Saturday Swim Session: CAC Beginner Workout
Swimming, August 30, 2026
The CAC Beginner Workout combines repeatable 100m efforts with short 25m sprints to develop aerobic endurance, pacing and speed. With three options from 1,850m to 3,200m, swimmers focus on maintaining consistent 100m efforts before changing gears and producing fast, technically controlled sprints without fading as fatigue develops.
This week’s Saturday Swim Session combines two very different types of swimming: longer, repeatable 100m efforts followed by short, fast 25m sprints.
The session is based on a beginner workout originally published by Chicago Athletic Clubs (CAC). I’ve adapted and expanded the original concept to create three options, giving you a choice of 1,850m, 2,400m or 3,200m depending on your current training volume.
Build Consistency First
The main part of the workout begins with repeated 100m efforts with a 30-second Rest Interval.
The goal isn’t to smash the first couple of repetitions. Instead, establish a strong but sustainable pace and see how consistently you can reproduce it throughout the set.
Depending on which option you choose, you’ll complete:
Option A: 8 × 100m
Option B: 10 × 100m
Option C: 16 × 100m
Good pacing matters. Ideally, your final repetitions should remain close to the pace you established at the beginning.
Then Change Gears
After an easy recovery swim, the workout changes considerably.
You’ll complete 16 or 20 × 25m sprints with just 15 seconds recovery.
Swim these reps as fast as possible while continuing to swim with good technique and staying consistent with your pace. The last rep should be as fast as the first rep.
This combination makes the workout useful for developing both sustained aerobic swimming and the ability to produce short bursts of speed when you’re already carrying some fatigue.
Three Workout Options
The complete sessions are:
Option A – 1,850m
200m WU; 100m Kick; 200m Pull Buoy; 8 × 100m (30sec RI); 50m Easy; 16 × 25m Sprint (15sec RI); 100m CD.
Option B – 2,400m
300m WU; 200m Kick; 200m Pull Buoy; 10 × 100m (30sec RI); 100m Easy; 16 × 25m Sprint (15sec RI); 200m CD.
Option C – 3,200m
300m WU; 200m Kick; 200m Pull Buoy; 16 × 100m (30sec RI); 200m Easy; 20 × 25m Sprint (15sec RI); 200m CD.
Can You Stay Consistent?
This is a good workout for testing whether you can control your pace rather than simply swim hard.
Pay attention to your 100m times. Then, when you reach the sprint set, see whether you can maintain your speed and technique all the way through to the final 25m.
I've included the complete workout instructions, coaching advice, pacing guidance and common mistakes to avoid in the full article.
👉 Read the full CAC Beginner Workout:
Saturday Swim Session: CAC Beginner Workout