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Swimming Intermediate - 1200m in 6 weeks

Programme information:
Level: Intermediate; Men & Women
Where: In a swimming pool at home or in the gym.
Components: Cardio (swimming) & stretches
Weeks: 6
Sessions per week: 4 x Swimming.
At completion: You will be able to swim 1200m at a medium pace.

WEEK 1

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 800m
1 x 200m Freestyle at relaxed pace. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
4 x 50m Freestyle at a faster pace. Rest intervals:
60 sec
1 x 100m Freestyle at a relaxed pace (like the
warm-up pace). Rest intervals: 60 sec
8 x 25m Freestyle at a faster pace than the 50m
swims above. Rest intervals: 45 sec
1 x 100m Freestyle at a relaxed pace

Wednesday
Lower body stretch
Swim Total: 1000m
1 x 400m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Kick 1 x 100m Freestyle with a board. Rest
intervals: 45 sec
Kick 4 x 25m Freestyle fast. Rest intervals: 45
sec
1 x 200m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
4 x 25m Freestyle FAST. Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m Freestyle easy

Friday
Quick stretch
Swim Total: 900m
1 x 200m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Pull 1 x 200m Freestyle easy. Try breathe every
third stroke. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Kick 1 x 100m Freestyle steady pace. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
1 x 100m of another stroke. Rest intervals: 60 sec
8 x 25m Freestyle at a consistent pace. Rest
intervals: 45 sec per 25m
1 x 100m easy to recover, any stroke

Saturday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1000m
1 x 800m Freestyle. During the distance, swim
the first 300m easy, then speed up a little
between 300m and 600m, then from 700 to 800m
swim at a faster pace again, but keep it
consistent. Rest intervals: 2 min
4 x 25m fast of any strokes. Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m easy

WEEK 2

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 900m
1 x 200m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Pull 2 x 100m Freestyle - try breathing every third
arm cycle. Rest intervals: 45 sec
Kick 4 x 50m Freestyle at steady pace. Rest
intervals: 30 sec
4 x 50m Freestyle at faster pace but even
throughout (try speed up a little more on each
50). Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m easy - this is recovery so do some other
strokes

Wednesday
Lower body stretch
Swim Total: 900m
1 x 300m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 45 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle at a faster pace than the
300m. Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m Freestyle at a faster pace than the
200m. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Kick 8 x 25m choice stroke at steady pace. Rest
intervals: 15 sec
1 x 100m easy, choice strokes
 
Friday
Quick stretch
SwimTotal: 1000m
1 x 300m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Pull 3 x 100m Freestyle. Try breathe every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 60 sec
4 x 50m Freestyle, first 25m easy, second 25m
faster. Rest intervals: 45 sec
4 x 25m Freestyle as fast as possible. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
1 x 100m easy choice strokes

Saturday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 900m
1 x 400m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
4 x 100m Freestyle - try keep even splits to
balance your time on each 100m. Rest intervals:
20 sec
Add up all your 100m times to give you a 400m
time. Remember this for the next test.
1 x 100m easy mixed strokes for recovery

WEEK 3

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
1 x 300m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
3 x 100m Freestyle at a faster but comfortable
pace. Rest intervals: 45 sec
Kick 1 x 200m Freestyle at a steady pace. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
8 x 25m Freestyle at a fast pace but not sprinting.
Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m easy other strokes

Wednesday
Lower body stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
1 x 200m Freestyle warm-up. Rest intervals:
60sec
16 x 25m Freestyle - No 1-4 easy, No 5-8 faster, No 9-12 faster, No 13-16 faster, but not a sprint.
Rest intervals: 30 sec (this is called descending in
each 4 x 25)
Drill 8 x 25m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 30 sec
8 x 25m Freestyle. Start easier at No 1 and get
faster to No 8 (called descending). Rest intervals:
45 sec
1 x 100m easy

Friday
Quick stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
1 x 300m Freestyle warm-up. Rest intervals: 60
sec
Pull 1 x 200m Freestyle. Try breathe every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 45 sec
Kick 1 x 100m Freestyle steady pace. Rest
intervals: 45 sec
8 x 50m Freestyle, hold comfortable pace on no's
1-4 and speeding up on no's 5-8. Rest intervals:
45 sec
1 x 100m easy for recovery
 
