SJ SWIM SERIES SPRING - ADVANCED - WEEK 4

September 23, 2026

SJ Swim Series Spring advanced swim workout poster from Salty Johnson

Week 4: Threshold Volume

Week 4 of this advanced swim workout breaks 3km and the emphasis shifts to repeatable threshold work, the kind that quietly moves your 1km time without any single session feeling heroic. Do it in Salty Johnson recycled ocean plastic swimwear, which survives 3,000m of chlorine considerably better than your goggles' anti-fog coating.

Week 4 at a glance: 3 sessions · 3,000m each · 25m pool · kickboard and pull buoy · about 85 minutes per swim.

Session 1: Sprint (3,000m, ~85 min)

Introduction: A long descending set that punishes anyone who opens too hard.

Warm-up: 400m freestyle, 200m choice.
Main Set: 16x100m freestyle descend 1 to 4, 20s rest; 8x50m fast, 20s rest.
Cool-down: 400m easy kick.

Technique: Keep stroke rate steady and let distance per stroke do the descending.

Tips: Write your target splits on your hand, guessing mid-set never works.

Motivation: Four rounds, four chances to prove the first one was not a fluke!

Session 2: Mixed Strokes/IM (3,000m, ~85 min)

Introduction: Sustained IM volume with short rest, holding form deep into fatigue.

Warm-up: 600m (200m freestyle/200m IM order drill/200m kick).
Main Set: 6x200m IM, 30s rest; 8x50m (25m butterfly/25m freestyle), 20s rest; 4x100m freestyle, 20s rest.
Cool-down: 400m easy freestyle.

Technique: Butterfly stays hip-driven, the moment it becomes arm-driven the set is over.

Tips: Use the 100m freestyle at the end to flush, not to race.

Motivation: Holding technique when tired is the entire point, anyone looks good fresh!

Session 3: Endurance (3,000m, ~85 min)

Introduction: A 1,200m continuous swim followed by negative split 200s, straight ocean swim preparation.

Warm-up: 400m freestyle, 200m kick.
Main Set: 1x1,200m freestyle steady, 60s rest; 4x200m freestyle negative split, 30s rest.
Cool-down: 400m easy.

Technique: Lock a stroke count per length on the 1,200m and defend it to the end.

Tips: Take the 1,200m at about 75 percent, the 200s are where the work is.

Motivation: 1,200m unbroken is a rehearsal, not a test, save something for the 200s!

Salty Johnson Spotlight: Three kilometres a session is roughly nine hours of chlorine a month, which is where cheap swimwear goes to die. Our women's one-pieces and men's board shorts are cut from recycled ocean plastic with UPF 50+, built for volume rather than one photogenic summer. Grab yours at www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/sustainable-womens-one-piece-swimsuits for her or www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/board-shorts for him.

Our fabric outlasts 3km sets, unlike your enthusiasm somewhere around rep twelve!

Advanced swim workout questions, answered

Is 3km a good swim workout?

For an advanced or masters swimmer, 3km is a solid single session, usually 75 to 90 minutes including rest. Three of them a week is around 9km, enough to support a 5km ocean swim or a competitive masters season.

What does descend 1 to 4 mean in a swim set?

Each repeat in a group of four is faster than the last. So rep 1 is the slowest and rep 4 is the fastest, then the cycle restarts. It trains pace judgement, not just speed.

How do I stop my butterfly falling apart in long IM sets?

Shorten the stroke rather than muscling it. Drive from the hips, keep the recovery low and relaxed, and breathe every second stroke. If the rhythm is gone, switch to butterfly kick on the back half rather than swimming it badly.

Should advanced swimmers use paddles?

Sparingly. Paddles build feel and strength but they also load the shoulder. Keep them to under 20 percent of weekly volume, and never on a set where your catch is already breaking down.