Swimming guides

CSS testing, realistic swim paces and the jump from the pool to open water.

• Critical Swim Speed (CSS) test: how to do it and use the resultHow to run the 400 m and 200 m CSS swim test, calculate your pace per 100 m, and use it to set swim sets and race pace.
• What is a good CSS swim pace?Typical Critical Swim Speed (CSS) paces per 100 m by level and age, and how to read your own result.
• From pool to open water: why you feel out of air even with a good CSSWhy a good pool swimmer can struggle to breathe in open water, how CSS relates to open-water swimming, and a safe way to build up.

All guides