The Four Pillars of Teaching Fast Swimming to Everyone - Starting with Tempo

By Glenn Mills – Co-Founder of GoSwim.tv

Coaching fast swimming is a complex challenge that requires a personalised approach for each athlete. No two swimmers are the same, so training methods must be adaptable rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

To simplify the process of teaching competitive swimming, we break it down into four fundamental pillars:

• Tempo – The rate at which a swimmer completes a stroke cycle (two “hand hits”).
• Distance Per Cycle (DPC) – How far a swimmer travels with each stroke cycle.
• Breakout Distance – How far from the wall a swimmer starts swimming after a turn or start.
• Underwater Velocity – The speed at which a swimmer moves underwater.

By focusing on these four pillars, you streamline the coaching process and equip swimmers with the tools they need to reach their goals—whatever they may be.

Why Tempo Is Key

When coaching young swimmers, it’s essential to provide measurable and consistent targets. One example is the swimmer’s breakout point. If the goal is to break out a certain distance past the flags, that target is visible to both the swimmer and the coach, helping to develop better streamlines, push-offs, and underwaters.

Holding a specific stroke rate—or tempo—is another measurable and consistent target for improving performance.

Think about how a swimmer usually tries to go faster:

• They push off further.
• They move their arms faster.
• They kick harder.

These strategies can increase speed, but they often come at the cost of greater energy expenditure. A smarter, more sustainable approach—and the real key to long-term success—is to increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance.

That one’s important, so we’ll say it again: The key to faster swimming and long-term success is to increase distance per cycle while maintaining the same tempo and breakout distance.

This combination of skills ensures that improvements come from better swimming technique rather than simply relying on a stronger push-off, a bigger kick, or a faster stroke rate.

How Coaches Can Track and Apply These Concepts

Keeping track of multiple variables for an entire squad of swimmers can seem overwhelming, but the simplest way to monitor tempo is by using a FINIS Tempo Trainer, an easy-to-use tool that helps swimmers refine their stroke efficiency and pacing. Think of it as a wearable metronome.

Once each swimmer learns how to use the device, they can take ownership of setting their own targets and tracking their own progress.

Here’s a simple drill to introduce swimmers to the FINIS Tempo Trainer and the concept of increasing distance per cycle while maintaining stroke rate:

4 x 50m with the FINIS Tempo Trainer in Mode 1, set to a comfortable rate for the swimmer.
Goal: Descend time on each 50m without increasing tempo or breakout distance.

Hint: The only way to get faster is by increasing distance per cycle, a skill that directly translates into real-world speed gains.

A Practical Example

Let’s say a swimmer has a 5-metre breakout on both lengths of a 50-metre freestyle.

• They take 15 strokes for the 50m and finish in 30.00 seconds.
• If they maintain the same tempo but increase distance per stroke by just 5 centimetres, how much faster will they be?

By applying simple maths, we find that this slight improvement in stroke efficiency results in a new time of 29.4 seconds—a 0.6-second drop just from adding 5cm per stroke.

Building Long-Term Success

This method isn’t just about short-term gains. When a swimmer focuses on improving distance per cycle while maintaining tempo, they build a strong technical foundation. Then, as they mature and gain strength, they can gradually increase tempo while maintaining their improved stroke efficiency.

By following this cycle—building efficiency first, then adding speed—swimmers maximise their long-term potential.

The Role of Breakout Distance & Underwater Velocity

The other two pillars, breakout distance and underwater velocity, should also be consistently developed with correct technique. Even one strong underwater dolphin kick is better than none, so starting with a consistent and well-executed breakout is key.

Using the flags as a marker provides a simple, achievable target for all levels of swimmers, without overwhelming younger athletes. A good push-off and streamline alone can get most swimmers to that point, making it an easy yet effective skill to track.

The Power of Small Improvements

When all four pillars come together, swimmers become faster, more efficient, and more confident. Tracking even small data points - like tempo and breakout distance - makes it easier to see real progress, even for younger swimmers.

And sometimes, all it takes is that little “BEEP BEEP” from a FINIS Tempo Trainer to set a swimmer on the path to success.

Ready to elevate your swimmers' performance? The FINIS Tempo Trainer is the ultimate tool for building consistency, efficiency, and speed. Shop now and start seeing results today!