Protocols

SwiMetrics is a portable measurement device with proprietary software that can be used at any pool.

During the test, you are connected to the SwiMetrics device by a thin fishing line tied to a belt wrapped around your waist. You swim four 25-yard race-pace efforts for each stroke to be analyzed (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke or freestyle) in the following order:

• Pull (with pull buoy)
• Kick with kickboard (for freestyle, butterfly and/or breaststroke) or on back (for backstroke)
• Two race-pace swims with a strong underwater streamlined kick from the wall**

Between each of the four race-pace efforts, you swim easily back to the start.

When you swim, SwiMetrics measures and records your instantaneous velocity (in meters per second) and force* at specific points in your swimming stroke 60 times per second.  In other words, SwiMetrics measures how fast you are swimming at every point of your stroke, enabling you and your coach to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

SwiMetrics data is synchronized with DartFish software to superimpose the velocity and force curves with underwater video in real time.  The video is then recorded and posted online for easy analysis.

* Force is only measured and recorded in the Gold Package or Individual Package.

** known as The Fifth Stroke