout. Butterfly can be introduced later after you have learned the stroke and can swim it comfortably.