SJ SWIM SERIES SPRING - BEGINNER - WEEK 8

September 23, 2026

SJ Swim Series Spring beginner swim workout poster from Salty Johnson

Week 8: Taper and Your 600m Time Trial

Final week. Eight weeks ago 400m across a whole session felt like plenty, and this week you will swim 600m without stopping in one go. Two short sharpening swims, then the time trial. Wear the Salty Johnson recycled ocean plastic swimwear that got you here, and swim like you have nothing left to prove, because you do not.

Week 8 at a glance: 2 light sessions plus 1 time trial · 25m pool · less volume, more rest · the 600m is the whole point.

Session 1: Sprint (500m, ~30 min)

Introduction: Short, sharp and deliberately easy on the legs. Volume drops so the time trial can be your best swim.

Warm-up: 150m easy freestyle.
Main Set: 6x25m fast with full recovery, 45s rest; 2x50m at goal time trial pace, 60s rest.
Cool-down: 100m easy.

Technique: Use the 50s to find the exact pace you will hold on Session 3, then memorise how it feels.

Tips: Resist the urge to do more this week, the fitness is already banked.

Motivation: Taper feels lazy and works anyway, trust it!

Session 2: Mixed Strokes/IM (450m, ~28 min)

Introduction: An easy stroke variety swim to keep you loose, nothing hard.

Warm-up: 100m easy freestyle.
Main Set: 4x50m (25m backstroke/25m freestyle), 30s rest; 2x50m breaststroke easy, 30s rest.
Cool-down: 50m easy kick.

Technique: Long and relaxed, this is a swim to feel good, not to improve anything.

Tips: Leave at least one full rest day between this and your time trial.

Motivation: Eight weeks ago backstroke was hard, now it is your recovery stroke!

Session 3: Endurance (600m nonstop time trial, ~40 min)

Introduction: This is it. 600m of freestyle without stopping, 24 lengths of a 25m pool.

Warm-up: 150m easy freestyle, then 4x15m build with plenty of rest.
Main Set: 600m continuous freestyle. Do not stop at the walls. Time it and write it down.
Cool-down: 100m very easy.

Technique: Breathe every 3, hold your stroke count, and keep your head down through every turn.

Tips: Break it into six 100s in your head. Start slower than you want to, you will thank yourself at 400m.

Motivation: Six hundred metres nonstop. That is a real swimmer's swim, and you just did it!

What to do after week 8

Take three easy days, then pick one of three paths. Repeat this block and aim to beat your 600m time. Step up to the intermediate 8 week program if the last two weeks felt manageable. Or take it outdoors, come and swim with us at Salty Sundays, our free community run, swim and coffee in Bondi, where 600m of pool fitness translates nicely into an ocean swim between the flags.

Salty Johnson Spotlight: You have now swum roughly 13km in this program, and the swimwear that started with you should finish with you. Our women's one-pieces and men's briefs are made from recycled ocean plastic with UPF 50+, which is why week 8 looks as good as week 1. 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.

Eight weeks, 13km and one very good time trial, and the suit still has not filed a complaint!

Beginner swim workout questions, answered

What is a good 600m swim time for a beginner?

Most beginners finish 600m in 14 to 21 minutes, which is around 2:20 to 3:30 per 100m. Anything under 20 minutes after eight weeks of training is a strong result. The number to beat is your own.

Why does the last week have less swimming?

That is a taper. Cutting volume while keeping a little intensity lets accumulated fatigue clear so you perform at your best on the test day. You do not lose fitness in a week, you reveal it.

What should I do the day before the time trial?

Rest or walk, eat normally, hydrate and sleep. No new sessions, no extra gym work, and no last minute technique changes.

Can I do this 8 week beginner swim program again?

Yes, and most people should. Repeat it aiming to hold a lower stroke count and a faster 600m, or move up to the intermediate program if week 7 felt comfortable.