Breaking the Plateau: Fresh Strategies for Intermediate Swimmers
Reaching the intermediate stage of swimming is a significant achievement. The early days of gasping for air and struggling with basic buoyancy are safely in the past. At this level, you can comfortably swim laps, execute recognizable strokes, and manage a decent workout without total exhaustion. However, this is also the exact point where many swimmers hit a frustrating plateau. The initial rapid gains slow down, and swimming back and forth at a single, steady pace begins to feel monotonous. To continue improving, intermediate swimmers must shift their focus from merely surviving the water to mastering efficiency, variety, and specialized training techniques. Mastering the Art of Distance Per Stroke
One of the most effective ways to elevate your intermediate swimming is to focus on efficiency rather than pure speed. High-level swimming is defined by how much distance you can cover with a single arm pull. You can measure and improve this by tracking your Distance Per Stroke (DPS). During your next workout, count how many strokes it takes to complete a single 25-yard or 25-meter length. Once you have a baseline number, the challenge is to lower that count while maintaining the same speed.
To reduce your stroke count, focus on the extension and catch phases of your freestyle. Avoid rushing into the next pull. Instead, allow your leading arm to glide forward momentarily, piercing the water and establishing a long body line. Combine this glide with an early vertical forearm catch, where your fingertips point toward the bottom of the pool early in the stroke, transforming your entire forearm into a paddle. By maximizing the surface area pushing against the water, you generate far more propulsion per stroke, saving immense amounts of energy over longer distances. Introducing Structural Variety with Interval Training
Swimming back and forth at a continuous, moderate pace builds basic aerobic fitness, but it does little to challenge your cardiovascular system or improve your top-end speed. Intermediate swimmers should replace continuous swimming with structured interval training. This involves breaking your workout into smaller, high-intensity segments followed by designated periods of rest.
A classic intermediate interval set is the “Descending Set.” For example, you might swim four repetitions of 100 meters. The goal is to make each 100-meter swim faster than the one before it. The first is easy, the second is moderate, the third is fast, and the fourth is a maximum effort. Another excellent concept is the “Interval on a Fixed Clock.” If you can swim 50 meters in 45 seconds, challenge yourself to repeat that distance every 60 seconds. The faster you swim, the more rest you earn before the clock hits the one-minute mark and you must start the next repetition. This style of training builds mental toughness and forces your body to adapt to shifting paces. Isolating Weaknesses Using Training Aids
Intermediate swimmers often have a strong upper body or a strong lower body, but rarely are both perfectly synchronized. Using pool tools allows you to isolate specific components of your stroke to fix technical flaws. A pull buoy, placed between your thighs, immobilizes your legs and neutralizes your kick. This forces you to rely entirely on your core rotation and upper body strength, making it an exceptional tool for perfecting hand entry and pull mechanics.
Conversely, using a kickboard shifts the entire workload to your legs. Many intermediate swimmers suffer from a “knee-bend” kick, which creates massive drag. When using the kickboard, focus on generating power from your hips with relatively straight legs and floppy, relaxed ankles. For an added challenge, introduce short-blade training fins. Fins provide instant feedback on your body position, lifting your hips to the surface of the water and helping you feel what a perfectly streamlined alignment should actually feel like. The Power of Breath Control and Underwater Phases
True advancement in swimming happens when you master the elements that occur below the surface. Intermediate swimmers frequently neglect their breathing patterns and underwater streamlines. For freestyle, practicing bilateral breathing—breathing every three strokes instead of every two—is essential. Breathing on both sides balances your muscle development, prevents shoulder injuries, and ensures you swim in a straight line rather than veering off-course due to a lopsided stroke.
Additionally, maximize the “free speed” available after every wall push-off. When you turn, lock your hands together, press your ears firmly between your upper arms, and squeeze your core to form a tight streamline. Incorporate three to four powerful underwater dolphin kicks before breaking the surface to begin your swimming strokes. Treating the walls as an opportunity to generate speed, rather than just a place to turn around, fundamentally changes the dynamic of your pool workouts. Building a Sustainable Routine
Progress at the intermediate level requires consistency and intentional planning. Rather than jumping into the pool and deciding what to do on a whim, write your workout on a waterproof card beforehand. Aim to balance your week with one technical drill session, one high-intensity interval session, and one longer, endurance-focused swim. By constantly challenging your body with new speeds, tools, and technical focuses, you will shatter the intermediate plateau and unlock a completely new level of athleticism in the water.
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