Do your normal warm-up. Follow with a short build set to be ready to swim fast. Or you might consider our recommended warm-up.
Once you are thoroughly warmed up, you will do two time trials to establish your STP; one of 400 yards (or meters if you are in a long course pool) and one of 200 yards/meters.
To perform a Swim Threshold Pace (STP) test you will need:
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- A stopwatch
- An assistant
- And of course a short course or long course pool
Do your normal warm-up. Follow with a short build set to be ready to swim fast.
Once you are thoroughly warmed up, you will do two time trials to establish your STP; one of 400 yards (or meters if you are in a long course pool) and one of 200 yards/meters. Both time trials will be done in the same pool, during the same swim session.
Each time trial will start from a push off the wall – no diving start.
Both time trials will be at a maximal pace – meaning as fast as you can go the distance. Pace yourself and hold a constant pace throughout each time trial – try not to go out to hard and slow down.
Have your assistant say ‘Go’ and begin the test. Your assistant records the time in seconds.
Allow sufficient time between the two swims so that you are FULLY recovered before the second time trial. Begin with the 400 time trial. Swim an easy cool-down for at least 10 minutes allowing your heart rate to fully recover to your base rate (your heart rate at the end of a typical warm-up).
Have your assistant say ‘Go’ to begin the second test. Your assistant records the time in seconds.
How to Calculate STP –
Swim Threshold Pace in yards/meters per second can be calculated with the following formula, where D1 = 400, D2 = 200, T1 = time for 400 swim in seconds and T2 = time for 200 swim in seconds
STP = (D1 – D2) ÷ (T1 – T2)
Practical Application
Say your workout plan calls for repetitions at [STP + 8] and your STP, determined from a Swim Threshold Pace Test in a 25-yard pool using the formula above is 1.28. Your STP indicates that you swim 1.28 yards per second. To state that in terms of 100 yards, divide the distance by the STP, 100/1.28 = 78.125 seconds = 1:18.13/100 pace. To determine STP + 8 simply add 8 seconds to your STP, 1:18 + :08 = 1:26/100.
