T-Time for Swimming
Your T-Time is a method for determining how much rest you get for a repetition of swimming. It is based on your general fitness and ability to swim a repeated 100m effort. It is not based on your maximum swimming pace or fastest swim speed.
It is easiest to explain T-Time by giving an example e.g. your coach advises you that your T-Time is two minutes flat (2:00) and your set involves swimming 15x 100m on T+15sec. Your T-Time is 2:00 plus the 15 seconds equals 2:15 and that is how often you start each repetition. If you finish your first rep in 1:55 that leaves 20 seconds rest as you wait for the clock to get back around to the 2:15. Your next rep might be 2:00 which means you now only have 15 seconds rest and so on.
| Rep Number | Start Time | Time to swim 100m | Rest prior to starting next rep | Start Time for next rep |
| 1 | 0:00 | 1:55 | 0:20 | 2:15 |
| 2 | 2:15 | 2:00 | 0:15 | 4:30 |
| 3 | 4:30 | 2:02 | 0:13 | 6:45 |
| 4 | 6:45 | 1:59 | 0:16 | 9:00 |
| 5 | 9:00 | 2:03 | 0:12 | 11:15 |
| 6 | 11:15 | 2:02 | 0:13 | 13:30 |
| 7 | 13:30 | 2:05 | 0:10 | 15:45 |
| 8 | 15:45 | 2:04 | 0:11 | 18:00 |
| 9 | 18:00 | 2:06 | 0:09 | 20:15 |
| 10 | 20:15 | 2:08 | 0:07 | 22:30 |
| 11 | 22:30 | 2:10 | 0:05 | 24:45 |
| 12 | 24:45 | 2:09 | 0:06 | 27:00 |
| 13 | 27:00 | 2:08 | 0:07 | 29:15 |
| 14 | 29:15 | 2:11 | 0:04 | 31:30 |
| 15 | 31:30 | 2:07 | N/A | N/A |
Figure: Hypothetical Example of a Swimmer with a T-Time of 2:00 conducting a session of 15x 100m on T+15
If the distance of the repetitions was based on 50m reps the time used might be ½T+10. For this swimmer half T is half of 2:00 equals 1:00 plus the 10sec equals 1:10. There fore they start each rep every 70 seconds.
If the distance of the rep was say 200m a session might be something like 8x 200m on 2T+20sec. In this case double the T-Time and add 20sec, therefore 4:20.
If you don’t know your T-Time, use this workout to determine it:
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi Coaching.
I specialise in assisting first timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Very nice work out Sir