Swimming Medley Training: Energy Distribution and Technical Challenges of 25m per Stroke

Why Train the Medley?

Most recreational swimmers only swim freestyle, occasionally switching to breaststroke to rest. This training approach overlooks the most complete form of swimming. The Individual Medley (IM) requires you to complete butterfly → backstroke → breaststroke → freestyle in sequence during continuous swimming. Each stroke uses different muscle groups and techniques, making it the most balanced full-body swimming training.

Even if you don’t plan to compete, practicing the medley regularly improves full-body muscular balance, prevents muscle imbalances caused by swimming only freestyle long-term, and makes training more varied and enjoyable.

Energy Demands of the Four Strokes

The official medley order is butterfly → backstroke → breaststroke → freestyle. This sequence goes from the most energy-intensive to the most economical, allowing swimmers to finish with a sprint using their most practiced stroke as fatigue accumulates.

Technical Points for Each Stroke Over 25m

Butterfly 25m

• Undulation: The whole body should maintain a continuous wave motion, not just legs kicking up and down
• Entry angle: Hands enter the water at approximately 45 degrees, driven by the shoulders, avoiding “slapping” the water with the palms
• Breathing timing: Breathe every 2 arm strokes (every 3–4 for advanced swimmers), keeping the chin close to the water surface
• 25m technique: Butterfly is physically demanding; over 25m you can complete it without breathing (16–20 dolphin kicks) for better rhythm

Backstroke 25m

• Body balance: Ears at the waterline, head tilted back but not lifted, eyes looking straight up
• Turn preparation: At 5m from the wall (at the 15m flag), start counting strokes to prepare for the touch-and-flip turn
• Coordination rhythm: One arm stroke cycle for every 6 kicks, maintaining an even tempo
• Common mistake: Hips sinking—engage the core and actively lift the hips

Breaststroke 25m

• Leg recovery angle: Heels draw toward the buttocks, not knees pulling toward the chest (the latter creates significant drag)
• Kick timing: Hands push through to the thighs → head drops into the water → kick simultaneously; the motion must be fluid
• Glide phase: Maintain a streamlined glide for 2–3 seconds after each kick—this is the key to breaststroke speed
• Breathing: Exhale fully before lifting the head; inhale as the hands sweep outward

Freestyle 25m

• The final freestyle is often the “release segment,” letting accumulated fatigue dissipate through your most familiar stroke
• Focus on high-elbow catch and a steady kicking rhythm
• You can sprint with a slightly faster stroke rate than usual, since the distance is only 25m

4-Stroke × 25m Medley Workout Design

Beginner Medley Workout

Warm-up: 400m freestyle

Familiarization segment:
  4×25m butterfly (focus on undulation, not speed)
  4×25m backstroke (focus on body balance)
  4×25m breaststroke (focus on the glide phase)
  Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Medley integration:
  4×100m IM (25 fly + 25 back + 25 breast + 25 free)
  Rest between sets: 60 seconds

Cool-down: 200m easy freestyle

Total: 1600m

Intermediate Medley Workout

Warm-up: 600m (including one 25m of each stroke)

Main set:
  8×100m IM
  Rest between sets: 30 seconds

Supplement:
  4×50m (rotate through each stroke, one of each)
  
Cool-down: 400m

Total: 2400m

Pacing Strategy

The most common mistake in the medley is swimming butterfly too fast, causing a collapse in the remaining three strokes. Proper pacing should be:

• Butterfly (25m): 80–85% effort, holding back some reserve
• Backstroke (25m): 70–75% effort, actively recovering your heart rate
• Breaststroke (25m): 75–80% effort, feeling the power of the kick
• Freestyle (25m): 85–90% effort, final sprint

Practical Tips

• Butterfly places significant stress on the shoulders; limit medley sessions to no more than 2 per week, and only increase butterfly volume once you’re sure your shoulders are pain-free
• Backstroke turns require practice; dedicate several sessions specifically to practicing the back-to-free flip turn
• If you experience knee discomfort in breaststroke, temporarily substitute dolphin kicks for the breaststroke kick to avoid lateral knee stress
• Record underwater video with your phone (using a waterproof case)—it’s the most direct way to compare technical issues across the four strokes

Conclusion

The medley is the “comprehensive exam” of swim training. It challenges your technical breadth, pacing intelligence, and mental endurance. A weekly medley session not only makes you a more complete swimmer but also gives every pool visit a fresh sense of challenge. Four strokes, four different sensations in the water—this is what makes swimming most captivating.

Related Reading

• Swimming Medley Training: Weekly Workout Schedule for Training All Four Strokes
• Swimming Medley Training: Benefits of Balanced Four-Stroke Training for Individual Events
• Swimming Medley Workouts: Full-Body Training with Freestyle as the Base, Complemented by Breaststroke and Butterfly
• Swimming Medley Race Strategy: Stroke Order and Pacing Allocation