Updated August 20, 2025 02:33PM
Weekend Swim Workout: Swim Fitness Tester
Check in with your swim fitness by completing this “test set” workout three weeks in a row.
The swim fitness tester is a workout you'll complete once a week for three weeks in a row. (Photo: Getty Images)
As we get late into the season, fatigue sets in and you might not be giving as much to every workout as you used to. That might mean decreases in speed in the water. It can be discouraging to see your fitness fall, but don’t stress. Check in with your swim fitness by completing this “test set” workout three weeks in a row for some encouragement. Pick a day of the week that you can replicate everything from practice time to training partners for the best results. Complete the same set the following weeks, on the same interval. The goal of this swim fitness tester: to tell if you’re improving by completing more 200s each time. Hopefully, you’ll see progress and feel encouraged. If you find the opposite, consider putting together a swim-focused block to make sure you’re focusing on the right things to see gains.
Swim fitness tester
A
300 choice swim, 200 pull, 100 kick
6×50 on 1:05 (25 non-free/25 free)
6×50 on :55 (descend 1-3, then 4-6)
200 test set:
200 swim (moderately strong, check your time)
Add approx. 10 seconds to calculate the interval for the next section
? x 200 swim (keep going until you no longer make the interval)
100 recovery
400 pull easy
200 kick cool-down
Total: 2,000+
B
200 choice swim, 200 pull, 100 kick
4×50 on 1:30 (25 non-free/25 free)
6×50 on 1:10 (descend 1-3, then 4-6)
200 test set:
200 swim (moderately strong, check your time)
Add approx. 20 seconds to calculate the interval for the next section
? x 200 swim (keep going until you no longer make the interval)
100 recovery
300 pull easy
100 kick cool-down
Total: 1,600+
C
200 choice swim, 100 pull, 100 kick
3×50 with 20 sec rest (25 non-free/25 free)
3×50 with 15 sec rest (descend 1-3)
200 test set:
200 swim (moderately strong, check your time)
Add approx. 30 seconds to calculate the interval for the next section
? x 200 swim (keep going until you no longer make the interval) 50 recovery
200 pull easy
100 kick cool-down
Total: 1,250+
