Week 4: Pacing and Control
Week 4 is where a beginner swim workout stops being about surviving the lap and starts being about controlling it. You will hold an even pace across longer sets, breathe on a rhythm instead of in an emergency, and cover 550m per session, all in Salty Johnson recycled ocean plastic swimwear that does the unglamorous job of staying exactly where you put it.
Week 4 at a glance: 3 sessions · 550m each · 25m pool · kickboard and pull buoy · about 35 minutes per swim.
Session 1: Sprint (550m, ~35 min)
Introduction: Short, fast efforts with long rest, building speed you can repeat rather than speed you survive once.
- Warm-up: 150m easy freestyle, breathing every 3 strokes.
- Main Set: 4x25m fast, 40s rest; 4x50m (25m fast/25m easy), 45s rest.
- Cool-down: 100m easy kick with board.
Technique: Push off streamlined and take two strong kicks before your first pull.
Tips: Time your first 25m and try to match it on the last one, even beats heroic.
Motivation: Repeatable speed wins races, one lucky lap does not!
Session 2: Mixed Strokes/IM (550m, ~35 min)
Introduction: Backstroke and breaststroke get real space this week, with your first taste of butterfly kick.
- Warm-up: 100m (50m freestyle/50m backstroke).
- Main Set: 4x50m (25m backstroke/25m freestyle), 30s rest; 2x50m breaststroke, 30s rest; 2x25m butterfly kick with board, 30s rest.
- Cool-down: 100m easy freestyle.
Technique: Breaststroke is pull, breathe, kick, glide, in that order, never all at once.
Tips: If backstroke sends you into the lane rope, count the ceiling lights to stay straight.
Motivation: Four strokes make you a swimmer, not just someone who swims!
Session 3: Endurance (550m, ~35 min)
Introduction: Your first 200m without stopping, the session that quietly changes what you think you can do.
- Warm-up: 100m easy freestyle.
- Main Set: 1x200m freestyle steady, 45s rest; 2x100m freestyle, 30s rest.
- Cool-down: 50m easy kick.
Technique: Breathe bilaterally on the 200m, every 3 strokes keeps you straight and calm.
Tips: Slow the first 50m on purpose, most beginners blow up because they start too hard.
Motivation: 200m nonstop today means 600m is closer than it looks!
Salty Johnson Spotlight: 200m is a long time to be thinking about your swimmers. Our women's one-piece stays put through every turn and our men's briefs never need a mid-lap rescue, both cut from recycled ocean plastic with UPF 50+, because the sun does not care that you are concentrating. Shop www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/sustainable-womens-one-piece-swimsuits for her or www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/sustainable-mens-swim-briefs for him.
Chlorine-resistant and drama-resistant, unlike your last pair that gave up around lap six!
Beginner swim workout questions, answered
How far should a beginner swim in week 4 of an 8 week plan?
About 550m per session, three times a week, which is roughly 1.6km across the week. The distance matters less than the consistency, three 550m swims beat one heroic 1.5km swim every time.
Is 550m a good swim workout for a beginner?
Yes. 550m in a 25m pool is 22 lengths, which takes most new swimmers 30 to 40 minutes including rest. It is enough volume to build aerobic fitness without wrecking your stroke through fatigue.
How do I stop getting out of breath swimming freestyle?
Breathe out continuously underwater instead of holding your breath, and turn your head rather than lifting it. Most breathlessness is carbon dioxide build-up from holding air in, not a lack of fitness.
What equipment do I need for this beginner swim program?
A kickboard, a pull buoy, goggles and swimwear that stays put. Fins are optional but helpful for backstroke rhythm.
Keep the series going
- Previous: Beginner Week 3, Increasing Distance (500m)
- Next: Beginner Week 5, Breathing and Rhythm (550m)
- Ready for more? Intermediate Week 4 (1,300m)
- All free plans: Salty Johnson swim workouts and Salty Sundays in Bondi