Index
- 1. When do you move from beginner to intermediate?
- 2. Sample intermediate workout (balanced and progressive)
- 3. Equipment you can include in your training
- 4. Mistakes to avoid at intermediate level
- 5. The most important things for continuing to progress as an intermediate swimmer
- 6. How to know whether you are really improving
- Conclusion
1️. When do you move from beginner to intermediate?
Once you have got past the initial phase, where the goal was simply to get back in the water and build confidence, it is time for something more interesting: swimming better, more efficiently and with clear goals. Intermediate level is not about swimming more metres for the sake of it, but about starting to train with purpose.
Of course, there is no single key moment when you realise it, but there are clear signs.
You are at intermediate level if:
- You swim between 800 and 1,500 metres per session.
- You control your breathing to the side in freestyle (ideally bilaterally).
- You can keep a steady pace without exhausting yourself in the first 200 m.
- You can follow a short structured workout without losing your place.
- You are starting to notice that your progress has slowed down.
That last point is key: when you no longer improve just by going swimming, you need structure.
At this stage, the following start to matter:
- Refined technique.
- Stroke efficiency.
- Specific leg work.
- The quality of your training, not just the quantity.
2️. Sample intermediate workout (balanced and progressive)
Here is a typical session of 1,200–1,600 m.
🔹 Warm-up (300 m)
Goal: activate the body without tiring it.
- 200 m easy freestyle
Comfortable pace, controlled breathing.
- 4 x 25 m drill (high elbow / high catch)
Rest: 15–20 sec
- 4 x 25 m legs only
With a kickboard or arms extended in front.
🔹 Technical block (400 m)
Goal: improve efficiency and body position in the water.
- 6 x 50 m technique, focusing on:
- Clean hand entry.
- Long stroke.
- Horizontal position.
You can alternate 3 without equipment and 3 with fins to feel your body alignment better.
🔹 Main set (500–600 m)
- 4 x 100 m at medium pace (rest 20–25 sec and keep a steady pace).
- 4 x 50 m progressive (each one faster than the previous).
This is where you work on endurance and pace control.
🔹 Cool-down (300 m)
Goal: loosen up and finish with activation.
- 100 m easy.
- 4 x 25 m fast.
- 100 m very easy to loosen up.
The ideal frequency is 2–3 days per week. More important than intensity is consistency.
3. Equipment you can include in your training
At this stage, equipment stops being an accessory and becomes a tool.
You can introduce:
Swim fins
They help with:
- Leg strength.
- Body position.
- Sensitivity to the water.
Ideal for:
- Technique sets.
- Kick work.
- Short sprints.
Pull buoy
It lets you isolate the upper body. Ideal for improving:
- Your stroke.
- Back and shoulder strength.
- Your feel for the catch.
Of course, every swim session calls for good-quality goggles that fit well and prevent leaks, and a suitable swim cap that reduces water resistance. Equipment does not replace technique, but used correctly it can speed up your learning.
4️. Mistakes to avoid at intermediate level
❌ 1. Always swimming at the same pace
If every session is the same, your body adapts and stops improving.
❌ 2. Overusing fins
We recommend using them to improve technique, but you do not need to use them for the whole session.
❌ 3. Neglecting technique in a rush to go fast
Speed without technique = wasted energy.
❌ 4. Not structuring your session
Of course you can go to the pool just to swim lengths, to move around after a long day, and for both physical and mental benefit. But if you have been swimming for a while, it is worth setting guidelines and goals and structuring your sessions.
❌ 5. Not working your legs
Many intermediate swimmers rely too much on their arms.
5️. The most important things for continuing to progress as an intermediate swimmer
If I had to sum it up in three pillars:
🔹 1. Technique before intensity
An efficient stroke saves energy and improves speed without extra effort.
🔹 2. Progression
Increase:
- Total metres.
- Intensity.
- Technical complexity.
But do it gradually.
🔹3. Consistency
Set yourself a routine and commit to going to the pool at least once or twice a week, so that it becomes part of your everyday life. It is better to swim twice a week for 6 months than four times a week for 3 weeks and then give up.
6️. How to know whether you are really improving
Clear indicators:
- You swim the same distance with less fatigue.
- You maintain a steady pace.
- You improve your times in 100 m repeats.
- Your breathing is more natural.
- You leave the water feeling in control, not exhausted.
When this happens, you are building a solid base.
Conclusion
If in the beginner phase the goal was to "get back to swimming", in the intermediate phase the goal is to swim with purpose.
This is where real training begins:
- Structure.
- Conscious technique.
- Equipment used well.
- Smart progression.
And the best part is that you are no longer getting reacquainted with the water. You have found a routine and are now learning to master it. Keep going!
