FINIS Australia: how to use the Tempo Trainer Pro

What's a Tempo Trainer?

There are a heap of different tools to help you swim better but if you want to hit goals, there is nothing quite like the FINIS Tempo Trainer Pro.

Many swimmers count the strokes they take during each length in training. This helps you work on improving your distance per stroke. The other part of the “swimming faster” equation is hitting your desired stroke rate.

Stroke rate = How many strokes you are taking per minute. A stroke rate of 40-50 is a slow stroke rate, while the stroke rate for elite 50m freestyle swimmers is well over 100 strokes per minute.

How the FINIS Tempo Trainer Pro Helps You Swim More Efficiently

Here’s what this yellow beauty helps do:

Improve your stroke rhythm. Like most swimmers, you probably have a dominant side in your stroke. As a result, your stroke will favour one side. A hitched, or galloped stroke is common when we overly favor one side over the other, and you will find that getting a good rhythm going is remarkably hard in these scenarios. The Tempo Trainer Pro can help you develop some cadence and rhythm in your stroke.

Helps lengthen out your stroke. The result of fast swimming comes via efficiency—if you can go the same speed with fewer strokes you’ve increased how efficient you are in the water. While stroke counts can be fudged with over-kicking or longer breakouts, tempo can’t be faked.

Or shorten it. For swimmers who are prone to over-gliding, and especially for sprint swimmers, there is a need to speed up their stroke rate to get a higher rate of propulsion happening.

Be a pace clock. With lap pacing you can set an interval time (say, :20 per 25m), and it will beep every :20 to mark your sendoff.
The Tempo Trainer Pro helps recondition your motor patterns in training so you know how your desired stroke rate “feels”. This makes it easier to hit your desired pace in competition.

Other things to know:

Yes, it’s waterproof.
It includes a clip so that you can wear it on dry land.
It turns off automatically in order to help preserve battery life.
The loudness of the “beeping” can be set at different levels (thankfully).
You can use it for running or biking.
The battery (CR1620 3V) can be replaced.