Saturday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
Test yourself on this session and try remember
your times on the 200m swims
1 x 200m freestyle warm-up. Rest intervals: 60
sec
4 x 200m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 60 sec
1 x 100m easy recovery. Mix strokes here

WEEK 4

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1300m
1 x 400m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 60 sec
Pull 1 x 200m Freestyle, breathe every 3rd
stroke. Rest intervals: 45 sec
Kick 2 x 100m Freestyle, 75m easy and 25m fast
on each. Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle, first 100m easy and 2nd
100m faster (i.e. negative split). Rest intervals: 45
sec
4 x 50m Freestyle, 25m easy and 25m faster
(i.e. negative split). Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 100m easy strokes

Wednesday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1000m
1 x 400m Freestyle at a comfortable pace. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle slightly faster. Rest intervals:
60 sec
1 x 100m Freestyle again faster than the 200m
pace. Rest intervals: 60 sec
1 x 50m Freestyle fast to see your time. Rest
intervals: 60 sec
Kick 4 x 25m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 30
sec
4 x 25m freestyle descending (i.e. going faster from No 1 - No 4). Rest intervals: 30 sec
1 x 50m easy other strokes

Friday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
1 x 300m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 90 sec
Pull 1 x 300m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 45 sec
Kick 1 x 100m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 30 sec
Drill 8 x 25m Freestyle Catchup. Rest intervals:
30 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle negative split

Saturday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1200m
1 x 300m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 90 sec
8 x 100m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 45 sec
1 x 100m other strokes to recover

WEEK 5

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1200m
1 x 500m Freestyle (speed up on the second
250m, i.e. negative split). Rest intervals: 60 sec
2 x 200m Freestyle - again negative split each
(i.e. 2nd 150 faster than 1st). Rest intervals:
45 sec
4 x 25m Freestyle at maximum speed. Rest
intervals: 45 sec
1 x 100m slowly with mixed strokes

Wednesday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1300m
1 x 200m Freestyle easy. Rest intervals: 60 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle negative split. Rest intervals:
45 sec
Pull 2 x 100m Freestyle breathing every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 30 sec
Drill 4 x 25m Freestyle. Rest intervals: 30 sec
4 x 100m Freestyle, first 50m easy then 50m
faster. Rest intervals: 45 sec
1 x 100m other strokes easy. Rest intervals: 30
sec

Friday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1000m
1 x 200m Freestyle, speed up a little after each
100m. Rest intervals: 90 sec
Pull 1 x 200m Freestyle, breathing every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 45 sec
10 x 50m Freestyle - try a fast pace but consistent.
Rest intervals: 60 sec
1 x 100m easy of other strokes

Saturday
Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1100m
Test Yourself
1 x 200m easy for a warm-up
8 x 100m Freestyle, try keep your time
consistent. Rest intervals: 20 sec
1 x 100m easy to recover

WEEK 6

Monday

Full body stretch
Swim Total: 1050m
1 x 500m Freestyle, speed up a little after each
100m. Rest intervals: 90 sec
Pull 1 x 300m Freestyle, breathing every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 45 sec
8 x 50m Freestyle - try a fast pace but consistent.
Rest intervals: 60 sec
1 x 50m easy of other strokes

Wednesday

Lower body stretch
Swim Total: 1000m
- 1 x 300m Freestyle, speed up a little after each
100m. Rest intervals: 90 sec
- Pull 1 x 200m Freestyle, breathing every third
stroke. Rest intervals: 45 sec
- 8 x 50m Freestyle - try a fast pace but consistent.
Rest intervals: 60 sec
- 1 x 100m easy of other strokes

Friday
Quick stretch
Swim Total: 750m
1 x 400m Freestyle really easy. Rest intervals: 90 sec
Drill 4 x 25m Freestyle catch-up. Rest intervals: 30 sec
2 x 25m Freestyle. Sprint at maximum speed with as little breathing as possible. Rest intervals:45 sec
1 x 200m Freestyle really easy

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