Pace Clock Lengths
Learn to read the pace clock: leave on the top, note the time at the end, and use it to swim repeats at an even pace.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 9, Swimming – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Endurance & Pace
- Equipment
- Pace Clock
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 7 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Leave at least five seconds between swimmers in a lane; agree a direction.
What it develops
- Hold an even pace over repeated swims
- Plan and control pace for a longer swim
How to run it
- Explain the clock: leave when the second hand (or display) reaches the top (0 or 60).
- Swimmers swim one length and read their time on arrival.
- They repeat three more lengths, leaving on the top each time (or after a set rest), aiming for times within three seconds of each other.
- Discuss: which length was the odd one out and why?
Teaching cues
- Leave on the top.
- Check the clock as you touch.
- Same effort, same time.
Make it easier
- Teacher calls the times aloud; use widths.
Make it harder
- Leave on a set cycle (e.g. every 60 seconds) so the rest is whatever is left.
- Lead the lane in pairs, leaving 5 seconds apart.
Common faults
- Forgetting the start time.
- First length much faster than the rest.
Corrections
- 'Look before you push.'
- 'Find a pace you can repeat.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand by the clock and help swimmers read their times, writing them on the lane whiteboard for the teacher.