Swim Pace Calculator

Welcome to our Swim Pace Calculator, a simple yet essential tool for enhancing swim training efficiency and achieving your personal best in the pool or open water. Whether you’re a competitive swimmer, a triathlete, or just looking to improve your fitness, understanding and tracking your swim pace is crucial for measuring progress and setting realistic goals. Therefore, our simple swim pace calculator helps you accurately determine your pace per 100 meters or yards, providing you with valuable insights to refine your technique, boost endurance, and elevate your performance.

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Swim pace comparison

What is a good time for a 100m swim?

An average swim pace is roughly around 2:00 min per 100 metres. Therefore at this pace a swimmer could expect to cover roughly 3km or 1.86 miles in an hour of continuous effort.

What is the swim pace of best athletes?

Top athletes in IRONMAN triathlons hold an average swim pace of roughly 1:15 per 100m or lower over a distance of 3.9km or 2.4 miles.

Meanwhile if we look at indoor swimming, olympic sprinter Michael Phelps has achieved a swim pace of 47 seconds per 100m. Looking at longer pool swimming distances Bobby Finke swam 1500m at an impressive average pace of 57 seconds per 100m.

Understanding swim pace

Swim pace is influenced by a variety of factors that can be broadly categorised into physical and technical determinants.

Technical factors

Breathing - your breathing technique is really important when it comes to swimming efficiently. Firstly, a continuous exhale underwater is recommended to reduce carbon dioxide build up in the lungs. Secondly, holding your breath in makes your upper body more buoyant therefore sinking your legs, increasing drag and reducing your swimming pace. Finally, an efficient intake of air coupled with adequate body rotation and minimal tilting of the head allows for a more streamlined body position.
Swim Stroke technique - arm movements give primary propulsion in swimming, therefore an efficient stroke technique is key to increasing swim pace.
Swim Stroke rate - it is recommended to test various stroke rates in order to determine the most comfortable rate at which to swim longer distances.

Physical factors

Aerobic Capacity - your body's ability to supply consistent and ample oxygen to muscles. This is trained as part of endurance regimen.
Muscle strength and endurance - stronger muscles provide more powerful strokes. Exercises both on land and and in the water may help to improve strength for swimmers as well as endurance.

Tips to increase swim pace

Firstly, get your swim technique assessed by a professional coach. Getting professional assistance is the fastest way to improve both technical and physical factors affecting swimming.

Secondly, test your swim stroke rate. Calculate your swimming pace at various stroke rates to determine the rate at which you swim efficiently. You should measure time, stroke rate and also perceived effort. Also, to help establish comfortable stroke rate you can use tools such as Finis tempo trainer. This little gadget is really useful in day-to-day training to improve swim pace and stroke rate.

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Swim Pace Calculator