Resources · Choosing an Interval
How Do I Know What Interval to Use?
A simple process for picking a send-off you can hold — plus a calculator to get you started.
In short: Time yourself on the distance, add enough rest for the set's purpose, then round to an easy-to-track number. Adjust from there.
Show me
Swim time → add rest → pick a round number.
A good interval is one you can hold for the whole set. Time yourself on the distance at the effort the workout calls for, add enough rest for the purpose of the set, then round to something easy to remember.
You swim
A 100 in 1:42
That's your honest, repeatable swim time at this effort.
Add rest
About 15–20 seconds
Enough to recover for a moderate aerobic set, not a full breather.
Round to
2:00
An easy-to-track send-off that gives roughly that much rest.
Your turn
Interval helper.
Enter a distance you've actually swum, your time for it, and what kind of set it's for. This gives you a starting point — not a performance judgment.
—
Walk me through it
50s, 100s, 200s.
50 in :40
Aerobic → try :55–1:00
Roughly 15–20 seconds of rest, rounded to a clean number.
100 in 1:35
Aerobic → try 1:55–2:00
Enough rest to hold the pace across the set.
200 in 3:10
Aerobic → try 3:35–3:40
Same logic, scaled up for the longer distance.
Remember thisIf you're missing the interval or getting way more rest than the set intends, adjust it — a workout you can actually hold beats one written on paper you can't.
Let the generator pick the interval for you.
Set your level and effort, and every send-off is already built in.
Generate My Workout