The 200 individual medley packs all four strokes into one race: 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, in that order. It's swimming's decathlon in miniature - no weakness stays hidden, and the transitions between strokes (each with its own turn rules) are events in themselves. The strategic depth is unmatched: energy spent on your strong strokes must be budgeted against surviving your weak one, all inside roughly three minutes of racing.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 5:30+ | 6:00+ |
| novice | 4:30 | 4:55 |
| intermediate | 3:42 | 4:02 |
| advanced | 3:04 | 3:20 |
| elite | sub 2:38 | sub 2:52 |
Adult times, 25 m pool.
Where does your 200 Medley land?
Log it once and the app places you on this table automatically, then tracks the trend.
Swim the fly smooth and cheap - it sets up the whole race and should feel like 85%. Attack the backstroke (it's the best recovery stroke), respect the breaststroke by staying long rather than spinning, and race the freestyle on pure will. Drill the transition turns until automatic; fly-to-back and back-to-breast are where medley races are stolen. Train your weakest stroke twice as much as your favorite - the medley punishes specialists.
Beginner: 4x50 (one per stroke) with rest between, building to the continuous 200 IM. If butterfly isn't ready, swim the first 50 as one-arm fly or free with dolphin kick.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.
Free on iOS and Android. No account needed to start.