Poor pacing

Starts too fast and fades, or has no sense of how fast they are swimming.

Activities that help

• Easy, Steady, Strong – Swim the same distance at three effort levels and learn what each feels like – easy, steady and strong (never all-out) – so swimmers can choose a pace on purpose.
• Even or Faster Second Half – Swim a distance so the second half is the same pace or a little quicker than the first – a gentle introduction to controlling pace without racing.
• Even-Pace Repeats – Four short repeats at an even effort, judged by stroke count and time together – learning that steady beats fast-then-slow.
• 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.
• Pace Prediction – Swimmers predict their time for a distance, then try to swim exactly that time – pace awareness rather than flat-out effort.