Investigating a Tempo Timer

After a few years of avoiding using a tempo timer ( excuses included bing too busy, just got to swim the set, don’t know how to work it etc), I reluctantly used a tempo timer last week. Greg Gourley (who is a big tempo timer fan) gave me one to use for threshold pace set. I agreed to try it, although was feeling tired and really wanted to just cruise.

It was threshold set of 8 x 100 aimed at maintaining a steady pace. Greg set it on Mode 2 at 23. This meant that every 25 m the timer was going to beep to keep me on pace. At the end of each 100 the rest period was 23 sec and then I set off again. There is no cheating the tempo timer! It made me work hard and kept me on pace. A few times I dropped back in the second half of the 100 but was certainly aware of this fact.

The next session I bravely decided to have a go on Mode 3 which focuses on stroke rate. I had a rough idea of my stroke rate and did a few 50s playing around with the stroke rate tempo to swim at threshold pace. I then completed an 8 x 100 set with the tempo set at 75. It worked well with the trainer assisting in maintaining my stroke rate and ultimately pace time.

Anne Smyth (on behalf of the Coaching Team) MSNSW Coaching Team Leader, MSNSW  & MSA Coach of the Year 2014