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Writer's pictureAlison Smith

Whats the point of a rest period in my swim session?


When your coach design a session plan, the rest breaks between efforts have been carefully calculated to take into account the workout’s type, goals and the time available in the pool.


But are you one of those swimmers who either shortens or skips the rest, because you just want to get the session done, and surely that’s more likely to replicate your race, right?


Or even make it longer, because you’re just plain tired?


WRONG!


Both of these habits can prevent you from fully benefiting from the session and hinder your fitness development.


So, what Are Rest Periods and Why Are They Important?


Rest periods refer to the planned time between swim efforts, or blocks, during a swim set. They allow your body to recover sufficiently so you can maintain proper technique, speed, and endurance throughout the workout. These breaks are designed to pace your energy systems and prevent fatigue from building up too quickly. By managing your rest properly, you’re better able to sustain quality swimming across the entire session.




Common rest myths:

If I miss/reduce the rest period I’ll get fitter because I’m not taking such long breaks


Not really. If the session plan says to rest for 20 seconds between repetitions and you skip that rest, or only take 10 seconds, you risk burning out too early.


This can lead to fatigue, slower swim times, poor pacing development or even needing to skip parts of the session altogether. That’s definitely not going to improve your fitness!


In a coached environment, skipping rest periods can also disrupt the lanes grouping.


If you're ahead of the session schedule due to not resting, it could cause issues with others who are following the plan, causing your lane to become out of sync, especially if some swimmers are on a drill block whilst the rogue swimmer has moved on to a swim block.



If I’m fatigued its better for me to take more than the rest I need


Taking more rest than stated just reduces the intensity of the set and diminishes the sessions effectiveness. Swim training is meant to challenge you and work your energy systems, by taking longer breaks you’re not going to get the full and desired benefit of the workout.


So, try to stay on track with the stated rest, even when it feels tough. Pushing yourself to work through fatigue, while still maintaining form, is where gains can be made.  


Chose a shorter session if you are really struggling or just getting back into swimming after a long break, and build up slowly, but stick to the session aims!

 

The rest periods are just made up anyway, right?

No!!!

Rest periods aren’t just random figures, they are calculated with the session’s goals in mind. Whether you're doing technique work, endurance training, or sprint sets, the rest periods are tailored to fit the purpose of the workout. Here’s how rest periods can vary across different types of sessions:



1. Technique or Drill Sets

When a session is focused on technique or drills, you’ll usually see rest periods of 10-30 seconds. In these cases, rest is slightly longer so you can focus on form rather than intensity. It allows you to mentally reset and physically prepare for the next effort. For instance, you may need extra time to change swim gear, like putting on fins, paddles or a snorkel, without feeling rushed.

 

2. Threshold or Aerobic Endurance Sets

 In these session types, rest periods are often shorter, typically between 5-20 seconds. These short breaks keep your heart rate elevated enough to allow you to maintain a steady pace over longer distances. The goal is to build stamina and build great pacing skills while swimming at a sustainable speed.


3. Anaerobic or Sprint Sets

In high-intensity sprint sets or maximal effort sessions, rest periods are longer, usually 30-60 seconds. For pure, full on sprint sessions, you might even expect to see rest periods extending to 1-2 minutes. The purpose of this longer rest is to allow your body to recover fully so you can hit maximum effort again on the next repetition.


In endurance-based training (like the kind often done at Swim Smooth Herts), we still incorporate sprint efforts, but with slightly shorter rest than pure sprint training to balance intensity with overall endurance goals.


Different Types of Rest Intervals

Coaches may use different approaches to structure rest in your sessions, and it’s important to understand how each one works. This is what we do in our squad sessions:

 



1. Interval-Based Rest (Red Mist or RM)

This is a common type of rest type used in group training. Swimmers work on a set interval, a basic example is 10x100m on 2 minutes. If you finish the 100m in 1:45, you get 15 seconds to rest before starting again. The faster you swim, the more rest you get; swim slower, and you get less rest.


This style helps you tune into pacing and can push you to maintain speed throughout the set. It’s highly effective in group settings where swimmers are of similar pace and are all leaving the wall at the same time. We use a tempo trainer pro to guide pacing in the lane and set specific times.


2. Rest-Based Rest

In this approach, the rest period is fixed, no matter how fast or slow you swim. For instance, 10x100m with 20 seconds rest means you always get 20 seconds between efforts, regardless of your pace. This method requires strict time keeping from individuals in a lane and each swimmer ensuring they take their rest and not be pressured into going early.


We also use the tempo trainer for this session, and it is set to help you stick to your CSS pace throughout the set, not go out too hard too soon, then blow up later in the session!


3. Last In, First Out

This simply means that once the last swimmer in a lane finishes the repetition, the first swimmer starts the next one. This method is great for maintaining lane organisation in busy sessions. It also fosters teamwork as the lane operates as a unit, ensuring that all swimmers start together regardless of their speed.


4. Regroup Periods

This is commonly used in our Swim Smooth Herts squad sessions. At the end of a block of work, all swimmers in the lane stop and regroup so they can start the next part of the set together. Regroup periods help ensure the lane stays coordinated and on the same part of the set. In a club environment it also allows the coach to address the whole pool for the next set of instructions, or focus points.

 

So, rest periods are just as important as the swimming itself.


They allow you to recover, maintain form, and push your limits in a controlled way. When your coach sets a rest period, it’s with a specific goal in mind, whether it’s to enhance technique, build endurance, or increase speed.


Skipping or extending your rest alters the session’s intended outcomes, so stick to the plan to get the most out of your swim.


Remember, it’s not just what you swim that matters, how you swim it, including your rest, is equally crucial!

 

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