Best 3,000-Yard Swimming Workouts

Do you ever get to the pool and have no idea what you want to swim? Or do you have a lot on your schedule and need to fit a good workout into a short amount of time? A 3,000-yard workout (plus or minus a few yards) from USMS’s Workout Library is a great place to find a well-rounded workout and get you on your way.

A lot of swimmers can get 3,000 yards done in an hour—especially if you add some toys such as fins or paddles. If you’re a little slower and time is not an issue, swim the entire workout as written. If you’re swimming for a limited amount of time, adjust the repeats or distances as needed. (The Workout Library has thousands of workouts with many different goals. Not only are there a variety of categories, but also filters to search by distance or workout focus.)

Here are a few great 3,000-yard workouts to get you started. Each has a different focus, but all have a warm-up, main set, and cool-down.

Workout 1: All About Those Legs

Some days you just want to get a great kick set or leg workout in, and this workout is just the one for you! If you prefer to kick with fins, you can use them during the 200s, 100s, 50s, 25s. Take them off during the 100 choice easy to give your feet a rest.

For an added challenge, get your time on each round and figure out your 25 split. As you progress through the workout and the distances get shorter, see if you can get faster.

Course: short course yards; distance: 3,050 yards; time: 1hr 05 min

Warm-up (850)

300 choice on 15 seconds rest

100 choice on 15 seconds rest, kick

4 x 50s choice on 15 seconds rest, IMO (25 drill-25 build)

8 x 25s choice on 10 seconds rest, descend 1-4/5-8

50 choice on 1:00 rest easy

Main Set (1,900)

2 x 200s kick on 4:00 best stroke sprint

100 choice on 3:00 easy

4 x 100s kick on 2:00 worst stroke sprint

100 choice on 3:00 easy

8 x 50s kick on 1:00 IMO

100 choice on 3:00 easy

16 x 25s kick on 30 sprint choice

Cool-down (300)

300 Choice

USMS members can view this workout and hundreds more in our Workout Library

Workout 2: Stroke Work

This workout is perfect for IMers. After a quick warm-up, you’ll swim a main set with three rounds. If your focus is IM, do a different stroke for each of the three rounds (excluding freestyle). If you have a favorite stroke, you could swim the same stroke each round, trying to hold your time (or even descend!) through the workout.

A bit of freestyle is included in the repeats at the beginning of the round so that you can build endurance and speed while also maintaining good stroke technique. If you find that your technique is getting sloppy by the last two 75s in the round, use some equipment to maintain that perfect technique. Take a minute rest between each round for recovery.

Course: short course yards; distance: 2,900 yards; time: 0hr 57 min

Warm-up (800)

200 choice on 3:30

200 kick on 4:00

200 pull on 3:30

200 choice on 3:30

3 Rounds Stroke Fun (1,800)  Try a different stroke focus for each round

3x through

4 x 75s choice on 1:30, 1: 25 stroke, 2: 50 stroke, 3: 75 stroke, 4: 75 free fast

3 x 50s choice on 1:00, free/stroke

2 x 75s choice on 1:30, sprint

Cool-down (300)

6 x 50s choice on 1:10, drill-swim by 25

USMS members can view this workout and hundreds more in our Workout Library

Workout 3: Freestyle Focus

This workout is for triathletes or swimmers who just prefer freestyle. Swim the 200 with perfect technique, count your strokes, and execute great turns and underwaters. In rounds two and three, use the 200 as a reset to get back to good technique after the descending 100s. The 50s in each round will get your legs warmed up and get you ready for the descending 100s. Keep track of your times for each set. If you’re feeling especially motivated, descend your 100s throughout the rounds and also the set.

Course: short course yards; distance: 3,000 yards; time: 0hr 53 min

Warm-up (600)

300 choice on 5:00

4 x 75s choice on 1:30, kick-swim-kick by 25

Freestyle Focus (2,100)

3x through

200 choice on 3:15, smooth

4 x 50s choice on 1:00, kick-swim

3 x 100s choice on 1:30, descend 1–3

Cool-down (300)

6 x 50s choice on 1:10

USMS members can view this workout and hundreds more in our Workout Library

Workout 4: Pull Set

If you’re one of those people who like to swim with a pull buoy all the time, this set is for you. During the pull portion, feel free to use paddles, snorkel, and buoy as you prefer.

Your big toes should stay close together and you should not be kicking, so that you can rotate freely along your center line. Use your core to rotate and keep everything straight; don’t let those legs wiggle from side to side. Think of your body as a shish kebab on a skewer as you pull and rotate—your head, hips, and heels should always be on the skewer.

Course: short course yards; distance: 2,900 yards; time: 0hr 54 min

Sculling Warm-up (600)

200 choice on 3:30

4 x 50s choice on 1:15, scull-swim by 25 or all scull

200 choice on 3:30

300s Mostly Free (2,100) There is room to add stroke work in on the 75s, or they can be done all free.

4 x 75s choice on 1:30

300 pull on 5:00

4 x 75s choice on 1:25

300 pull on 5:00

4 x 75s choice on 1:20

300 pull on 5:00

4 x 75s choice on 1:15

Cool-down (200)

200 kick/swim

USMS members can view this workout and hundreds more in our Workout Library

Fast With Some Breath Control

This workout has a fun set with fast 25s and 50s. If you are getting ready for a meet, this is good preparation for racing a 50 and not breathing every stroke. You will swim all four strokes and have an easy recovery swim in between. During the 25s, work on the underwater portion for each stroke. On the 50s of fly and freestyle, count your breaths on each 50 and try to breathe fewer times the following 50.

Course: short course yards; distance: 2,950 yards; time: 1hr 00 min

Warm-up (850)

300 choice on 15 seconds rest

100 choice on 15 seconds rest, kick

4 x 50s choice on 15 seconds rest, IMO 25 drill-25 build

8 x 25s choice on 10 seconds rest, descend 1-4/5-8

50 choice on 1:00 rest, easy

25-50s FAST With Breath Control (1,800) 

4 x 50s fly on 1:00, fast with descending breaths

4 x 25s fly on 30, sprint, halfway underwater

200 choice on 4:00, easy

4 x 50s back on 1:00, fast with descending breaths

4 x 25s back on 30, sprint, halfway underwater

200 choice on 4:00, easy

4 x 50s breast on 1:00, fast with descending breaths

4 x 25s breast on 30, sprint, halfway underwater

200 choice on 4:00, easy

4 x 50s free on 1:00, fast with descending breaths

4 x 25s free on 30, sprint, halfway underwater

Cool-down (300) 

300 choice

USMS members can view this workout and hundreds more in our Workout Library